# Jamestown

> capital of Saint Helena

**Wikidata**: [Q30970](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30970)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamestown,_Saint_Helena)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/jamestown

## Summary
Jamestown is a city and port located on the island of Saint Helena, serving as the capital of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. Founded in 1659, it covers an area of 3.6 square kilometers and had a recorded population of 714 in 2016. The city is situated at coordinates -15.925138888888888 latitude and -5.7179166666666665 longitude.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Jamestown is classified as both a city (a large human settlement) and a port city.
- **Location**: It is located on the island of Saint Helena, within the political entity of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
- **Inception**: The settlement was founded in 1659.
- **Population**: The city had a population of 714 as of 2016.
- **Area**: The total area of Jamestown is 3.6 square kilometers.
- **Coordinates**: It is positioned at latitude -15.925138888888888 and longitude -5.7179166666666665.
- **UN/LOCODE**: Its United Nations Code for Trade and Transport Locations is SHSHN.
- **Naming**: The city is named after James II of England.
- **Native Label**: It is locally known as the "City of Jamestown."
- **Distinction**: The toponym "Jamestown" is noted as not being unique, requiring differentiation from other locations with the same name.

## FAQs
**What is the geographic location of Jamestown?**
Jamestown is situated on the remote island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. It serves as the capital for the wider territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.

**When was Jamestown founded and who is it named after?**
The city was established in 1659 and is named after James II of England.

**What is the population and size of Jamestown?**
As of the 2016 census, the population was 714 residents. The city covers a total area of 3.6 square kilometers.

## Why It Matters
Jamestown serves as the administrative and political hub of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, acting as the central port of entry and settlement for the region. Its establishment in 1659 makes it a historically significant site of early British colonization, predating many other settlements in the region. As a designated port city with a specific UN/LOCODE (SHSHN), it plays a critical role in the logistics and transport connectivity of the remote island. Furthermore, it is a recognized subject in numerous international encyclopedias and knowledge bases, highlighting its global relevance as a distinct geographic entity.

## Notable For
- **Administrative Center**: Functions as the capital of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
- **Historic Foundation**: Founded in 1659, reflecting a long history of continuous settlement.
- **Port Status**: Officially recognized as a port city with the trade code SHSHN.
- **Global Recognition**: Documented in a wide array of international knowledge bases, including the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary and the Encyclopedia of China.
- **Digital Presence**: Featured across 81 Wikipedia language editions, indicating high global visibility.

## Body

### Geography and Classification
Jamestown is an instance of a city and a port city. It is geographically situated within the region of Saint Helena, which is part of the larger sovereign territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The city encompasses an area of 3.6 square kilometers. Its precise geographic location is defined by the coordinates 15.925138888888888° South and 5.7179166666666665° West.

### History and Etymology
The inception of Jamestown dates back to 1659. The city was named in honor of James II of England. It holds the native label "City of Jamestown." Because the name "Jamestown" is common globally, the entity is formally differentiated from other locations sharing the same toponym.

### Demographics
According to data referencing the year 2016, the population of Jamestown is 714. This figure distinguishes it as a small but significant human settlement within the remote context of the South Atlantic.

### Transport and Logistics
As a port city, Jamestown serves as a critical node for maritime activities. It is assigned the UN/LOCODE `SHSHN`, facilitating its identification in international trade and transport databases.

### External Identifiers and Authority Control
Jamestown is cataloged under numerous international identifier systems, reflecting its global documentation:
- **Library Systems**: Library of Congress Authority ID (`nb2012004317`), National Library of Wales Authority ID (`jamestown-st-helena`), GND ID (`10011092-7`), and VIAF ID (`132268024`).
- **Encyclopedic References**: It is indexed in the *Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary*, *Encyclopaedia Beliana* (`jamestown`), *Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija* (`jamestown`), *Proleksis enciklopedija* (`28734`), *Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana* (`jamestown-6`), and the *Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition)` (`563903`).
- **Geographic Databases**: The city appears in GeoNames (`3370903`), OpenStreetMap (Node ID `293673697`), and has a GNS Unique Feature ID of `-1205453`.
- **Digital Platforms**: It maintains a Facebook Location ID (`108459139177954`), a Quora Topic (`Jamestown-Saint-Helena`), and a Google Maps Customer ID (`15445616221291462025`).
- **Knowledge Graphs**: The entity is recorded in Wikidata, Freebase (`/m/030hdq`), and FactGrid (`Zitzmann`).

### Multilingual and Media Representation
The city is described as the "capital of Saint Helena" in Wikidata and is the subject of a Wikipedia article titled "Jamestown, Saint Helena." It has a significant international digital footprint, with Wikipedia articles available in approximately 81 different languages, including Afrikaans, Arabic, Chinese, German, French, Japanese, and Russian. Visual documentation includes an image available via Wikimedia Commons (`St-Helena-Jamestown.jpg`) and a locator map image (`Topographic_map_of_Saint_Helena-en.svg`). The main category for media related to the city on Wikimedia Commons is "Jamestown, Saint Helena."

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. GeoNames
4. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/sh.htm)
5. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
6. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)