 Sentinel-2 satellite imagery of Vindication Island (left) | |
 Location of Vindication Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 57°07′03″S 26°48′54″W / 57.11750°S 26.81500°W |
| Area | 3 km2 (1.2 sq mi) |
| Length | 2.1 km (1.3 mi) |
| Width | 1.6 km (0.99 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 430 m (1410 ft) |
| Highest point | Quadrant Peak |
| Administration | |
United Kingdom | |
| Territory | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Vindication Island is a small uninhabited island of the Candlemas Islands in the South Sandwich Islands. It is one of about a dozen islands that make up the South Sandwich island arc, a chain of volcanoes in the Southern Ocean that was discovered in 1775 by James Cook. The volcanism is caused by the subduction of the South American Plate beneath the Sandwich Plate.
The island has a rectangular outline and is the remnant of three mostly eroded volcanoes. The highest point of the island, Quadrant Peak, directly overlies the coast. Inland Vindication Island features a rich vegetation, consisting of lichens and mosses, while various bird and penguin species breed along the coasts. There is no evidence of recent volcanic activity.