Tristan da Cunha
Quick reference
General issues: Dependency of Saint Helena 1952-2009, British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha 2009-Present
Country name on general issues: Tristan da Cunha
Currency: 1 Pound = 20 Shilling, 1 Shilling = 12 Pence 1952-1961, 1 Rand = 100 Cent 1961-1963, 1 Pound = 20 Shilling, 1 Shilling = 12 Pence 1963-1971, 1 Pound = 100 Pence 1971-Present
Population: 300 in 1956, 300 in 2015
Political history Tristan da Cunha
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Tristan da Cunha is a group of volcanic islands located in the southern Atlantic Ocean – the most remote inhabited archipalago in the world. Tristan da Cunha is discovered in the 16th century by the Portuguese explorer Tristan da Cunha. Tristan da Cunha is annexed by the British, in 1816, as a British colony. The British had taken an interest in Tristan da Cunha as a base to prevent the French from liberating Napoleon who, from 1815 to 1821, was banned to Saint Helena – also in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
Initially, Tristan da Cunha is administered from Cape of Good Hope and made a dependency of Saint Helena in 1938. Saint Helena, itself, becomes a British dependency in 1981 and a British overseas territory in 2002. In 2009, the status of the dependencies of Saint Helena – Ascension has become a dependency of Saint Helena in 1922 – is made the same as that of Saint Helena itself, when the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension & Tristan da Cunha is formed.
The main island of Tristan is inhabited, Inaccessible and Gough are wildlife reserves on the list of World Heritage Sites.
Postal history Tristan da Cunha
1954 – Nightingale Island
Mail from Tristan da Cunha is sent without stamps from 1881. From 1918, stamps of Ascension, Great Britain, Saint Helena and South Africa are used – if and when available. Occasionally, mail is still sent without stamps marked ‘no stamps available’. Stamps are issued for Tristan da Cunha since 1952.
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