Saunders Island, South Sandwich Islands facts for kids
Saunders Island location
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Location of Saunders Island
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| Geography | |
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| Coordinates | 57°47′S 026°27′W / 57.783°S 26.450°W |
| Archipelago | South Sandwich Islands |
| Length | 8.8 km (5.47 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 990 m (3,250 ft) |
| Highest point | Mount Michael |
| Administration | |
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United Kingdom
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| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Saunders Island is a cool, curved island in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It's about 8.8 kilometers (5.5 miles) long. You can find it between Candlemas Island and Montagu Island in the South Sandwich Islands. These islands are a British Overseas Territory, meaning they are part of the United Kingdom.
What makes Saunders Island really special is that it's a volcanic island! It has an active volcano called Mount Michael, which stands tall at 990 meters (3,248 feet). Mount Michael is a type of volcano called a stratovolcano, which means it's shaped like a cone and built up by many layers of hardened lava and ash.
Discovering Saunders Island
A long time ago, in 1775, a famous explorer named Captain James Cook found Saunders Island. He named it after Sir Charles Saunders, who was an important leader in the British Navy at that time.
Later, in 1819, another explorer named Bellingshausen drew more detailed maps of the island. Then, in 1930, scientists from the Discovery Investigations team explored it even more using their ship, Discovery II.
In 1964, a British Navy ship called HMS Protector surveyed the island. The westernmost point of the island, Ollivant Point, is named after the ship's captain, Martin S. Ollivant. Another point, Carey Point, also marks the western edge of the island.
Interestingly, the famous explorer Ernest Shackleton sometimes spelled the island's name as "Sanders Island" in his book about his last expedition.
What Makes Saunders Island Special?
Saunders Island has some unique features:
- Cordelia Bay: This is a bay on the island.
- Mount Michael: This is the island's active volcano. It's known for erupting explosively in 1819. It has also erupted many times since the year 2000, with the most recent eruption happening in 2005. The top of the volcano has a large crater, about 700 meters (2,300 feet) wide. Inside this crater, there's a permanent lava lake! This is super rare, as there are only about eight lava lakes like this in the entire world.
- Sombre Point: This is another point on the island.
- Yellowstone Crags: These are rocky cliffs found on the island.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Saunders (Sandwich del Sur) para niños
