Photos show what life is like in the world's most isolated settlement

Only accessible by boat, the journey to Tristan da Cunha, the remotest island in the world, takes nearly one week to complete.

• The Edinburgh of the Seven Seas settlement is considered the most remote settlement in the world.
• The settlement, which is on the island of Tristan da Cunha, is home to around 230 people.
• It can only be reached after a nearly week-long boat trip departing from Cape Town, South Africa.

Residents of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, one of the British Overseas Territories on the island of Tristan da Cunha, call their home "the world's most isolated settlement."

Tristan da Cunha is an active volcanic island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. The last time it erupted was in 1961, which forced islanders to evacuate to England, according to the website of the Tristan da Cunha Government and the Tristan da Cunha Association.

Now fewer than 250 islanders and visitors live there, but the remoteness grants the lucky few plenty of tranquility and safety.

The economy relies on the export of crawfish, known as Tristan rock lobster, but tourism also makes up a small part. However, there are no hotels on the island, so the government has created a homestay program for visitors for £65 a night, or around $83 a night, according to the island's website. But first, you have to get there.

The island is only accessible by boat — many of which depart from the nearest city of Cape Town, South Africa — and the journey to Tristan da Cunha takes nearly one week to complete.

Here is what life is like in the most remote settlement in the world. 

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

Source: Smithsonian, Business Insider, Tristan da Cunha

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

Source: Tristan da Cunha, BI

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

Source: Tristan da Cunha, BI

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

Source: Britain's Treasure Islands, BBC

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

Source: Traveler's Point, Tristan da Cunha

There are fewer than 300 islanders and visitors who currently live there, including descendants from original settlers to stationed researchers.

Source: Traveler's Point

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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Before even booking a flight, 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

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

Source: Tristan da Cunha

The trip from Cape Town's port takes approximately six days, and the ships leave on an inconsistent schedule — sometimes they set sail multiple times per month and sometimes they skip a month entirely. The government suggests padding travel time in Cape Town with an additional two days.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Voyages are also listed on the South African National Antarctic Programme's schedule. The route isn't simple though and makes six stops in total.

Source: South African National Antarctic Programme

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

Source: Tristan da Cunha

Of the 226 people currently living on the island, 30 are not part of the permanent group of residents. And of the permanent islanders, there are only 10 different last names.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

One islander said it's one giant family-like community: If someone kills a large animal for eating, they share it. If someone's home is destroyed, someone else will host them or help them repair it.

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

The islander also said, "It's safe" in terms of criminal activity. Children can run around without supervision, and people don't lock their doors.

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

Another 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

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

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

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

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

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 harvesting machinery.

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 cow.

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.

Source: Britain's Treasure Islands

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Tristan da Cunha

The residents also celebrate traditional Catholic holidays, including Easter.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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.

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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

Source: Smithsonian

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

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

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

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Tristan da Cunha

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

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.

Source: Tristan da Cunha