Queen Mary's Peak

Satellite image of the island with the Queen Mary 's Peak

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The Queen Mary 's Peak on the island of Tristan da Cunha is with a height of 2060 meters the highest mountain in the South Atlantic. Was named the mountain after Mary of Teck, wife of George V

The Queen Mary 's Peak is a cinder cone and forms the summit of the massive, active shield volcano, which makes up the entire island. Because the volcano is in large parts of loose ash, he already lost when it rains about 200 meters altitude. In the summit area there is a crater 300 meters, in which a heart-shaped crater lake is located. In winter, the lake is usually frozen and snow covered the top, vegetation-free slopes of the volcano.

Geological investigations in 1700, an outbreak is known, which occurred on the south side of the volcano. In October 1961, came on the north side to an outbreak that had the temporary evacuation of the only settlement on the island, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, the consequence.

The mountain was used in former times by sailors on their route between the Indian Ocean and Europe as a navigation aid. In the 17th century, the East India Company commissioned all captains to sail via Tristan da Cunha.