Merger Island facts for kids
 Merger Island
Location in Antarctica
Location in Antarctica
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 70°6′S 71°13′W / 70.100°S 71.217°W |
| Length | 5.556 km (3.4523 mi) |
| Administration | |
| Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Merger Island is an island covered in ice, about 5.5 kilometers (3 nautical miles) long. It is located near the entrance of Haydn Inlet, off the west coast of Alexander Island, in Antarctica. This island is special because it is almost completely surrounded by the huge Wilkins Ice Shelf.
Discovering Merger Island
Scientists first mapped Merger Island using photos taken from the air. These photos were captured by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition between 1947 and 1948. Later, in 1960, a person named D. Searle from the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey helped to map the island more clearly.
Why the Name "Merger Island"?
The UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee gave the island its name. They chose "Merger Island" because it seems to almost 'merge' or disappear into the surrounding Wilkins Ice Shelf. This means it's hard to tell where the island ends and the ice shelf begins.
