Zo is het leven in de meest geïsoleerde nederzetting ter wereld

Het dorpje Edinburgh of the Seven Seas wordt beschouwd als de meest geïsoleerde nederzetting ter wereld.
De nederzetting ligt op het vulkaaneiland Tristan da Cunha in het zuiden van de Atlantische Oceaan en telt zo’n 230 inwoners.
Het eiland kan alleen bereikt worden met een bijna een week durende boottrip vanuit Kaapstad in Zuid-Afrika.
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De inwoners van Edinburgh of the Seven Seas op het eiland Tristan da Cunha, een van de overzeese Britse gebieden, noemen hun dorp “de meest geïsoleerde nederzetting ter wereld”.

Tristan da Cunha is een vulkaaneiland in het zuiden van de Atlantische Oceaan. De laatste keer dat de vulkaan uitbarstte was in 1961 en toen werden de eilandbewoners helemaal naar Engeland geëvacueerd.

Er wonen nu zo’n 230 mensen. De lokale economie moet het vooral hebben van de export van rivierkreeft, maar er is ook wat toerisme. Hotels kennen ze echter niet; overnachten kan bij mensen thuis voor bijna 80 euro per nacht. Maar eerst moet je er nog komen.

Het eiland is alleen bereikbaar per boot en de meeste daarvan vertrekken vanuit de meest nabijgelegen stad: Kaapstad in Zuid-Afrika. De bootreis naar Tristan da Cunha duurt bijna een week.

Zo ziet het leven eruit in de meest geïsoleerde nederzetting ter wereld.

Zo ziet het leven eruit in de meest geïsoleerde nederzetting ter wereld

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is known as the most remote settlement in the world.

Source: Smithsonian, Tristan da Cunha

maloff/Shutterstock
It lies at the edge of an island, Tristan da Cunha, in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean.

Google Maps
The island of Tristan da Cunha is more than 1,700 miles (nearly 2,800 kilometers) off the coast of Cape Town.

David Forman/Getty Images
The island is one of Britain's 14 overseas territories.

Source: Britain’s Treasure Islands, BBC

Chris Ison/PA Images/Contributor/Getty Images
The settlement was named after the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Victoria's second son, after he visited in 1867.

Print Collector/Contributor/Getty Images
As of May 2025, 209 islanders and visitors are living there, including descendants from original settlers and stationed researchers.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Reuters
Being the remotest settled island in the world is Tristan's claim to fame.

maloff/Shutterstock
The island is so remote that the government actually recommends visitors start to plan their trips a year in advance.

Geoff Renner/robertharding/Getty Images
Prospective visitors need to get their trip approved by the Tristan government. They need to email the Secretary to the Administrator, providing reasons for their visit.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

maloff/Shutterstock
The island is only accessible by boat across the South Atlantic Ocean — most trips leave from Cape Town, South Africa.

Mark Hannaford/Getty Images
The trip from Cape Town takes six days, and boats leave on an inconsistent schedule — sometimes they set sail multiple times per month and sometimes they skip a month entirely.

GuilhermeMesquita/Shutterstock
The settlement is known for its warm hospitality and will welcome all visitors after the long journey.

maloff/Shutterstock
Of the 209 people currently living on the island, 25 are not part of the permanent group of residents. And of the permanent islanders, there are only 11 different last names.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Mark Hannaford/Getty Images
One islander told a 2016 documentary that the island is one giant family-like community — residents will share food and help each other with fixes to their homes.

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

maloff/Shutterstock
Another resident told BI it's a safe community where she doesn't have to worry about her children's safety. "There's always someone looking out for them," she said.

Source: Business Insider

maloff/Shutterstock
One native islander was asked about what it was like to grow up on Tristan. He joked, "Pretty good, as long as you can find something to do."

Source: Where’s Andrew

maloff/Shutterstock
Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is a rural settlement, which sustains itself by growing mainly potatoes on patches of land about a mile away from the town.

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

Getty Images
The farming part of life in Tristan allows islanders to grow their own food without having to import.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Peter Schaefer/Getty Images
There's one road that leads to the patches ...

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

David Forman/Getty Images
... and anyone can take the bus to get there.

