Peter I Island
Location of Peter I Island | |
| Elevation: | 1,640 m (5,381 feet) |
| Coordinates: | 68.85° S 90.58° W |
| Location: | Antarctica |
| Type: | Shield volcano |
| Last eruption: | Unknown |
| First ascent: | |
| Easiest route: | |
Fabian von Bellingshausen discovered Peter I Island (in Norwegian Peter 1.s øy) off West Antarctica on January 21 1821. It takes its name after the Russian Czar Peter I. Ola Olstad made the first successful landing on February 2 1929 and claimed the island for Norway.
The island has an area of 243 km² and reaches a height of 1755 metres on Lars Christensen Peak and is also an extinct volcano. It lies at 68° 50' South,90° 35'West, approximately 450 km from the coast of West Antarctica. It is surrounded by pack ice except for a brief period in late summer, and is 95% glaciated.
See also: Sub-antarctic islands.