Prominence 67 m (220 ft) Last eruption Unknown Island group Galápagos Islands | Mountain type Shield volcano Elevation 70 m | |
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Location Galápagos Islands, Ecuador | ||
Roca Redonda is a flat-topped, steep-sided islet located roughly 25 km (16 mi) northwest of the island of Isabela, in the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador. It measures 100 m (330 ft) long and 50 m (160 ft) wide with a maximum elevation of 67 m (220 ft). Its isolation and inaccessibility coupled with its rocky cliffs riddled with crevices and crossed by ledges has made Roca Redonda a haven for nesting seabirds.
Map of Isla Roca Redonda, Ecuador
This small volcanic island is the remains of a large shield volcano that has vastly eroded away below sea level. Potassium–argon dating of Roca Redonda indicates that the islet is at least 53,000 +/- 54,000 years old. However, it remains unknown when the last eruption occurred from the shield volcano. Several shallow submarine fumaroles exist around the island and may indicate that the volcano is still active.