Ascension


Region Type Maps & Charts (if available, no international)
Africa, Atlantic Island Ascension

Island (area; 34 sq miles), in the S Atlantic, NW of St. Helena and belonging to the Br. St. Helena colony. Ascension is volcanic and rocky. Sea turtles and terns breed here annually. The U.S. maintains missile, satellite tracking, and space research stations on the isl. Discovered by the Port. Joao da Nova in 1501, Ascension was taken by the British in 1815 and used as a naval station. In 1922 it was made a dependency of St. Helena. Georgetown is the main settlement. The isl. served as a refueling base for Br. aircraft and ships during the Falkland Isls. conflict bet. Britain and Argentina in 1982.

Sources

Robert A. McCaughey

Compiler

Peter Richards

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