Rocas Atoll

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Rocas Atoll ( Atol das Rocas) is an atoll in the Atlantic Ocean at location 03°52′S 33°49′W. It is part of Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil.

The oval-shaped atoll is 3.7 km long and 2.5 km wide. The lagoon is up to 6 m deep and has an area of 7.5 km². The land area (two islets on the West side, Cemitério Island and Farol Cay) is 0.36 km². The highest point is a sand dune in the South of larger Farol Cay, with a height of 6 meters. Both islets are overgrown with grasses, bushes and a few palm trees. There are crabs, spiders, sand fleas, beetles, large roaches, and many species of birds.

There is a lighthouse of the Brazilian coast guard that has been in operation and maintained since the 1960s, at the Northern end of Farol Cay. In its vicinity is a derelict lighthouse from 1933.

The atoll is a wildlife sanctuary, and in 2001 was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Numerous turtles, sharks, dolphins and birds live in the area. The atoll consists mainly of coral and red algae. The coral ring is almost closed, with a 200 m wide channel on the North side and a much narrower channel on the West side.