FERNANDO DE NORONHA [Fernao de N.]  , an

island in the South Atlantic, 125 M. from the coast of Brazil, to which country it belongs, in 30 50' S., 32° 25' W . It is about 7 M. long and 1a wide, and some other islets lie adjacent to it . Its surface is rugged, and it contains a number of rocky hills from 500 to 700 ft. high, and one peak towering to the height of 1089 ft . It is formed of basalt, trachyte and phonolite, and the soil is very fertile . The climate is healthy . It is defended by forts, and serves as a place of banishment for criminals from Brazil . The next largest island of the group is about a mile in circumference, and the others are small barren rocks . The population is about 2000, all males, including some 1400 criminals, and a garrison of 150 . Communication is maintained by steamer with Pernambuco . The island takes name from its Portuguese discoverer (1503), the count of Noronha .