Editing Ross Island (section)

==Geography==


Because of the persistent presence of the [[ice sheet]], the island is sometimes taken to be part of the Antarctic mainland. 
Only a small portion of the island is free of ice and snow.
Its area is {{convert|2460|km2|mi2|}}.
Despite its relatively small size, Ross Island is the world's [[List of islands by highest point|6th highest island]] and the highest island in Antarctica. It has the highest average elevation of any island.{{fact|date=February 2024}}

Major volcanic peaks include, from west to east, [[Mount Bird]], [[Mount Erebus]], [[Mount Terra Nova]] and [[Mount Terror (Antarctica)|Mount Terror]].{{sfn|Ross Island USGS}}
Mount Erebus is ({{convert|3794|m}}) is the planet's southernmost active volcano.
The dormant volcano Mount Terror ({{convert|3230|m}}), is the second highest on the island. 
They were named by Captain [[James Clark Ross|James Ross]] after his ships [[HMS Erebus (1826)|HMS ''Erebus'']] and [[HMS Terror (1813)|HMS ''Terror'']]. 
The third highest elevation is [[Mount Bird]], with Shell Glacier and Endeavour Piedmont Glacier on its slopes.{{sfn|LeMasurier|Thomson|1990}}

The [[Erebus hotspot]] is thought to be responsible for the island's volcanic activity.{{sfn|Morgan|Phipps Morgan|2007|pp=26–27}}

[[File:Ross Island Map USGS 250k.png|thumb|600px|upright=1.3|center|Map of Ross Island]]
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