Saint Peter and Paul Rocks
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Saint Peter and Paul Rocks (Penedos de São Pedro e São Paulo in Portuguese) are about 12 tiny volcanic rock islands about 950 km northeast of Natal, Brazil.
Geography
The closest piece of land is the island of Fernando de Noronha 630 km to the Southwest. The rocks are part of Pernambuco state, Brazil.The highest of the rocks, Southwest Rock, has an elevation of 22.5 m, are peaks of the largely submarine Mid-Atlantic Ridge that extend above the water level. The rocks are scattered across an area that measures 350 m North-South and 200 m East-West. The total land area is about 10,000 m². The exact location is given as .
The largest rocks are:
- Southwest Rock 3,000 m²
- Southeast Rock 1,500 m²
- Northwest Rocks 1,000 m²
- Northeast Rock 1,000 m²
Structures
There is a 6 m high lighthouse on top of the peak of Southwest Rock, originally erected in 1930. Less than 20 meters further South is a shelter hut for military personnel and researchers.Biology
Only the largest of the islets, Southwest Rock, 80 m by 40 m is vegetated with mosses and grasses. The other rocks are barren. The rocks are inhabited by sea birds (Sula leucogaster, Anous stolidus, Anous minutus), crabs (Grapsus grapsus), insects and spiders.History
On the morning of February 16, 1832 the rocks were visited by Charles Darwin on the first leg of his voyage of the HMS Beagle around the world. Until 1988, the islands were part of the Federal Territory of Fernando de Noronha, which was dissolved and added to Pernambuco state.External links
- [Further Information]
- [More Information, in German]
- [information and pictures from landing, February 2001]
- [picture showing lighthouse and building]
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