Antarctic Philately: The peri-Antarctic Islands (original) (raw)

MAPS OF THE PERI-ANTARCTIC ISLANDS

The islands and archipelagos mentioned here are referred to as peri-Antarctic, rather than sub-Antarctic, since many of them are similar in features despite their location outside the Antarctic Convergence Zone. The geographical co-ordinates listed for the smaller islands are based upon the middle of the island. It should be noted that historical dates given for sightings, landings and winterings are the first recorded incidences. Sovereignty over some of these islands is still disputed. This list is presented in an easterly order, from 0° longitude.

Bouvetøya

, 54°25'S : 3°22'E

• Also known as Bouvet, this island is a single volcanic island with an offlier. The island covers 54 km² with its highest elevation being Mt. Olavtoppen at 780 m. It is 93% glacierized. Discovered by Jean Baptiste Charles de Lozier Bouvet on January 1, 1739, the first recorded landing was by sealers in 1822. The island is uninhabited with no wintering population, and is a dependency of Norway (claimed in 1927).

Prince Edward Islands, 46°36' to 46°58'S : 37°35' to 38°01E

• The group consists of two main islands, Prince Edward Island and Marion Island. They are separated by 22 km and are of volcanic origin with a number of outliers. The two islands cover 317 km² with the highest elevation, State President Swart Peak, located on Marion Island. The group was first sighted in 1663 with the first landing, by sealers, in 1799. A scientific station was established in 1947 and has been occupied permanently since. The Prince Edward Islands are a state territory of the Republic of South Africa.

Iles Crozet, 45°57' to 46°30'S : 50°20' to 52°35'E

• The Crozet Islands consist of five islands in two island groups: Ile aux Cochons with Ilots des Apôtres and Ile des Pingouins; Ile de la Possession and Ile de l'Est. Separated by a total of approximately 100 km, these islands are of volcanic origin. The group covers 325 km² with the highest elevation being Pic Marion-Dufresne (1090 m) on Ile de l'Est. The first sighting and landing took place in 1772 by French navigator Marion-Dufresne. A scientific station was established in 1963 and has been occupied permanently since. The islands are French territory, part of Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (French Southern Antarctic Territories).

Iles Kerguelen, 48°35' to 49°44'S : 68°43' to 70°35'E

• The Kerguelen Islands consist of one large island (Grande Terre) and several smaller ones. Additionally, there are some 300 islets, rocks and outliers. The group is partly volcanic in origin. The group covers 7215 km² with the highest elevation being Mt. Ross at 1850 m. The islands are 10% glacierized. The first sighting and landing took place in February 1772 by French navigator Yves-Joseph de Kerguélen-Trémarec. A scientific station was established in 1951 and has been occupied permanently since. The group was annexed by France in 1893 and became part of Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises in 1955.

Heard Island, 52°58' to 53°12'S : 73°15' to 73°50'E

• This island is of volcanic origin along with one smaller island, Shag Island, 11 km to the north. The island covers 385 km² with the highest elevation being Mawson Peak at 2745 m. This is the highest point in Australian territory. The island was arguably first sighted in 1833 and again in 1848. The first confirmed sighting was in 1853 with sealers first landing in 1855. The island came under Australian control in 1947. This is an Australian External Territory, known as the Territory of Heard and McDonald Islands. The island is uninhabited, however a scientific station was occupied from 1947-55.

McDonald Islands, 53°03'S : 73°36'E

• This group consists of one small island with a number of offliers, 38 km west of Heard Island. Of similar origin to Heard Island, this tiny island only covers 2.6 km² with the highest elevation being Maxwell Hill at 212 m. This unglacierized island, never inhabited, was first sighted in 1854 with the first landing coming in 1971. This is an Australian External Territory, known as the Territory of Heard and McDonald Islands.

Ile Amsterdam, 37°50'S : 77°31'E

• Amsterdam Island is a tiny volcanic island with offlier, about 90 km north of Ile Saint-Paul. Covering 85 km², the highest elevation is Mont de la Dives at 881 m. The unglacierized island was first sighted in 1522 with the first landing coming in 1696. A scientific station was established in 1949 and has been occupied permanently since. The island is French territory, part of Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises.

Ile Saint-Paul, 38°43'S : 77°32'E

• Saint Paul Island is one small island and offlier of volcanic origin, about 90 km south of Ile Amsterdam. Only 7 km², the highest elevation is Crête de la Novara at 268 m. This unglacierized island was sighted before 1559, with the first landing coming in 1696. It is uninhabited, although various sealers and scientific personnel have wintered over. This island is French territory, part of Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises.

Macquarie Island, 54°37'S : 158°58'E

• Macquarie Island consists of one main island with several outliers (Judge and Clerk Islands). The island is of sedimentary origin and covers 128 km² with the highest elevation being Mt. Hamilton at 433 m. This unglacierized island was first sighted and landed upon by sealers in 1810. Permanent occupation of a scientific station has occurred since 1948. An Australian State territory, Macquarie Island is a Dependency of Tasmania. (Macquarie Island map).

Balleny Islands, 66°15' to 67°35'S : 162°30' to 165°00'E

• This chain of islands and offliers stretches for 190 km. The group contains three main islands: Young, Buckle and Sturge. The group covers 400 km² with the highest elevation, 1524 m., being Brown Peak on Sturge Island. The group is 95% glacierized. The islands have never been inhabited, however they were first sighted and landed upon in 1839. They are New Zealand territory, part of the Ross Dependency.

Auckland Islands, 50°29' to 50°56'S : 165°52' to 166°20'E

• The group consists of one main island with several smaller ones and offliers. The islands, of ancient volcanic origin, cover 626 km² with the highest elevation being Mt. Dick, on Adams Island, at a height of 667 m. The unglacierized group was first sighted in 1806, with sealers the first to land in 1807. This New Zealand territory is uninhabited, however sealers, scientific personnel and a colonial settlement have wintered over.

Campbell Island, 52°33'S : 169°09'E

• Campbell Island is of ancient volcanic origin with offliers. It is unglacierized and covers an area of 113 km² with the highest elevation being Mt. Honey at 567 m.. It was sighted and first landed upon by sealers in 1810. A scientific station was established in 1941 and has been occupied permanently since. The island is New Zealand territory.

Scott Island, 67°24'S : 179°55'E

• Scott Island is one small island and an isolated stack, of volcanic origin. The tiny island covers only 0.4 km² with the highest elevation being Haggits Pillar at 63 m. The island is largely glacierized. Uninhabited, the island was first sighted and landed upon in 1902. It is New Zealand territory, part of the Ross Dependency.

Peter I Øy, 68°51'S : 90°37'W

• Uninhabited Peter I Island is of volcanic origin with an area of 157 km². The highest elevation is Mt. Lars Christensentoppen at 1640 m. The island is 95% glacierized. Although first sighted in 1821, the first landing did not come until 1929. The island is a Norwegian dependency.

South Shetland Islands, 61°00' to 63°22'S : 53°50' to 62°50'W

• This group stretches some 540 km and consists of four primary groups, including eleven major islands (Elephant and Clarence Islands; King George and Nelson Islands; Robert, Greenwich, Livingston, Snow and Deception Islands; Smith and Low Islands). There are several smaller islands with many islets and rocks. Some of the islands are of volcanic origin and average about 120 km north of the Antarctic Peninsula. A giant among the peri-Antarctics, the group covers 4662 km² with the highest elevation being Mt. Foster, on Smith Island, at a height of 2105 m. The group is 80% glacierized. The South Shetlands were first sighted in 1819 with sealers arriving in 1820. Permanent scientific operations have occurred since 1943, with a whaling station operating on Deception Island from 1912-31. This is highly disputed territory as the British have claimed it as part of its British Antarctic Territory, Argentina as part of Antártida Argentina and Chile as part of Territorio Antártico Chileno.

South Orkney Islands, 60°30' to 60°50'S : 44°15' to 46°15'W

• The group consists of four major islands: Coronation, Signy, Powell and Laurie Islands, with several minor islands, offlying islets and rocks. Inaccessible Islands lie 30 km to the west and all are of sedimentary origin. They cover 622 km² with the highest elevation being Mt. Nivea, on Coronation Island, at 1265 m. The group is 85% glacierized. They were first sighted and landed upon by sealers in 1821. A permanent scientific station has been occupied since 1903. A whaling station operated at Signy Island between 1920 and 1926. Another disputed island group, the South Orkneys are claimed by the British as part of the British Antarctic Territory while Argentina claims them as part of Antártida Argentina.

Shag Rocks, 55°33'S : 42°02'W

• These six isolated rocks, and outlying Black Rock, are approximately 250 km west of the island of South Georgia. They are sedimentary in origin and cover an area of 0.2 km² with the highest elevation being 71 m. These unglacierized rocks were probably sighted in 1762 and 1794, however the first confirmed sighting did not come until 1819. The uninhabited rocks were first landed upon in 1956. The rocks are claimed as British territory, being part of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Not to be outdone, they are also claimed by Argentina as part of the Islas del Atlántico Sur.

South Georgia, 53°30' to 55°00'S : 35°30' to 38°40'W

• South Georgia consists of one main island, several small ones, and numerous islets and rocks. The outlying Clerke Rocks are 74 km southwest of the main island and all are mainly of sedimentary origin. Covering an area of 3755 km², the highest peak is Mt. Paget at an elevation of 2934 m. The island is 57% glacierized. The island was first sighted in 1675 and landed upon in 1775. Sealers arrived in 1786 and operated off and on, in conjunction with whaling stations, until 1965. The island has been permanently occupied by whaling and / or scientific stations since 1904. South Georgia is claimed as British territory and is part of the inclusive territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The island is also claimed by Argentina as part of the Islas del Atlántico Sur.

South Sandwich Islands, 56°18' to 59°28'S : 26°14' to 28°11'W

• This group is a chain of eleven small volcanic islands stretched out over 390 km. They cover an area of 310 km² with the highest elevation being Mt. Belinda, on Montague Island, at a height of 1375 m. The group is 80% glacierized. First sighted in 1775, the first to land were sealers in 1818. They are uninhabited, although scientific personnel have wintered over. They are claimed as British territory and are part of the inclusive territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The islands are also claimed by Argentina as part of the Islas del Atlántico Sur.

Gough Island, 40°19'S : 09°57'W

• This unglacierized island, and several rocks, is of ancient volcanic origin. Covering an area of 65 km², the highest elevation is Edinburgh Peak at 910 m. It was probably sighted in 1505 with the first landing in 1675. Sealers arrived to the island in 1804. A scientific station has been occupied since 1955. Claimed as British territory, the island is part of the Dependencies of Saint Helena.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

"Chronological List of Antarctic Expeditions and Related Historical Events", by Robert K. Headland

"Merriam Webster's Geographical Dictionary", Third Edition