Saint Helena

Saint Helena (, US: ; US: ) is a volcanic tropical island located in the South Atlantic Ocean, west of Africa. The nearest countries geographically are Angola and Namibia. The island is about 1,860 km (1,160 mi) west of Angola, 3,280 km (2,040 mi) east of Brazil and South America, and 4,000 km (2,500 mi) east of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a British overseas territory. Saint Helena measures about 16 by 8 km (10 by 5 mi) with a population of 4,439 in the 2021 census. It was named after Saint Helena (c. AD 246/248–330), the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine I. It is one of the most remote major islands in the world and was uninhabited until the 16th century, when discovered by the Portuguese explorers en route around the continent of Africa in 1502. For about the next four centuries, the island was an important stopover for ships between Europe and Asia sailing around the African continent, before the opening of the shortcut Suez Canal in 1869. The primary method of reaching Saint Helena is by its airport. It is also served by cargo ships. Saint Helena is known for being the site of the second period of exile of Napoleon Bonaparte, from his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 until his death six years later.