The Abrolhos Archipelago () are a group of 5 small islands with

coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of Colony (biology), colonies of coral polyp (zoology), polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, wh ...

s off the southern coast of

Bahia Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro) and the 5th-larges ...

state in the

northeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, between 17º25’—18º09’ S and 38º33’—39º05’ W.

Caravelas Caravelas is a city of about 20,000 inhabitants in southern Bahia, Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with ove ...

is the nearest town. Their name comes from the pt, abrolho ("Abre Olhos" meaning: Open your eyes), a

rock awash A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral or similar relatively stable material, lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic processes—deposition of sand, wave erosion planing down rock ou ...

or submerged sandbank that is a danger to ships. There is a conspicuous

shipwreck A shipwreck is the wreckage of a ship that is located either beached on land or sunken to the bottom of a body of water. Shipwrecking may be intentional or unintentional. Angela Croome reported in January 1999 that there were approximately ...

in the group, SS Rosalinda.

History

These islets were surveyed by Baron Roussin. As part of the instructions for the second survey voyage of HMS ''Beagle'', the

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...

noted "the great importance of knowing the true position of the Abrolhos Banks, and the certainty that they extend much further out than the limits assigned to them by Baron Roussin", and asked Captain

Robert FitzRoy Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy (5 July 1805 – 30 April 1865) was an English officer of the Royal Navy and a scientist. He achieved lasting fame as the captain of during Charles Darwin's famous voyage, FitzRoy's second expedition to Tierra de ...

to take soundings and establish the position of the reefs. The work was carried out from 27 to 30 March 1832, giving

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...

the opportunity to examine the wildlife and

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other Astronomical object, astronomical objects, the features or rock (geology), rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology ...

of the islands. Known to the Royal Navy in the First World War as the Abrolhos Rocks, the area was used as a refuelling point (coal) during Doveton Sturdee's operations against the German cruisers of Admiral Von Spee in late 1914. This operation ended with the Battle of the Falklands and the subsequent sinking of the only survivor, SMS Dresden.

Features

Islands

* Ilha de Santa Bárbara, the largest island. There is a

Brazilian Navy ) , colors= Blue and white , colors_label= Colors , march= " Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship '' Cisne Branco'' , mascot= , equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibio ...

military outpost and a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses m ...

. *Ilha Siriba, the only island open to visitors *Ilha Redonda *Ilha Guarita *Ilha Sueste

Submerged banks

*''Parcel dos Abrolhos'', a large submerged reef extending from north to south east of the archipelago. Located to the east of Santa Barbara Island, its limits are not well defined. *'' Parcel das Paredes'', located to the northwest of the archipelago and the largest feature of the wider Abrolhos. * Sebastiao Gomes Reef, Coroa Vermelha Reef and

Viçosa Reef Viçosa is Portuguese-language placename: * Nova Viçosa, Bahia, Brazil *Viçosa, Alagoas, Brazil *Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil * Viçosa, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil *Viçosa do Ceará, Ceará, Brazil *Vila Viçosa Vila Viçosa () is a town and ...

, located to the southwest of the Parcel das Paredes. * Timbebas Reef, located to the north near the coast.

Wildlife

The extensive reefs of the island group are an area of rich marine fauna. The uninhabited islets are a breeding ground for

pelagic birds The pelagic zone consists of the water column of the open ocean, and can be further divided into regions by depth (as illustrated on the right). The word ''pelagic'' is derived . The pelagic zone can be thought of as an imaginary cylinder or w ...

. The

Abrolhos Marine National Park The Abrolhos Marine National Park ( pt, Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos ) is a national park that was established in 1983 covering most of the Abrolhos Archipelago area in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Location The park was established on 6 ...

( pt, Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos) is a Marine Park located in the Abrolhos Archipelago since 1983. It is strictly forbidden to disembark on Ilha Guarita and Ilha Suest.Brazil Govt. - Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos
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Gallery

Notes

References

* *

External links

Satellite photo (Google)Abrolhos Isle Portal

Centro de Sinalização Náutica Almirante Moraes Rego

ABROLHOS
(en espanhol) {{Lighthouse identifiers , qid2=Q10280145 Landforms of Bahia Archipelagoes of the Atlantic Ocean Islands of the South Atlantic Ocean Protected areas of Bahia Archipelagoes of Brazil Uninhabited islands of Brazil Lighthouses in Brazil