Robinson Crusoe Island, Pacific volcanic island in Juan Fernández archipelago, Chile.
Robinson Crusoe Island is a Pacific island in the Juan Fernández archipelago off the Chilean coast, shaped by steep valleys and volcanic peaks. The highest point, El Yunque, rises 915 meters above sea level and towers over the rugged terrain.
Spanish navigator Juan Fernández discovered the place in 1574 during an expedition across the southern Pacific. Three centuries later, Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk spent more than four years here in complete solitude before a passing ship rescued him.
Locals renamed the place after Defoe's castaway character in 1966, replacing its older Spanish title. Fishers still bring spiny lobsters from the surrounding waters, continuing a tradition their ancestors began generations ago.
The village of San Juan Bautista at Cumberland Bay houses nearly all residents and offers basic services for visitors. Hiking trails lead into the mountains but require stamina due to steep climbs and humid conditions.
More than 130 plant species exist nowhere else on Earth and thrive only in this remote corner of the Pacific. The Juan Fernández firecrown lives exclusively here and ranks among the rarest birds in the world.
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