About Tristan

Tristan Da Cunha is located around 1,750 miles away from South Africa, and 1,500 miles away from the nearest land mass (Saint Helena). This means it is the remotest group of islands in the world. It is a British overseas terrority and governed primarily by Saint Helena.

As a territory this group of islands consists of four islands – Tristan Da Cunha (the main island where Tristan’s citizens live), Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Islands and Gough Island. Its overall area is about 80 square miles.

Tristão da Cunha was the first person to spot the islands (hence its name) in 1506, and the first official survey/mapping was made in 1767 by the French frigate L’Heure du Berger. The French frigate didn’t attempt to land on the island. The first permanent settler was an American by the name of Jonathan Lambert, who arrived at the end of 1810. He named himself as ruler of the islands and re-named them Islands of Refreshment. However he died from a boating accident just two years later and the islands were known as Tristan Da Cunha again.

Due to its strategic positioning, these remote islands have been used in various wars (and were annexed by the United Kingdom in 1816). During World War II, the Royal Navy used Tristan as a top-secret weather and radio station. Since currency wasn’t yet established on the islands, the favour was instead repaid likewise – naval supplies were given to Tristan’s citizens, and in the following year currency was introduced, along with the island’s newspaper The Tristan Times. Perhaps more importantly, the first administrator (head of government in Tristan Da Cunha, and representative of the Governor of Saint Helena) was appointed by the British in this time, ‘modernising’ Tristan’s running.

The island’s population is just 271, and no new residents are allowed to settle on the island – hence this population number isn’t increasing or decreasing by much. The only religion is Chrisianity, mainly via denominations of Anglicanism and Roman Catholicism. Due to the small population, marriages between distant relatives (e.g. second cousins) has inevitably occured – resulting in some minor health issues including asthma and glaucoma. Amongst the 271 residents, there are 80 families, and just 7 surnames: Glass, Green, Hagan, Lavarello, Repetto, Rogers and Swain.

Health care on the island is free, however Tristan Da Cunha has just one resident doctor and five nurses, meaning that any serious injuries or surgeries are carried out in Cape Town (South Africa).

As previously mentioned, the islands are volcanic – it is thought that they were originally formed from a volcanic eruption. The spot of said eruption is called the Tristan hotspot. The plantlife is mainly indicative of plantlife found on South American and African terrain, however certain species have been found as far out as New Zealand (in the case of the Nertera depressa species).