Ross Island

The Ross Island is a 2460 km ² volcanic island in the Ross Sea Antarctica, near the coast of Victoria Land. Sir James Clark Ross discovered it in 1841; Robert F. Scott named the island after him. On it are three volcanoes, Mount Bird and Mount Terror and Mount Erebus, the notified Ross after his ships HMS Terror and HMS Erebus. Only Mount Erebus is still active today.

The Ross Island was the starting point of several expeditions to Antarctica because it is the southernmost island that can be reached from the sea. The cabins, which Scott ( at Hut Point ) and Ernest Henry Shackleton built on this island during their expeditions in the early 20th century are still preserved.

To the south, the Ross Island by the Ross Ice Shelf is permanently attached to the land mass of the continent.

Today, located on the Ross Island both New Zealand Antarctic station, Scott Base and McMurdo Station, which is part of the U.S. Antarctic Program and represents the largest Antarctic settlement.