Ascension Island, South Atlantic Ocean

Ascension Island lies in the South Atlantic (7 56'S, 14 22'W) 700 miles northwest of the island of Saint Helena and covers an area of 34 square miles. The climate is sub-tropical with temperatures ranging from 20-31°C. Showers occur throughout the year with slightly heavier rains in the January-April period. The island is volcanic, and its lower slopes and western side are made up of volcanic ash with little vegetation. Green Mountain, which rises to a height of 2,818 feet at the centre of the island, is lush and green. Despite its small size there is a lot to do on the island. There are numerous walks, scuba diving, and a variety of sports facilities including football, tennis, squash, softball and golf. Sea fishing is also very popular.

History

Ascension Island was discovered by the Portuguese seafarer João da Nova Castella in 1501, (although this visit apparently went unrecorded) and "found again" two years later on Ascension Day by Alphonse d'Albuquerque, who gave the island its name. Being dry and barren it was of little use to the East Indies fleets. So it remained uninhabited until Emperor Napoleon I was incarcerated on St Helena in 1815 when a small British naval garrison was stationed on Ascension to deny it to the French. The island was designated "HMS Ascension", a "Stone sloop of War of the smaller class".

By Napoleon's death in 1821 Ascension had become a victualling station and sanatorium for ships engaged in the suppression of the slave trade around the West African coast. In 1823 the island was taken over by the Royal Marines. It remained under the supervision of the British Board of Admiralty until 1922, when it was made a Dependency of St Helena by Royal Letters Patent. It ceased to be a military only island in 1899 when the Eastern Telegraph Company arrived. From 1922 until 1964 the island was managed by the Eastern Telegraph Company (renamed Cable and Wireless in 1934). In 1964, in view of plans to establish BBC and Composite Signals Organisation (CSO) stations, an Administrator was appointed. (During the Second World War the St Helena Government was similarly represented on the island).

Physical

Ascension is a geologically young - one million years old - volcanic island. The 44 distinct craters are dormant with the last major eruption taking place around 600 years ago. Much of the island is covered by basalt lava flows and cinder cones. The highest point, Green Mountain, at 2818 ft is covered with lush vegetation most of which was introduced in the 1800s. Much of the island has become green in recent years due to the rapid spread of the invasive mexican thorn bush.

Sisters

Population

There is no indigenous or permanent population. The inhabitants of the island comprise the employees and families of the organisations working on the island. The population at 31 March 2010 was 884 made up of 696 Saint Helena citizens, 106 UK citizens, 70 US citizens and 12 'other' nationalities.

Settlements

There are five settlements on the Island. Georgetown is the administrative capital and port; Two Boats village about three miles inland and situated at 600 feet is a residential area; Traveller's Hill is home to the RAF and its contractors and Cat Hill accommodates the US Base. The Residency (the official residence of HH the Administrator), the Red Lion (former farm manager's cottage and now Conservation Department Visitor Centre) and four small cottages are located within the national park on Green Mountain.

Religion

The territory’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion (as well as other fundamental rights and freedoms). There is an Anglican church, St Mary's in Georgetown, a small Roman Catholic Church, the "Grotto", and the remains of a mosque (which served Moslems from West Africa in the early days of occupation).

Governance

The Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha resides on St Helena and is represented on the latter two islands by an Administrator. The three islands form a single British Overseas Territory with a shared Constitution. The Island Council comprises five elected members, serving a three year term, and ex-officio (non-voting) members. Ascension, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha are not part of the United Kingdom, but the latter is responsible for foreign affairs, defence, and internal security.

Public Services

The provision of public services on Ascension has undergone major changes in recent years. Common service provision, though not governance itself, was in the past organized, financed and delivered by the users of the island themselves; AIS (Ascension Island Services) was a joint venture of the BBC and Cable & Wireless set up in 1984 for this purpose, itself replacing a previous, similar body. The Administrator’s Office provided core governmental functions. Following a decision by the BBC and Cable & Wireless to disband the joint venture and withdraw from providing common services, the Ascension Island Government and a new statutory body, the AIWSA (Ascension Island Works & Services Agency) took this on from 2001. In April 2004 the Works & Services Agency was dissolved and its functions absorbed into government. The latter is currently undergoing major restructuring and modernisation aimed at achieving best value for money, and quality assurance (with the aim of ISO9001 accreditation in the near future). Policing on the island is provided by a small detachment of the St Helena Police Force. There is a Magistrates court with lay magistrates and advocates. The superior court is on St Helena and serious cases are heard by a visiting judge. Banking facilities are provided by a branch of the Bank of St Helena.

Communications

At one time Ascension Island was an important relay point for the submarine cable system laid between the United Kingdom, Portugal and South Africa with links to South America and West Africa. The cable system has since been replaced by satellite communications. In 1967 the BBC opened its South Atlantic Relay Station originally to broadcast the World Service to Africa and South America. Technological advances and commercial agreements have largely ended the requirement for short wave programming to South American audiences. The station continues to play an important role in providing impartial news and other programming to West African audiences. As a major user of electricity itself, the station provides electricity (and desalinated water) for the rest of the island. Five latest generation wind turbines were erected in early 2010 to provide up to 30% of electricity needs. The European Space Agency operates the "Ariane" tracking station in support of launches from Kourou in French Guyana.

Military

During the Second World War the United States Government, by arrangement with His Majesty's Government, built "Wideawake Field" airstrip. From 1943-45 over 25,000 US planes transited Ascension Island destined for the North African, Middle East and European theatres of war. In 1957 a US presence was re-established, the airfield was enlarged and is now also the south east tracking station of the USAF Eastern Test Range. In 1967 a NASA tracking station was built and supported the Apollo lunar landing programme. Although this has since closed down NASA operations such as the Space Shuttle continue to be supported from Ascension by the USAF. The US base generates its own 110v electricity and desalinates its own water. In 1982 the Island supported operations in the Falkland Islands and a RAF detachment continues to operate on the island in support of the Falklands garrison and the South Atlantic Airbridge operation. Ascension is the intermediate stop for UK military flights between the United Kingdom and the Falklands. The Airbridge also provides air access for those living and working on the island as well being an important gateway to the outside world for Saint Helenians who travel to and from St Helena on the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) "St Helena".

Wideawake Airfield

Animals and Birds

The island is the most notable nesting ground in the South Atlantic for the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), which come ashore on the beaches from December to June to lay their eggs. It is also a breeding place for the sooty tern, or "wideawake", large numbers of which settle on the south-western coastal area (the "fairs") every tenth month to hatch their eggs. Other offshore nesting seabirds include boobies, Ascension frigate birds, Boatswain birds, petrels and noddies. Land birds include canaries, mynahs, francolins, waxbills and sparrows. The island is also home to feral donkeys, sheep, rabbits, two species of lizards, land crabs, rats and mice. All wild life except feral rats, mice and rabbits is protected by law. The ocean surrounding the island abounds with shark, wahoo, barracuda, tuna, bonita, sailfish, marlin and other game fish.

Seabird Restoration Project

Over the last few years a major project has been carried out to protect the island’s seabirds that had been under serious threat from feral cats. These had originally been introduced in the hope that they would control the rat population, however they developed a taste for seabird eggs and hatchlings. This project, funded by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office with support from the Ascension Island Government and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, focused on eradication of the feral cats. The eradication programme has been successful and more seabird nests are being observed. A domestic cat population still exists although there are strict controls over the importation of cats to the island.