 Map of Prince Edward Islands | |
.png) Orthographic projection centred on the Prince Edward Islands | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | 46°52′48″S 37°45′00″E / 46.88000°S 37.75000°E |
| Area | 335 km2 (129 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,230 m (4040 ft) |
| Highest point | Mascarin Peak |
| Administration | |
| Province | Western Cape |
| Municipality | City of Cape Town |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 (permanent) 50 (non-permanent research staff) |
| Designations | |
|---|---|
| Designated | 24 January 1997 |
| Reference no. | 1688[1] |
The Prince Edward Islands are two small uninhabited volcanic islands in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean that are administered by South Africa. They are named Marion Island (named after Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne, 1724–1772) and Prince Edward Island (named after Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, 1767–1820).
The islands in the group have been declared Special Nature Reserves under the South African Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, No. 57 of 2003, and activities on the islands are therefore restricted to research and conservation management.[2][3] Further protection was granted when the area was declared a marine protected area in 2013.[4][5] The only human inhabitants of the islands are the staff of a meteorological and biological research station run by the South African National Antarctic Programme on Marion Island.
- ^ "Prince Edward Islands". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ Cooper, John (June 2006). "Antarctica and Islands – Background Research Paper produced for the South Africa Environment Outlook report on behalf of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism" (PDF). p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ 1993 United Nations list of national parks and protected areas. World Conservation Monitoring Centre, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Commission on Natural Parks and Protected Areas, United Nations Environment Programme. 1993. p. 173. ISBN 978-2-8317-0190-5.
- ^ "Prince Edward Islands declared a Marine Protected Area". Department of Environmental Affairs, Republic of South Africa. 9 April 2013. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016.
- ^ "Prince Edward Islands Marine Protected Area: A global treasure setting new conservation benchmarks" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 July 2016.