Cornwall Island is a small island in the high arctic region of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. To the north, it is separated from Amund Ringnes Island by Hendriksen Strait. To the south, it is separated from Devon Island by Belcher Channel. It is the largest of six islands (the others being Buckingham, Ekins, Exmouth, Graham Island, and Table) in the Norwegian Bay, west of Ellesmere Island.
Cornwall Island measures about 90 km (56 mi) long and 30 km (19 mi) wide, and has an area of 2,358 km2 (910 sq mi).
The tallest peaks are McLeod Head at 400 m (1,300 ft), and Mount Nicolay at 290 m (950 ft), both on the north coast. Coast features include Northeast Point and Gordon Head to the east; Pell Point and Cape O'Brien to the south; and Cape Butler in the southwest.
The first known sighting of the island was by Sir Edward Belcher on 30 August 1852 and was named in honour of Prince Edward, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall.
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Closeup of Cornwall Island
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NASA Landsat photo of Cornwall Island
Famous quotes containing the word island:
“The shifting islands! who would not be willing that his house should be undermined by such a foe! The inhabitant of an island can tell what currents formed the land which he cultivates; and his earth is still being created or destroyed. There before his door, perchance, still empties the stream which brought down the material of his farm ages before, and is still bringing it down or washing it away,—the graceful, gentle robber!”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)