Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago

The Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago (Portuguese: Arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo [ɐʁkiˈpɛlɐgu dʒi sɐ̃w ˈpedɾw‿i sɐ̃w ˈpawlu]) is a group of 15 small islets and rocks in the central Atlantic Ocean. It is near the equator, in the Intertropical Convergence Zone. This part of the Atlantic usually has low winds, but sometimes has thunderstorms. Geography The archipelago is about 510 nmi (940 km; 590 mi) from the nearest point of mainland South America (the town of Touros, on the northeast Brazilian coast). It is about 625 km (388 mi) northeast of the Fernando de Noronha islands, 990 km (620 mi) from the city of Natal, and 1,824 km (1,133 mi) from the west coast of Africa. The islets belong to Brazil. They are part of the special "state district" (Portuguese: distrito estadual) of Fernando de Noronha, in the state of Pernambuco. Fernando de Noronha is the nearest island. In total, the archipelago covers an area of about 300 metres (980 ft) by 100 metres (330 ft). There is a lighthouse, and a research station, with four people. There is no freshwater supply on the islands, so the research station has a water desalination plant. Biology Only the largest islet, Belmonte, has mosses and grass on it. The other rocks are mostly barren, except for some sea algae and fungi that can tolerate the salt spray. Seabirds, including the brown booby (Sula leucogaster), brown noddy (Anous stolidus), and black noddy (Anous minutus) as well as crabs (Grapsus grapsus), insects and spiders live on the rocks. The islands are home to over 100 reef fishes. About 10% of them are found nowhere else in the world, including the very colorful Tosanoides aphrodite. References