See what life is like in the world's most isolated settlement, which sits at the foot of an active volcano in the South Atlantic Ocean

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

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., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

The residents also celebrate traditional Catholic holidays, including Easter.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

"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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.Source: Tristan da Cunha

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 one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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 one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.Source: Tristan da Cunha

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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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.

There's one road that leads to the patches ..., ... and anyone can take the bus to get there., 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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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