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Juan Fernández Islands| Three small volcanic islands belonging to Chile; situated in the Pacific Ocean 640 km/398 mi west of the port of Valparaiso. The few inhabitants fish for lobsters which are sent to the mainland. The archipelago has been designated by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve. The islands include Robinson Crusoe (the largest, formerly Más a Tierra; 93 sq km/36 sq mi, 22 km/14 mi long and 7.3 km/4,4 mi wide), Alejandro Selkirk (formerly Más a Fuera), and Santa Clara (the smallest and also known as Goat Island). Collectively, they were named after the Spanish navigator who discovered them in 1574. |
| Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor, was marooned on Robinson Crusoe Island in 1704 and rescued by William Dampier in 1709; his experiences as a castaway were the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. |
| In terms of flora and fauna, of the 87 plant genera, 176 are endemic; of the 140 plant species, 101 are endemic. There are 11 endemic bird species and one native mammal – the Juan Fernandez fur seal. |
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