Somov Sea
66°55′S 163°45′E
Balleny Islands
The Balleny Islands (66°55′S 163°45′E) are a series of uninhabited islands in the Southern Ocean extending from 66°15' to 67°35'S and 162°30' to 165°00'E. The group extends for about 160 km (99 mi) in a northwest–southeast direction. The islands are heavily glaciated and of volcanic origin.

Chart
Overview
The Balleny Islands (66°55′S 163°45′E) are a series of uninhabited islands in the Southern Ocean extending from 66°15' to 67°35'S and 162°30' to 165°00'E. The group extends for about 160 km (99 mi) in a northwest–southeast direction. The islands are heavily glaciated and of volcanic origin. Glaciers project from their slopes into the sea. The islands were formed by the so-called Balleny hotspot. The group includes three main islands: Young, Buckle and Sturge, which lie in a line from northwest to southeast, and several smaller islets and rocks:
northeast of Young Island: Seal Rocks, Pillar southeast of Young Island: Row Island, Borradaile Island (with Swan Base shelter hut) south of Buckle Island: Scott Cone, Chinstrap Islet, Sabrina Islet (with Sabrina Refuge shelter hut), and the Monolith The islands are claimed by New Zealand as part of the Ross Dependency (see Territorial claims in Antarctica).
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Census, cataloged
- Major islands3
- Minor islands6
- Islets7
- Rocks & skerries0
Major islands
Young Island
- Area
- 225 km²
- High point
- 1,191 m
Young Island (66°17′S 162°25′E) is the northernmost and westernmost of the three main islands in the uninhabited Balleny Islands group located in the Southern Ocean. It lies 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northwest of Buckle Island, some 115 kilometres (71 mi) north-northeast of Belousov Point on the Antarctic mainland.
Sturge Island
- Area
- 344 km²
- High point
- 1,524 m
Sturge Island is one of the three main islands in the uninhabited Balleny Islands group located in the Southern Ocean. It lies 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Buckle Island and 95 km (59 mi) north-east of Belousov Point on the Antarctic mainland. The island also forms part of the Ross Dependency, claimed by New Zealand.
Buckle Island
- Area
- 135 km²
- High point
- 948 m
Buckle Island is one of the three main islands in the uninhabited Balleny Islands group located in the Southern Ocean. It lies 25 km (16 mi) north-west of Sturge Island and 8 km (5 mi) south-east of Young Island, some 110 km (68 mi) north-north-east of Belousov Point on the Antarctic mainland.
Minor islands
Borradaile Island
- Area
- 5.2 km²
- High point
- 220 m
Row Island
- Area
- 0.95 km²
- High point
- 172 m
Unnamed island
- Area
- 0.56 km²

Sabrina Island
- Area
- 0.25 km²
- High point
- 85 m
Unnamed island
- Area
- 0.14 km²
Unnamed island
- Area
- 0.13 km²
Islets
- Unnamed island0.07 km²
- Unnamed island0.05 km²
- Unnamed island0.04 km²
- The Monolith0.04 km²
- Chinstrap Island0.04 km²
- Scott Cone0.02 km²
- Unnamed island0.7 ha
Figures
Comparative heights
To the same scale
Islands by area
| Sturge Island | 344 km² |
| Young Island | 225 km² |
| Buckle Island | 135 km² |
| Borradaile Island | 5.2 km² |
| Row Island | 0.95 km² |
| Unnamed island | 0.56 km² |
| Sabrina Island | 0.25 km² |
| Unnamed island | 0.14 km² |
| Unnamed island | 0.13 km² |
| Unnamed island | 0.07 km² |
| Unnamed island | 0.05 km² |
| Unnamed island | 0.04 km² |
| The Monolith | 0.04 km² |
| Chinstrap Island | 0.04 km² |
| Scott Cone | 0.02 km² |
| Unnamed island | 0.7 ha |
Photographs

North eastern end of Young Island in Antarctica (Balleny Islands group)

Terra MODIs image of Balleny Islands, Antarctica
MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / Public domain

Balleny Islands, near the Antarctic coast, from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite.
MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / Public domain

In the long twilight of late spring in the Antarctic, the shadows of the Balleny Islands can be seen.
Sources
Facts
Photographs
- Young Island Antarctica. Krudller / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Balleny Islands. MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / Public domain
- Balleny Islands and Antarctic coast. MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / Public domain
- Shadows Cast by the Balleny Islands (CIRA 2023-11-30). JPSS imagery: CSU/CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS / Public domain