AncientPages.com - On May 21, 1502, the island of Saint Helena was discovered by the Portuguese explorer João da Nova.
Located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, St. Helena Island is well-known as the last residence of Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile from 1815 until he died in 1821.
João da Nova discovered the island of Saint Helena, named after Saint Helena of Constantinople, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Her feast day as a saint is traditionally celebrated on May 21.
The area of St. Helena covers 122 square kilometers, and it was once covered with beautiful original forest, which disappeared due to the colonial settlement. The highest point on the island of St. Helen, at 818 meters, is Diana's Peak.
The island has a rich and fascinating history that goes back to its discovery in 1502 by Joao da Nova. Before the explorer's first visit, the island was uninhabited and is considered one of the most remote islands in the world.
It was an important port for ships sailing to Europe from Asia and South Africa for centuries.
Napoleon was imprisoned there in exile by the British, as were Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo (for leading a Zulu army against British rule), and more than 5,000 Boers were taken prisoner during the Second Boer War (or the South African War), which occurred from October 11, 1899, until May 31 1902.
Saint Helena is Britain's second-oldest remaining overseas territory after Bermuda.
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