Vendee Globe : South Atlantic Ocean islands

situation 02/01/2013 04:00 UTC

Isla de los Estados

>>> geolocalization with the Marine GeoGarage <<<

Isla de los Estados (English: Staten Island, from the Dutch Stateneiland) is an Argentine island that lies 29 kilometres (18 mi) off the eastern extremity of the Argentine portion of Tierra del Fuego, from which it is separated by the Le Maire Strait.
It was named for the Netherlands States-General, and its original Dutch name was identical to that of the New York borough of Staten Island.

 San Juan de Salvamento lighthouse on the east coast of the remote Isla de los Estados,
made famous by Jules Verne in the novel The Lighthouse at the End of the World
The remains of the original lighthouse were moved to Ushuaia and a reconstruction of the lighthouse was finished at the museum in 1997.
At the original site a reproduction of the lighthouse was created in 1998
by a society of French fans of Jules Verne who worked with the Argentine Navy.
This reproduction is now an active aid to navigation.

Falkland Islands (above) UKHO / Islas Malvinas (below) SHN

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The Falkland Islands (Spanish: Islas Malvinas) are an archipelago located in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf.

The principal islands are about 310 miles (500 kilometres) east of the Patagoinian coast at a latitude of about 52°S.

The archipelago which has an area of 4,700 square miles (12,173 square kilometres) comprises East Falkland, West Falklandand 776 smaller islands.

The islands, a British Overseas Territory, enjoy a large degree of internal self-government with the United Kingdom guaranteeing good government and taking responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs.

Controversy exists over the Falklands' original discovery and subsequent colonisation by Europeans. At various times there have been French, British, Spanish, and Argentine settlements. Britain re-established its rule in 1833, though the islands continue to be claimed by Argentina.

In 1982, following Argentina's invasion of the islands, the two-month-long undeclared Falklands War between both countries resulted in the surrender of all Argentine forces and the return of the islands to British administration.

Oil exploration, licensed by the Falkland Islands Government, remains controversial as a result of maritime disputes with Argentina.

 German map from 1844, hence the number of German terms appearing on it.

Most of the French names have disappeared leaving mainly English names with a few Spanish ones.

Port Egmont is still marked on the map.

This map divides the islands up into East and a West Falkland Island.

This map credits the discovery of the islands to Davis in 1592.

A map showing the Falkland Islands prior to 1794 with marginal notes describing the division of the Islands between British West Falkland and Spanish East Falkland.

Part of a "Map of South America containing Terra-Firma, Guayana, New Granada, Amazonia, Brasil, Peru, Paraguay, Chaco, Tucuman, Chili and Patagonia with a chart of Falkland's Islands named by the French Malouine Islands and discovered by Hawkins in the year 1593.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Georgia (above) UKHO / Isla San Pedro (below) SHN

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South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) is a British overseas territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean.

It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands, known as the South Sandwich Islands.
The United Kingdom claimed sovereignty over South Georgia in 1775 and the South Sandwich Islands in 1908. In 1908 the United Kingdom annexed both South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over South Georgia and the South Sandwich Island.

 Capt. Isaac Pendleton, South Georgia (1802);
Southatlantic Ocean: Discovered by the Frenchman La Roche in the year 1675.

 A colony of King Penguins - St. Andrew’s Bay, South Georgia
(photo Tony Beck) 

Links :

• BritishEmpire : Falkland Islands