Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island, also known as Karta Pintingga (literally 'Island of the Dead' in the language of the Kaurna people), is Australia's third-largest island, after Tasmania and Melville Island. It lies in the state of South Australia, 112 km (70 mi) southwest of Adelaide. Its closest point to the mainland is Snapper Point in Backstairs Passage, which is 13.5 km (8.4 mi) from the Fleurieu Peninsula.
View of the south west of the island | |
Kangaroo Island Kangaroo Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Great Australian Bight |
| Coordinates | 35°50′S 137°15′E |
| Area | 4,405 km2 (1,701 sq mi) |
| Length | 145 km (90.1 mi) |
| Width | 90 km (56 mi) – 57 km (35 mi) |
| Coastline | 540 km (336 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 307 m (1007 ft) |
| Administration | |
Australia | |
| State | South Australia |
| LGA | Kangaroo Island Council |
| Largest settlement | Kingscote (pop. 1962) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 4,894 (2021) |
| Pop. density | 1.07/km2 (2.77/sq mi) |
The native population of Aboriginal Australians that once occupied the island (sometimes referred to as the Kartan people) disappeared from the archaeological record sometime after the land became an island following the rising sea levels associated with the Last Glacial Period around 10,000 years ago. It was subsequently settled intermittently by sealers and whalers in the early 19th century, and from 1836 on a permanent basis during the British colonisation of South Australia.
Since then the island's economy has been principally agricultural, with a southern rock lobster fishery and with tourism growing in importance. The largest town, and the administrative centre, is Kingscote. The island has several nature reserves to protect the remnants of its natural vegetation and native animals, with the largest and best-known being Flinders Chase National Park at the western end.