Rocas Atoll

From Freepedia

Rocas Atoll is an atoll in the Atlantic Ocean at location 03°52′ S 33°49′ W. It is part of Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil.

The atoll has an oval shape. It is a is 3.7 km long and 2.5 km wide. The lagoon is up to 6 m deep and has an area of 7.5 km². The land area (two islets on the West side, Cemitério Island and Farol Cay) is 0.36 km². The highest point is a sand dune in the South of larger Farol Cay, with a height of 6 meters. Both islets are overgrown with grasses, bushes and a few palm trees. There are crabs, spiders, sand fleas, beetles, large roaches, and many species of birds.

There is a lighthouse of the Brazilian coast guard that has been in operation and maintained since the 1960s, at the Northern end of Farol Cay. In its vicinity is a derelict ligthouse from 1933.

The atoll is a wildlife sanctuary, and since 2001 a World Heritage property of UNESCO. Numerous turtles, sharks, dolphins and birds live in the area. The atoll consists mainly of coral and red algae. The coral ring is almost closed, with a 200 m wide channel on the North side and a much narrower channel on the West side.