The island of Tristan da Cunha, remotely located from land and inhabited by people, can be put on a par with the rest of the globe with places like Pitcairn, Easter Islands and Bouvet. The archipelago occupies its niche in 2,816 thousand kilometers near South Africa. 3.36 thousand km must be overcome in order to get from it to the southern part of America. 2,161 thousand km shares this point with the island of St. Helena. In 1965, South Africa’s meteorologists station, which was leased in Britain, was located on land belonging to Hoff.
Location geography
Despite the fact that there is a volcano on the island, Tristan da Cugna has an unchanged number of residents, is the most significant among the nearby island territories.
It is characterized by volcanic origin. Appeared about a million years ago. The point of maximum height, which Tristan da Cugna boasts, is the top called Queen Meri, named after the Queen. Its height leaves 2,055 thousand meters above sea level. In winter, snow covers all the mountain peaks completely.
Queen Mary is a volcanic object that has erupted a couple of times since it was discovered.
Near the island of Tristan da Cunha, the coast is rocky, and the mountainous character is characteristic of the relief. There are many ravines. People living here call them gorges. There is a small place on the territory where a person can live permanently. This is the north and southwest of the island. There is a marina to which you can get close without risking anything.
Climate features and environmental conditions
Climatic conditions prevailing on Tristan da Cunha are rainy, oceanic, windy. The island territory of Hoff has an average monthly temperature level of 9 and 14 and a half degrees. If we move north, we will feel a rise in temperature to 11-17.5 degrees. The rainfall is about 2 thousand millimeters in the north.
Mammals are not the same group as the animals that inhabit Tristan da Cunha. There are perhaps only coastal seals. From the island of Gough, mice, amphibians, and some insects were introduced. Since the nearby Saint Helena, Ascension Island, Tristan da Cunha are quite distant from the mainland, this has a specific effect on the fauna and flora. Not one endemic plant covers the area. Unapproachable island has kept the smallest flightless bird of the globe. Tristan da Cunha is home to a crest penguin.
The high ranks of Nightingale, Unapproachable and Hoff are approved. These are protected areas where wildlife is preserved.
Wildness, however, does not apply to domestic animals and cattle born and growing here. There are a lot of them.
Historical data
According to historical data, these islands were discovered in the northern waters, which are part of the archipelago, at the beginning of the 16th century by the Portuguese Tristan (Trishtan) da Cunha. However, the “father” did not set foot on the land he found. The discovery of land, now called Hoffe, was carried out by the English navigator Charles Hough in the early 18th century. The sailors from France, who were part of the crew that served on board the frigate, were the first to land on land. It happened in the middle of the 18th century.
Own home was founded earlier than anyone here by the American J. Lambert in the early 19th century. He died a little later.
Island territories were soon annexed. Before the Suez Canal was discovered, the islands were of great importance to travelers between the European coasts and the American East in the waters of the ocean washing India.
The beginning of the 20th century was unpleasantly remembered by the eruption. As a result, a large number of cattle and vast areas with plantations for potatoes died. The population found shelter in the land of Cape Town. The year 1961 was also remembered for the eruption that damaged the fish processing factory. Residents were evacuated to the territory of the neighboring island and Great Britain from Tristan da Cunha. How to get back and live as before, they thought only when the factory was restored, and people were able to return.
Living population
In these territories, unlike neighboring lands, there really is a stable number of people. There are other settlements that do not differ constancy. As a rule, they are created for scientific bases and meteorological stations.
In 2008, the number of people was more than two hundred. The ancestors of modern inhabitants are immigrants who came here from 1816 to 1908, these are eight gentlemen (one from Scotland and the Netherlands, as well as two from England, Italy, America) and seven women (five of them were mulattos, four of them brought up the island of Saint Helena, one - Cape Town, and two more - Ireland).
Only seven surnames are enough for this island. Well, you can certainly say that all the inhabitants of the island are a single and united family.
Ruling government
The administrator is the person appointed by the governor. Saint Helena is considered the main one in relation to Tristan da Cunha. The administrator is the head of the Island Council, and the latter includes eleven people: eight of them are elected, three are appointed.
The diet must include at least one female person. Anyone who receives the maximum support in the election process will be named the Chief Islander. Its coins were minted by Tristan da Cugna. 1 crown depicts Queen Elizabeth II.
Communication
There are no permanent trips for passengers between the island territory and the land of the mainland. Access is possible if you get on a fishing vessel or on board a research ship. Boats coming from South Africa go to Tristan da Cugna once a month. We have space for travelers. Members of the expedition use air communication by helicopter. This place is far removed from the civilized world.
These lands were visited by characters from a book written by Jules Verne. During the trip around the world, “Children of Captain Grant” became guests of this island. They crossed the 370th parallel, looking for the missing encyclopedia, which was owned by a navigator from Scotland.