Peter I Island (Norwegian: Peter I Øy) is a volcanic island located near Antarctica. It was discovered by Fabian von Bellingshausen off West Antarctica on 21 January 1821. It takes its name after the Russian emperor Peter I (the Great). Ola Olstad made the first successful landing on 2 February 1929 and claimed the island for Norway. The other Antarctic territory claimed by Norway is Queen Maud Land. Peter I Island is the only Antarctic claim area under the Antarctic Treaty that is not a sector, and the only claim area in the otherwise unclaimed sector between 90°W and 150°W, just west of the Chilean Antarctic Claim.
Geography
The island has an area of 243 km² and reaches a height of 1755 metres on Lars Christensen Peak, which is a volcano. It is not known whether it is extinct or not, for the upper part is apparently unmodified by glaciation. It lies approximately 450 km north of Eights Coast. It is surrounded by pack ice except for a brief period in late summer, and is 95% glaciated.
The island is so remote and access is so difficult (typically requiring a helicopter) that it has been reported that more people have set foot on the Moon than on Peter I[citation needed].
History
See also
References
External links
|
Integral overseas areas and dependencies of Norway |
|
| Integral territories |
|
|
| Dependent territories |
|
|
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
