Petermann Island
 Petermann Island from a distance |
|
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 65°10′S 64°10′W / 65.167°S 64.167°W |
| Length | 2 km (1.2 mi) |
| Country | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
| Additional information | |
| Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
Petermann Island is a small island just off the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula of Antarctica, located at 65°10′S 64°10′W / 65.167°S 64.167°W, just a short distance south of Booth Island and the Lemaire Channel. Just 2 km (1.2 mi) long, the low rounded island is home to the world's southernmost colony of Gentoo Penguins, and also hosts a number of Adelie Penguins.
The island was discovered by a German expedition of 1873-74, who named it after geographer August Petermann. The French Antarctic Expedition of 1908-10 wintered over aboard ship in a cove on the southeast side of the island, named Port Circumcision because it was spotted 1 January 1909, the traditional day for the Feast of the Circumcision.
Huts built by the expedition are gone, although a cairn remains, along with a refuge hut built by Argentina in 1955, and a cross commemorating three members of the British Antarctic Survey who died in a 1982 attempt to cross the sea ice from Faraday Station to Petermann.
[edit] See also
- Composite Antarctic Gazetteer
- List of Antarctic islands south of 60° S
- SCAR
- Territorial claims in Antarctica
Coordinates: 65°10′S 64°10′W / 65.167°S 64.167°W
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Personal photographic account of the site in March 2007: bartosik.org
