Shannon Island (Danish: Shannon Ø) is a large island in Northeast Greenland National Park in eastern Greenland, to the east of Hochstetter Foreland, with an area of 1,466 km2 (566 sq mi). It was named by Douglas Charles Clavering on his 1823 expedition for the Royal Navy frigate HMS Shannon, a 38-gun frigate on which he served as midshipman under Sir Philip Broke.

Shannon Island
Native name:
Shannon Ø
The Germania on the Northern Coast of Shannon Island.
Map
Map of Shannon Island
Shannon Island is located in Greenland
Shannon Island
Shannon Island
Location of Shannon Island in Greenland
EtymologyNamed after the frigate HMS Shannon
Geography
LocationGreenland Sea
Coordinates75°10′N 18°20′W / 75.167°N 18.333°W / 75.167; -18.333
Area1,258.5 km2 (485.9 sq mi)[1]
Area rank9th largest in Greenland
281st largest in world
Highest elevation305 m (1001 ft)
Highest pointMeyerstein Bjerg
Administration
Unincorporated areaNE Greenland National Park
Demographics
Population0 (2021)
Pop. density0/km2 (0/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsnone

The island is also home to many different types of animals such as polar bears, walruses, ravens, and oxen.

History

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Most landmarks in the area were named by the Second German Polar Expedition under Carl Koldewey in 1869–70. Between October 1943 and June 1944, the German meteorological expedition Bassgeiger operated under difficult conditions at Kap Sussi on Shannon. Their ship Coburg was wrecked off Shannon. The station was discovered by hunters, but the crew was evacuated by air to Norway.

The island is the site of several hunter's cabins and is reputed to have especially favorable ice conditions.

Geography

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Shannon Island is a coastal island, separated from Hochstetter Foreland in the mainland by the Shannon Sound, a 200 m deep sound of the Greenland Sea.

The islands that are located nearby are Kuhn Island to the southwest further inshore and the Pendulum Islands about 12 km to the south.[2]

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Map of Northeastern Greenland
 
East Greenland Terra/MODIS satellite image

See also

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References

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