Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago
Brazilian Navy scientific station and lighthouse of the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 00°55′1″N 29°20′45″W / 0.91694°N 29.34583°WCoordinates: 00°55′1″N 29°20′45″W / 0.91694°N 29.34583°W |
| Archipelago | Arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo |
| Total islands | 15 |
| Major islands | Belmonte, Challenger, Nordeste, Cabral, South |
| Area | 15,000 m2 (160,000 sq ft) |
| Highest elevation | 17 m (56 ft) |
| Administration | |
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Brazil
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| Region | Northeast |
| State | Pernambuco |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 4 |
| Additional information | |
| Official website | |
The Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago (Portuguese: Arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo) is a group of 15 small islets and rocks in the central equatorial Atlantic Ocean. It lies in the Intertropical Convergence Zone, a region of the Atlantic characterized by low average winds punctuated with local thunderstorms. It is a special municipality of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco and lies approximately 510 nmi (940 km; 590 mi) from the Brazilian northeastern coastal town of Touros, 625 km (388 mi) northeast of the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, 990 km (620 mi) from the city of Natal, and 1,824 km (1,133 mi) from the west coast of Africa.
The islets expose serpentinized abyssal mantle peridotite and kaersutite-bearing ultramafic mylonite atop the world's highest and yet only second largest megamullion (after the Parece Vela megamullion under Okinotorishima in the Pacific Ocean). This grouping is the sole location in the Atlantic Ocean where the abyssal mantle is exposed above sea level.
In 1986, the archipelago was designated an environmentally protected area. This is now part of the Fernando de Noronha Environmental Protection Area. Since 1998, the Brazilian Navy has maintained a permanently manned research facility on the islands. The main economic activity around the islets is tuna fishing.
On April 20, 1511, a Portuguese Navy fleet composed of six caravels under the command of Captain Garcia de Noronha discovered the islets by accident while on their journey to India. While navigating in open sea at late night, the Saint Peter caravel, under the command of Captain Manuel de Castro Alcoforado, crashed against the islets. The crew was rescued by the Saint Paul caravel, forming the name given to the islets.
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Wikipedia