Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island, 7°56′ south of the Equator in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) from the coast of Africa and 1,400 miles (2,300 kilometres) from the coast of Brazil. It is governed as part of the British Overseas Territory of of which the main island, Saint Helena , is around 800 miles (1,300 kilometresm) to the southeast. In addition to St Helena, the territory also includes Ascension Island and the sparsely populated Tristan da Cunha archipelago, 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometres) to the south, about halfway to the Antarctic Circle. Named after the day of its recorded discovery, the date of the Ascension of Jesus, Ascension Island was an important safe haven and coaling station to both mariners and commercial airliners back in the days of international
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