Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands and islets in the
Atlantic Ocean, 354 km (220 mi) offshore from the Brazilian coast.
The archipelago got its name from the Portuguese merchant Fernão de Loronha, to
whom it was given by the Portuguese crown for services rendered regarding wood
imported from Brazil. The main island has an area of 18.4 square kilometres
(7.1 sq mi) and had a population estimated at 2,718 in 2012. The area
is a special municipality (distrito
estadual) of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco (despite being closer
