Smith Island (South Shetland Islands)

Smith Island

Smith island with Imeon Range in the background
Topographic map of Smith Island
Smith Island Location of in the South Shetland Islands Show map of South Shetland Islands Smith Island Location in Antarctica Show map of Antarctica
Geography
Location	Antarctica
Coordinates	63°00′S 62°30′W / 63.000°S 62.500°W / -63.000; -62.500
Archipelago	South Shetland Islands
Area	148 km2 (57 sq mi)
Length	20 mi (30 km)
Width	5 mi (8 km)
Highest elevation	2,025 m (6644 ft)
Highest point	Mount Foster
Administration
Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System
Demographics
Population	0

Smith Island is 20 miles (32 km) long and 5 miles (8 kilometres) wide, lying 49 miles (79 km) west of Deception Island in the South Shetland Islands of the British Antarctic Territory. It is separated from Snow Island by the 25 miles (40 km)-wide Boyd Strait, and from Low Island by the 17 miles (27 km)-wide Osmar Strait. Surface area is 148 square kilometres (57 sq mi).^[1]

The discovery of the South Shetland Islands was first reported in 1819 by Capt. William Smith, after whom the island is named. This island was known to both American and British sealers as early as 1820, and the name Smith has been well established in international usage for over 100 years, although in Russian literature it is often referred to as Borodino Island, sometimes marked as Borodino (Smith) Island.

The island hosts no research stations or camps, and is seldom visited by scientists or mountaineers. Its interior is entirely occupied by the Imeon Range, rising to 2,025 m (6,644 ft) (Mount Foster).^[2][3] The first detailed topographic mapping of the island was made by the Antarctic Place-names Commission and the Military Geographic Service of the Bulgarian Army^[4] and published in 2009^[1] in both English and Bulgarian.