Reading: The Remotest Inhabited Island on Earth!

In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, more than 4,000 km from the nearest island on the planet – it is also a volcanic island. To get there, you need to travel for five or six days on a ship from Cape Town in South Africa.

Tristan da Cunha is a British territory, named after the Portuguese explorer who discovered the island. The official language is English, but London is almost 10,000 km away. The British monarch is the head of state and they use British pounds as their currency.

The island is home to eighty families, about 250 people in total. The island is only 10 km long and there is one town with only one school. This is the only place on the island with an internet connection.

In October 1961, the island’s volcano erupted and the whole population went to live in the UK. They got jobs and new hones, but they didn’t like the lifestyle there and missed their life on the island. They found it very hard to live in a society where money is the most important thing. So, in November 1962, they returned to Tristan da Cunha – they were happier without television, cars and the stress of modern life!