Annenkov Island

The Annenkov Iceland is an uninhabited island about 13 km off the south coast of South Georgia. It is part of the British overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic. Highest point of the 6.6 km long and 15 km ² island is the Olstad Peak 650 meters above the sea.

Discovery

The island was discovered on January 20, 1775 to James Cook's second Pacific voyage and originally christened Pickersgill Iceland, by Richard Pickersgill, a lieutenant on the Resolution. The present name was given the island of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, who rediscovered it in 1819 and after Mikhail Annenkov, one of his officers, named.

Conservation

The island is a breeding place for over 500 Wanderalbatrospaare and it started in 1975 as a Site of Special Scientific Interest under protection. Consequently, it can be entered only with a special permit.