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Raffles Island

Coordinates: 74°34′N 21°31′W / 74.567°N 21.517°W / 74.567; -21.517
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Raffles Island
Native name:
Raffles Ø
Map
Geography
LocationEast-Greenland
Coordinates74°34′N 21°31′W / 74.567°N 21.517°W / 74.567; -21.517
Highest point550 m
Administration
Greenland
Semersooq (Østgrønland)
Demographics
Population0

Raffles Island is an uninhabited island located approximately 4 km to east of the Sparrebugt bay, Liverpool Land, about 20 km north-east of the town of Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland in the Scoresby Sund area.

Description

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It was named by William Scoresby Jr. in 1822 as Raffles Island in honour of Reverend Thomas Raffles (1788–1863), a prominent independent minister.[1] The alternative native Greenlandic names of Agpalik or Appalik are also in use. It is also known with the Danish names of Raffle Ø or Raffles Ø.[1]

The highest point of the island lies at 550m above the sea level. The island hosts a little lake, called Raffles Sø.[1] Its mean temperature is almost always close to 0 degrees Celsius. Gull colonies have been recorded on the island.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Geological survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 21 (2010), 117-368. Catalogue of place names in northern East Greenland, http://www.geus.dk/publications/bull/nr21/nr21_p117-368.pdf
  2. ^ Boertmann, David (1994). An Annotated Checklist to the Birds of Greenland. Meddelelser om Groenland, Bioscience. ISBN 978-87-635-1225-1