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Deception Island
Active volcanic island in the South Shetland archipelago / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the island in Antarctica. For the island in Washington State, see Deception Pass. For the island in Chile, see List of islands of Chile § Deceit.
Deception Island is in the South Shetland Islands close to the Antarctic Peninsula with a large and usually "safe" natural harbor, which is occasionally affected by the underlying active volcano.[1][better source needed] This island is the caldera of an active volcano, which seriously damaged local scientific stations in 1967 and 1969. The island previously held a whaling station. It is now a tourist destination with over 15,000 visitors per year.[citation needed] Two research stations are operated by Argentina and Spain during the summer season.[2] While various countries have asserted sovereignty, it is still administered under the Antarctic Treaty System.
Quick Facts Geography, Location ...
![]() Satellite image of the island by Sentinel-2 (March 2023) | |
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Antarctica |
Coordinates | 62°57′30″S 60°38′30″W |
Area | 79 km2 (31 sq mi) |
Length | 12 km (7.5 mi) |
Width | 12 km (7.5 mi) |
Highest elevation | 542 m (1778 ft) |
Highest point | Mount Pond |
Administration | |
Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
Demographics | |
Population | 0 |
Surgidero Iquique Lighthouse ![]() ![]() | |
Construction | concrete (foundation), fiberglass (tower) ![]() |
Height | 4.5 m (15 ft) ![]() |
Shape | cylinder ![]() |
Markings | stripe (white, orange, horizontal direction) ![]() |
Power source | solar power ![]() |
Focal height | 114 m (374 ft) ![]() |
Range | 5 nmi (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) ![]() |
Characteristic | Fl W 5s ![]() |
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![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Deception_Island_Map.svg/640px-Deception_Island_Map.svg.png)