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

Peter Schaefer/Getty Images
Every family living on the island has a few fields to grow potatoes and other crops. They harvest inside "walled patches" made from volcanic rock, and use hand tools rather than machinery.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Peter Schaefer/Getty Images
Each family can own livestock, but the government controls the numbers to prevent overgrazing of the limited land. Currently, each household is allowed to own one breeding cow.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

David Forman/Getty Images
More than 40% of the island's territory is declared a nature reserve. Animal life includes rare bird breeds and Northern Rockhopper penguins.

Source: Britain’s Treasure Islands

David Forman/Getty Images
There are three different species of albatross native to the island, but the albatross are threatened by mice every year.

Source: Island Conservation, Tristan da Cunha

David Forman/Getty Images
The same boats that brought people to the island brought mice and rats as well. In killing the chicks of native birds, the rodents could be eradicating a number of species.

Source: RSPB, Tristan da Cunha

Auscape/Contributor/Getty Images
In fact, it's such a problem that the islanders have an entire holiday dedicated to ridding the island of the vermin: Ratting Day.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Courtesy of Tristan da Cunha Photo Portfolio
On this holiday, residents team up and compete to see who can catch the most, and the biggest, rats and mice — it was an idea thought up before mice repellent existed on the island.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Courtesy of Tristan da Cunha Photo Portfolio
Judges count the rats and measure the tails to decide which team wins. Teams then receive prizes and have a dance-filled celebration.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Courtesy of Tristan da Cunha Photo Portfolio
The residents also celebrate traditional Catholic holidays, including Easter.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Kent Kobersteen/Getty Images
The church was built in 1923 and was the first on the island.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

David Forman/Getty Images
Before the church was created, islanders held services in people's homes.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

David Forman/Getty Images
Islanders say they feel a sense of community while dealing with death just as much as they do while living and celebrating life.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Kent Kobersteen/Getty Images
"Whether family or not, a passing touches the hearts of the whole community, and this is when you see islanders not only as a community but as a family," wrote one islander, Dawn Repetto, on the community's website.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Kent Kobersteen/Getty Images
Scientists visit the island to gather information on the rare plant and animal species living on the island among the volcanic rock.

Source: Smithsonian

David Forman/Getty Images
The settlement also has all the basics you would expect from any small town, such as a supermarket, a bar, an internet cafe, and bus stops.

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

David Forman/Getty Images
There's also a school, St. Mary's, for students aged between 3 and 16. It has five classrooms, a library, a hall with a stage, a computer room, and a science room.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

David Forman/Getty Images
The local economy depends largely on the harvest of rock lobster — which they sell internationally — and fish.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

David Forman/Getty Images
They also sell postage stamps to collectors abroad and make a limited amount through tourism.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

RFStock/Getty Images
While some cruise ships have added the port to their route from Africa to Latin America so tourists can have a peek into this style of remote life, it's generally not somewhere people just pass through.

Source: Smithsonian, Lonely Planet

David Forman/Getty Images
But for the tourists that do make it to the island, there are a few options when it comes to tourist accommodations.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Peter Schaefer/Getty Images
Some islanders open up their homes to visitors on a homestay basis. They collect 88% of the guest fees while the other 12% goes to the government.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Peter Schaefer/EyeEm/Getty Images
There's a museum called "Traditional Thatched House Museum" that's available as a guesthouse for one night for two people. The price includes tea, coffee, milk, sugar, candles, sleeping bags, and a "traditional Tristan cooked meal" for lunch.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

David Forman/Getty Images
Tourists can climb the active volcano on their visit. This peaceful, quiet settlement was almost destroyed in 1961 when the volcano erupted and sent lava spewing down the mountains.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

David Forman/Getty Images
You can see here how close the lava got to the settlement. It stopped before it reached the buildings.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Peter Schaefer/Getty Images
Islanders were forced to evacuate. Most went to England, where they got a taste of modern life.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Terence Spencer/Getty Images
By November of 1963, all the islanders who chose to reject the swinging sixties in the UK had returned back to their settlement to carry on their legacy.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Carl Mydans/Contributor/Getty Images

Zo ziet het leven eruit in de meest geïsoleerde nederzetting ter wereld

Zo ziet het leven eruit in de meest geïsoleerde nederzetting ter wereld

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is known as the most remote settlement in the world.

It lies at the edge of an island, Tristan da Cunha, in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean.

The island of Tristan da Cunha is more than 1,700 miles (nearly 2,800 kilometers) off the coast of Cape Town.

The island is one of Britain's 14 overseas territories.

