Smith Island (South Shetland Islands)

Smith Island
Topographic map of Smith Island.
Smith Island
Location of Smith Island
Smith Island
Smith Island (Antarctica)
Geography
Location Antarctica
Coordinates 63°00′S 62°30′W / 63.000°S 62.500°W / -63.000; -62.500
Archipelago South Shetland Islands
Area 148 km2 (57 sq mi)
Length 20 mi (30 km)
Width 5 mi (8 km)
Highest elevation 2,105 m (6,906 ft)
Highest point Mount Foster
Administration
Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System
Demographics
Population 0

Smith Island is 20 miles (32 km) long and 5 miles (8.0 kilometres) wide, lying 45 miles (72 km) west of Deception Island in the South Shetland Islands of the British Antarctic Territory. Surface area 148 square kilometres (57 sq mi).[1]

The discovery of the South Shetland Islands was first reported in 1819 by Capt. William Smith, for whom the island is named. This island was known to both American and British sealers as early as 1820, and the name Smith has been well established in international usage for over 100 years, although in Russian literature it is often referred to as Borodino Island, sometimes marked as Borodino (Smith) Island.

The island hosts no research stations or camps, and is seldom visited by scientists or mountaineers. Its interior is entirely occupied by Imeon Range rising to 2,105 m (6,906 ft) (Mount Foster). The first detailed topographic mapping of the island was made by the Antarctic Place-names Commission and the Military Geographic Service of the Bulgarian Army and published in 2009[1] in both English and Bulgarian.

Maps

  • Chart of South Shetland including Coronation Island, &c. from the exploration of the sloop Dove in the years 1821 and 1822 by George Powell Commander of the same. Scale ca. 1:200000. London: Laurie, 1822.
  • L.L. Ivanov. Antarctica: Livingston Island and Greenwich, Robert, Snow and Smith Islands. Scale 1:120000 topographic map. Troyan: Manfred Wörner Foundation, 2010. ISBN 978-954-92032-9-5 (First edition 2009. ISBN 978-954-92032-6-4)
  • South Shetland Islands: Smith and Low Islands. Scale 1:150000 topographic map No. 13677. British Antarctic Survey, 2009.
  • Antarctic Digital Database (ADD). Scale 1:250000 topographic map of Antarctica. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). Since 1993, regularly upgraded and updated.
  • L.L. Ivanov. Antarctica: Livingston Island and Smith Island. Scale 1:100000 topographic map. Manfred Wörner Foundation, 2017. ISBN 978-619-90008-3-0

See also

Coordinates: 63°00′S 62°30′W / 63.000°S 62.500°W / -63.000; -62.500

References

  1. 1 2 L.L. Ivanov. Antarctica: Livingston Island and Greenwich, Robert, Snow and Smith Islands. Scale 1:120000 topographic map. Troyan: Manfred Wörner Foundation, 2010. ISBN 978-954-92032-9-5 (First edition 2009. ISBN 978-954-92032-6-4)

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Smith Island (South Shetland Islands)" (content from the Geographic Names Information System).

The southeast side of Smith Island from Osmar Strait


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