Aitcho Islands (South Shetland Islands) facts for kids
Location of Aitcho Islands in the South Shetland Islands.
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 Aitcho Islands
Location in South Shetland Islands
Aitcho Islands
Location in Antarctica
Location of in the South Shetland Islands##Location in Antarctica
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 62°23′29″S 59°46′10″W / 62.39139°S 59.76944°W |
| Archipelago | South Shetland Islands |
| Area | 1.9204 km2 (0.7415 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
The Aitcho Islands are a small group of islands in Antarctica. Their name, ‘Aitcho’, comes from ‘H.O.’, which stands for the Hydrographic Office. These islands are located on the west side of the northern entrance to English Strait. This strait separates Greenwich Island and Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands.
The Aitcho Islands are found between Dee Island to the south and Table Island to the north. A passage called Villalón Passage separates them from Dee Island and Sierra Island to the southwest. In the early 1800s, people who hunted seals visited this area. Today, during the Antarctic summer, many tourist ships come here. Visitors land on the islands to see the amazing wildlife.
These islands were first mapped in 1935. This happened during oceanographic studies by the Discovery Committee. They were named after the Hydrographic Office of the UK Admiralty. Some of the individual island names were given by Chilean expeditions between 1949 and 1951.
Islands of the Aitcho Group
The Aitcho group includes several islands and some notable rocks. Here are some of them:
- Barrientos Island
- Bilyana Island
- Cecilia Island, which Chile calls Isla Torre
- Chaos Reef
- Cheshire Rock
- Emeline Island
- Jorge Island
- Kilifarevo Island
- Morris Rock
- Okol Rocks
- Pasarel Island
- Passage Rock
- Riksa Islands
Wildlife on the Islands
The Aitcho Islands are home to various animals. You can find many bird species here. These include chinstrap and gentoo penguins. You might also see southern giant petrels and skuas.
Larger animals like southern elephant seals also live on the islands. Besides animals, the islands have a wide variety of plants. Many different types of lichens and mosses grow there.
See also
In Spanish: Islas Aitcho para niños