The settlement was named after the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Victoria's second son, after he visited in 1867.

As of May 2025, 209 islanders and visitors are living there, including descendants from original settlers and stationed researchers.

Being the remotest settled island in the world is Tristan's claim to fame.

The island is so remote that the government actually recommends visitors start to plan their trips a year in advance.

Prospective visitors need to get their trip approved by the Tristan government. They need to email the Secretary to the Administrator, providing reasons for their visit.

The island is only accessible by boat across the South Atlantic Ocean — most trips leave from Cape Town, South Africa.

The trip from Cape Town takes six days, and boats leave on an inconsistent schedule — sometimes they set sail multiple times per month and sometimes they skip a month entirely.

The settlement is known for its warm hospitality and will welcome all visitors after the long journey.

Of the 209 people currently living on the island, 25 are not part of the permanent group of residents. And of the permanent islanders, there are only 11 different last names.

One islander told a 2016 documentary that the island is one giant family-like community — residents will share food and help each other with fixes to their homes.

Another resident told BI it's a safe community where she doesn't have to worry about her children's safety. "There's always someone looking out for them," she said.

One native islander was asked about what it was like to grow up on Tristan. He joked, "Pretty good, as long as you can find something to do."

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is a rural settlement, which sustains itself by growing mainly potatoes on patches of land about a mile away from the town.

The farming part of life in Tristan allows islanders to grow their own food without having to import.

There's one road that leads to the patches ...

... and anyone can take the bus to get there.

Every family living on the island has a few fields to grow potatoes and other crops. They harvest inside "walled patches" made from volcanic rock, and use hand tools rather than machinery.

Each family can own livestock, but the government controls the numbers to prevent overgrazing of the limited land. Currently, each household is allowed to own one breeding cow.

More than 40% of the island's territory is declared a nature reserve. Animal life includes rare bird breeds and Northern Rockhopper penguins.

There are three different species of albatross native to the island, but the albatross are threatened by mice every year.

The same boats that brought people to the island brought mice and rats as well. In killing the chicks of native birds, the rodents could be eradicating a number of species.

In fact, it's such a problem that the islanders have an entire holiday dedicated to ridding the island of the vermin: Ratting Day.

On this holiday, residents team up and compete to see who can catch the most, and the biggest, rats and mice — it was an idea thought up before mice repellent existed on the island.

Judges count the rats and measure the tails to decide which team wins. Teams then receive prizes and have a dance-filled celebration.

The residents also celebrate traditional Catholic holidays, including Easter.

The church was built in 1923 and was the first on the island.

Before the church was created, islanders held services in people's homes.

Islanders say they feel a sense of community while dealing with death just as much as they do while living and celebrating life.

"Whether family or not, a passing touches the hearts of the whole community, and this is when you see islanders not only as a community but as a family," wrote one islander, Dawn Repetto, on the community's website.

Scientists visit the island to gather information on the rare plant and animal species living on the island among the volcanic rock.

The settlement also has all the basics you would expect from any small town, such as a supermarket, a bar, an internet cafe, and bus stops.

There's also a school, St. Mary's, for students aged between 3 and 16. It has five classrooms, a library, a hall with a stage, a computer room, and a science room.

The local economy depends largely on the harvest of rock lobster — which they sell internationally — and fish.

They also sell postage stamps to collectors abroad and make a limited amount through tourism.

While some cruise ships have added the port to their route from Africa to Latin America so tourists can have a peek into this style of remote life, it's generally not somewhere people just pass through.

But for the tourists that do make it to the island, there are a few options when it comes to tourist accommodations.

Some islanders open up their homes to visitors on a homestay basis. They collect 88% of the guest fees while the other 12% goes to the government.

There's a museum called "Traditional Thatched House Museum" that's available as a guesthouse for one night for two people. The price includes tea, coffee, milk, sugar, candles, sleeping bags, and a "traditional Tristan cooked meal" for lunch.

Tourists can climb the active volcano on their visit. This peaceful, quiet settlement was almost destroyed in 1961 when the volcano erupted and sent lava spewing down the mountains.

You can see here how close the lava got to the settlement. It stopped before it reached the buildings.

Islanders were forced to evacuate. Most went to England, where they got a taste of modern life.

By November of 1963, all the islanders who chose to reject the swinging sixties in the UK had returned back to their settlement to carry on their legacy.

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