Uruguay Island

Uruguay Island
Argentine Islands (British Antarctic Territory)
Location
Location:	65°14’17"S, 64°13’22"W
Data

Uruguay Island is a little island which lies to the north of Corner Island, between it and Irizar Island, all in the Argentine Islands group of the Wilhelm Archipelago, off the west coast of Graham Land in the British Antarctic Territory.

This island is about half a mile long with a cove indenting its west side.

The island was discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903–05, under Dr Jean-Martin Charcot, who named it after the Argentine corvette the ARA Uruguay, which had rescued the Swedish Antarctic Expedition the previous year. Charcot named its neighbouring island 'Irizar' after Captain Irízar of the Uruguay . (The Swedes had already charted islands in the area in which they had foundered after the same benefactors: those islands were later renamed to avoid duplication.)

Uruguay Island was recharted in 1935 by the British Graham Land Expedition under John Rymill. It was photographed from the air by the Falkland Islands and Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition of 1956-57, and further charted by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey and the Royal Navy in 1958.

Important Bird Area

Uruguay Island has been designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because it supports a breeding colony of about 200 pairs of imperial shags.

References

• Gazetteer and Map of The British Antarctic Territory: Uruguay Island