Ross Island

Ross Island

South end of Ross Island, with the pyramidal Observation Hill at the center of the image, between McMurdo Station and Scott Base. Crater Hill is visible to the right.
Ross Island
Geography
Location	Antarctica
Coordinates	77°30′S 168°00′E / 77.500°S 168.000°E / -77.500; 168.000
Archipelago	Ross Archipelago
Area	2,460 km2 (950 sq mi)
Highest elevation	3,794 m (12448 ft)
Highest point	Mount Erebus
Administration
Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System
Demographics
Population	1300

Ross Island is an island in Antarctica lying on the east side of McMurdo Sound and extending 43 nautical miles (80 km; 49 mi) from Cape Bird in the north to Cape Armitage in the south, and a similar distance from Cape Royds in the west to Cape Crozier in the east. The island is entirely volcanic. Mount Erebus, 3,795 metres (12,451 ft), near the center, is an active volcano. Mount Terror, 3,230 metres (10,600 ft) about 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) eastward, is an extinct volcano. Mount Bird rises to 1,765 metres (5,791 ft) just south of Cape Bird.^[1]

Ross Island lies within the boundary of Ross Dependency, an area of Antarctica claimed by New Zealand. However, the claim is currently in abeyance by the International Antarctic Treaty System of 1961. Signatories of this treaty essentially agree that Antarctica is used for peaceful and scientific purposes. The United States and New Zealand each established bases, McMurdo and Scott, in the mid 1950s on Ross Island; the former is now the largest human settlement in Antarctica since its founding. The island is also home to early exploration shacks and memorials including Shackleton's Hut at Cape Royds, Scott's Hut at Cape Evans, and Discovery Hut at Hut Point.

Ross Island, although an island surrounded by water, is essentially permanently connected to the main Antarctica land mass by a glacial ice sheet on its south and eastern side: it is only the sea ice in McMurdo sound that melts and re-freezes each year. The South Pole Traverse goes from Ross Island across the ice sheet to the South Pole, and that road is opened seasonally to clear snow and check for new crevasses in the 21st century. At the edge of the Antarctic glacial ice sheet and McMurdo sound, is an ice cliff. The southern tip of Ross Island, Hut Point, has a harbor that is the southernmost harbor in the world, and is opened each by icebreakers during the light season at the end of the year to bring supplies. From these bases resources flow to science projects and Antarctic bases and field stations not just on Ross island but many places throughout Antarctica. There is also several airports and airstrips around Ross Island, some of which are only open seasonally.