Nelson Island (South Shetland Islands)

Nelson Iceland ( sometimes referred to as Nelson's Iceland ) is a sub-Antarctic island in the archipelago of the South Shetland Islands, located about 110 km located in front of the Antarctic continent.

Geography

Nelson Iceland is located southwest of King George Iceland, the largest island of the archipelago, from which it is separated by 400 meters wide Fildes Strait. By Robert Iceland in the southwest it is separated by the 10 km- wide Nelson Strait. The island is 20 km long, up to 11 km wide and has an area of ​​about 192 km ². About 90 % of the island are glaciated, on the western tip and in the northeast of the island there are larger ice-free surfaces. Is the Czech research station ECO Nelson at the Edgell Bay in the northeast.

History

The island was discovered in October 1819 by William Smith and mapped roughly a year later by Edward Bransfield and taken to the British crown as Nelson Iceland in possession. The name probably occurred after the ship Nelson. On January 25, 1821 was discovered by the Russian expedition led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen again and Leipzig Island ( Ostrow Leipzig) according to the site of the Battle of 1813 called. The island was under the sealers also short name O'Cain 's Iceland and was named by James Weddell Strachan Iceland. Finally sat down, except in Russia, the name Nelson by Iceland.