Gjesværstappen
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island group
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Country | Norway |
Region | Northern Norway |
County | Finnmark |
Municipality | Nordkapp |
Area | |
• Total | 1.7 km2 (0.7 sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+01 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02 (CEST) |
The Gjesværstappan are a group of high, steep-sided, grass-covered islands which are located to the north of the village of GjesværinNordkapp municipality in Finnmark in northern Norway.
The three main islands are Storstappen, which rises to a height of 283 metres above sea level and has a peninsula called Stauren that rises to 165 metres; Kjerkestappen which rises to 166 metres; and Bukkstappen which rises to 92 metres.
Previously, there was settlement on the islands, and there was a church on Kjerkestappen.
The islands contain a large colony of seabirds and have been designated a nature reserve since 1983. The land area of the reserve is 1.7 square km but the reserve also includes 5.5 square km of the sea surrounding the islands. The areas of rock-face colonised by cliff-breeding seabirds are mainly on the biggest island, Storstappen[1], and between June 15th and August 15th visitors are not allowed to set foot on this island[2].
The colony is regarded containing, in 1989, 70 pairs of Phalacrocorax carbo; around 50 pairs of P. aristotelis; 5000 to 10,000 pairs of Rissa tridactyla; around 600 pairs of Uria aalge; 25 pairs of U. lomvia; 2500 pairs of Alca torda; and 50,000 pairs of Fratercula arctica[3].