British island in the S Atlantic, 1,900
km/1,200 mi W of Africa, area 122 sq km/47 sq
mi; population (1985) 5,900. Its capital is
Jamestown, and it exports fish and timber.
Ascension and Tristan da Cunha are
dependencies. St Helena became a British
possession 1673, and a colony 1834. Napoleon
died in exile here 1821. Native to St Helena
is the giant earwig Labidura herculeana,
which up to 8 cm/3 in long, the largest
species of earwig in the world.