[ISL] Fernando de Noronha
Jun. 3rd, 2009 04:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rfmcdonaldThe crash two days ago of Air France Flight 447 has given Fernando de Noronha, a mid-Atlantic archipelago located a few hundred kilometres away from the crash site, more publicity than it has received in its entire history to date.
Fernando de Noronha is not dissimilar in origins from Britain's Saint Helena, with both islands being discovered in the 16th century, settlement beginning centuries later, the archipelago passing to Brazil following independence, and, after much struggle a population numbering in the low thousands that's heavily dependent on government subsidies, in Fernando de Noronha's case, military and prison spending. Unlike St. Helena, however, the Fernando de Noronha archipelago is not longer a distinct political entity, with all but one of the islands were attached to the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, the remainder being attached to Rio Grande do Norte. This arrangement is rather similar to that of Japan's Bonin Islands, which are administered as a part of Tokyo.
Despite the serious ecological damage caused by the introduction of foreign species to the islands, especially to the landmasses themselves, various tourist websites position the islands as a great ecotourism destination, advertising their offshore waters in general and reefs in particular.
Fernando de Noronha is not dissimilar in origins from Britain's Saint Helena, with both islands being discovered in the 16th century, settlement beginning centuries later, the archipelago passing to Brazil following independence, and, after much struggle a population numbering in the low thousands that's heavily dependent on government subsidies, in Fernando de Noronha's case, military and prison spending. Unlike St. Helena, however, the Fernando de Noronha archipelago is not longer a distinct political entity, with all but one of the islands were attached to the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, the remainder being attached to Rio Grande do Norte. This arrangement is rather similar to that of Japan's Bonin Islands, which are administered as a part of Tokyo.
Despite the serious ecological damage caused by the introduction of foreign species to the islands, especially to the landmasses themselves, various tourist websites position the islands as a great ecotourism destination, advertising their offshore waters in general and reefs in particular.
