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Ascension Island

Ascension Island
General information
Common nameAscension Island
AnthemGod Save the Queen
CapitalGeorgetown
Largest citycapital
Official languagesEnglish
Government
GovernmentBritish overseas territory
MonarchElizabeth II
GovernorAndrew Gurr
AdministratorRoss Denny
Part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaPart of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
First inhabited1815
Dependency of St Helena12 September 1922
Current constitution1 September 2009
Geography
Total Area34 sq mi (88 km2) (219th)
Water %0
Demography
Population Est.880 (n/a)
Density (pop.)10/km2 (n/a) (25.9/sq mi)
Economy
Other information
CurrencySaint Helena pound
(US dollars accepted) (SHP)
Time zoneGMT (UTC+0)
Drives on theleft
Internet TLD.ac
Calling code247

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Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around 1600 km (994.2 mi) from the coast of Africa, and 2250 km (1398.1 mi) from the coast of South America which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa. It is governed as part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, of which the main island, Saint Helena, is 1287 km (799.7 mi) to the southeast, and the territory also includes the "remotest populated archipelago" on earth, the sparsely populated Tristan da Cunha archipelago some thirty degrees farther south � about half the way to the Antarctic Circle.

The Island is named after the day of its recorded discovery, Ascension Day, and is located at , about as far south of the equator as tropical Venezuela is to its north. Historically, it has played a role as an important safe haven and coaling station to mariners and for commercial airliners during the days of international air travel by flying boats and during World War II was an important naval and air station, especially providing antisubmarine warfare bases in the Battle of the Atlantic and throughout the war.

Ascension Island was garrisoned by the British Admiralty from 22 October 1815 to 1922.

The island is the location of Wideawake Airfield, which is a joint facility of the United States Air Force and the Royal Air Force, a European Space Agency rocket tracking station, and the BBC World Service Atlantic Relay Station. The island was used extensively by the British military during the Falklands War. Ascension Island hosts one of five ground antennae (others are on Kwajalein Island, Diego Garcia, Colorado Springs and Hawaii) that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigational system.

Ascension Island, as a part of the wider overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, does not yet have its own flag or coat of arms. The Union Flag and Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom are used instead.


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