Fernando de Noronha Geography

Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean about 354 km offshore from the Brazilian coast. The islands of this archipelago are the visible parts of a range of submerged mountains. Consisting of 21 islands, islets and rocks of volcanic origin, the main island of Fernando de Noronha is 10 km long and 3.5 km at its maximum width. The base of this enormous volcanic formation is 756 meters below sea island. The main island makes up 91% of the total area. The islands of Rata, Sela Gineta, Cabeluda and So Jose, together with the islets of Leo and Viva make up the rest.

The climate is tropical, with two well defined seasons: the rainy season from January to August, and the dry season for the rest of the year.

The island was mostly forested until the 19th century, when it was cleared to prevent prisoners from building rafts. The islands are now predominantly covered by shrublands, with some areas of secondary forest. Many of the plants here on the island are non-native plants brought in by settlers.

Looking for more detailed information? Click on the topics below: