Gough Island Map

Description: This map shows rivers, bays, peaks, and points of interest on Gough Island.

Other Maps of Gough Island

Gough Island, also known as Gonçalo Álvares, is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It forms part of the British Overseas Territory of Tristan da Cunha and is situated approximately 2,700 kilometers (1,700 miles) southwest of Cape Town, South Africa. The island has an area of about 65 square kilometers (25 square miles) with a maximum elevation of 910 meters (2,990 feet) at Edinburgh Peak.

Discovered in 1505 by Portuguese explorer Gonçalo Álvares, the island was later named after British Captain Charles Gough who sighted it in 1732. Despite its remote location, Gough Island has been recognized for its ecological significance and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 as part of the "Gough and Inaccessible Islands" designation.

The island has no permanent human population and is considered one of the most remote places on Earth. A South African weather station, established in 1956, maintains a small team of personnel who typically serve for one-year rotations. This station, located at Transvaal Bay on the southeastern coast, represents the only continuous human presence on the island.

Gough Island's climate is classified as oceanic, characterized by mild temperatures ranging from 11°C (52°F) in winter to 17°C (63°F) in summer. Annual rainfall is substantial, averaging around 3,400 mm (134 inches), with precipitation occurring on approximately 250 days each year. Strong westerly winds are common throughout the year.

The island serves as a crucial breeding ground for several seabird species, including the endangered Tristan albatross and Atlantic petrel. Overall, 22 bird species breed on the island, with eight of these being endemic or breeding nowhere else. The island's only native land bird is the Gough moorhen, which evolved from mainland ancestors. Unfortunately, introduced house mice have become a significant conservation problem, predating on seabird chicks and threatening several species with extinction.

Vegetation on Gough Island consists primarily of ferns, mosses, and tussock grass. The island hosts two endemic plant species and is home to the Gough Island Tree Forest, a unique habitat dominated by Phylica arborea trees that can reach up to 5 meters in height. This represents one of the world's most isolated tree communities.