Ross Island

For other places with the same name, see Ross Island (disambiguation).

Ross

Map of Ross Island
Location of Ross Island
Geography
Location	Antarctica
Coordinates	77°30′S 168°00′E
Archipelago	Ross Archipelago
Area	2,460 km2 (950 sq mi)
Highest elevation	3,794 m (12,448 ft)
Highest point	Erebus
Country
Antarctica
Demographics
Population	100
Additional information
Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System

Orthographic projection centred over Ross Island

Land fast sea ice in the foreground. Ross Island in the background. 77° 30′ S Latitude 168° 00′ E Longitude.

Ross Island is an island formed by four volcanoes in the Ross Sea near the continent of Antarctica, off the coast of Victoria Land in McMurdo Sound.

Geography

Because of the persistent presence of the ice sheet, the island is sometimes taken to be part of Antarctica. Its area is 2,460 km² (950 sq mi); only a small portion of the island is free of ice and snow. The planet's southernmost active volcano, Erebus (3,794 m/12,448 ft), as well as the dormant volcano Terror (3,230 m/10,597 ft), are situated on the island. They were named by Ross after his ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. The third highest elevation is Mount Bird, with Shell Glacier and Endeavour Piedmont Glacier on its slopes. Abbott Peak stands between Mount Erebus and Mount Bird.

Despite its relatively small size, Ross Island is the world's 6th highest island.

Discovery

Sir James Clark Ross discovered it in 1841, and it was later named in honour of him by Robert F. Scott.

Ross Island was the base for many of the early expeditions to Antarctica. It was and still is the southernmost island reachable by sea. Huts built by Scott's and Shackleton's expeditions are still standing on the island, preserved as historical sites.

Today Ross Island is home to New Zealand's Scott Base, and the largest Antarctic settlement, the U.S. Antarctic Program's McMurdo Station. Greenpeace established World Park Base on the island and ran it for five years, from 1987 to 1992.

Claims

Ross Island lies within the boundaries of Ross Dependency.

Wildlife

Ross Island supports a colony of approximately half a million Adélie Penguins.

See also

Composite Antarctic Gazetteer Erebus hotspot Erebus Ice Tongue List of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands

List of Antarctic islands south of 60° S List of islands of New Zealand McMurdo Sound New Zealand sub-antarctic islands

Ross Sea SCAR Territorial claims in Antarctica Air New Zealand Flight 901

References

• LeMasurier, W. E.; Thomson, J. W. (eds.) (1990). Volcanoes of the Antarctic Plate and Southern Oceans. American Geophysical Union. pp. 512 pp. ISBN 0-87590-172-7. 

External links

• Map of Ross Island and Dry Valleys, NIWA New Zealand