Bilyana Island facts for kids
Location of Bilyana Island in the South Shetland Islands
|
|
 Bilyana Island
Location in Antarctic Peninsula
Bilyana Island
Location in Antarctica
Location of Bilyana Island
|
|
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 62°23′05″S 59°45′47″W / 62.38472°S 59.76306°W |
| Archipelago | Aitcho group |
| Area | 10 ha (25 acres) |
| Length | 450 m (1,480 ft) |
| Width | 900 m (3,000 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
Bilyana Island (which is остров Биляна in Bulgarian) is a cool, small island in Antarctica. It's part of a group of islands called the Aitcho group. What makes Bilyana Island special is that it's mostly free of ice, which is pretty unusual for an island in Antarctica!
This island is located on the west side of a narrow waterway called English Strait, within the South Shetland Islands. Bilyana Island is about 450 meters (about 1,476 feet) long and 290 meters (about 951 feet) wide. Its total area is around 10 hectares (about 25 acres). Long ago, in the early 1800s, people who hunted seals often visited this area.
What's in a Name?
Bilyana Island got its name from "Bilyana," which is a popular name found in traditional Bulgarian music and folklore.
Where is Bilyana Island?
Bilyana Island is located in the chilly waters of Antarctica. Its exact spot is at 62 degrees, 23 minutes, 5 seconds South and 59 degrees, 45 minutes, 47 seconds West.
To help you imagine where it is, the island lies about 100 meters (about 328 feet) south of Jorge Island. It's also located about 1.9 kilometers (about 1.2 miles) north-northwest of Barrientos Island. And if you look northeast, you'll find it about 1.45 kilometers (about 0.9 miles) from Emeline Island. These locations were mapped by Bulgarian explorers in 2009.
