Following its discovery in 1502 by the Portuguese, St Helena became an important victualing stop on the shipping route from the East Indies to the UK and many stopped off to replenish supplies and rest. The Island is believed to have had a permanent human population from the 1600s. St Helena currently has a small population, mainly descended from workers from Europe, Asia and Africa, with 4534 people recorded in the 2016 census. St Helenians, informally referred to as “Saints”, are renowned for their friendliness and hospitable nature.