Islands_127

Praia do Sancho colorful beach in Fernado de Noronha, Brazil

Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, part of the State of Pernambuco, Brazil, and located 354 km (191 nmi; 220 mi) off the Brazilian coast. It consists of 21 islands and islets, extending over an area of 26 km2 (10 sq mi). Only the eponymous main island is inhabited; it has an area of 18.4 km2 (7.1 sq mi) and a population estimated at 3,101 in 2020. While the archipelago is relatively low-lying, there are parts stretching above 100 m (328 ft) in elevation.

The islands are administratively unique in Brazil. They form a "state district" (Portuguese: distrito estadual) that is administered directly by the government of the state of Pernambuco (despite being closer to the state of Rio Grande do Norte). The state district's jurisdiction also includes the very remote Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, located 625 km (337 nmi; 388 mi) northeast of Fernando de Noronha. Seventy percent of the islands' area was established in 1988 as a national marine park.

In 2001, UNESCO designated it as a World Heritage Site because of its importance as a feeding ground for tuna, sharks, turtles, and marine mammals. Its time zone is UTC−02:00 all year round.