Ascension island was discovered on Ascension Day 1501 by Portuguese navigator Joao da Nova, which explains why it got its name. It was first occupied by the British in 1815, to ensure that Napoleon did not eascape from his exile in nearby (700 miles away!) St. Helena. Its population, currently under 1,200, is outnumbered by sea turtles and sooty terns. It remained under Admiralty rule until 1922, when it was annexed as a dependency of St. Helena. Ascension has issued its own coinage, all commem