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Rockall

This article is about the islet. For other uses, see Rockall (disambiguation).

Rockall
Rockall's south and east faces, November 2008
Topographic map centred on Rockall
Geography
LocationNorth-east Atlantic
Coordinates57°35′46.7″N 13°41′14.3″W / 57.596306°N 13.687306°W / 57.596306; -13.687306
OS grid referenceMC035165
Area784.3 m2 (8,442 sq ft)
Highest elevation17.15 m (56.27 ft)
Administration
CountryScotland
Council areaComhairle nan Eilean Siar
Demographics
Population0

Rockall (/ˈrɒkɔːl/) is a 17.15 m (56 ft 3 in) high, uninhabitable granite islet in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is 301 kilometres (187 statute miles; 163 nautical miles) west of Soay, St Kilda, Scotland;[1] 423 kilometres (263 statute miles; 228 nautical miles) northwest of Tory Island, Ireland;[2] and 700 kilometres (430 statute miles; 380 nautical miles) south of Iceland.[3] The nearest permanently inhabited place is in North Uist, 370 kilometres (230 mi; 200 nmi) east in Scotland's Outer Hebrides.[4]

Rockall was formed during the Paleogene period, by magmatism as part of the North Atlantic Igneous Province. Rockall and Hasselwood Rock 200 metres north, are the only emergent parts of Helen's Reef and the Rockall Plateau. Waves just East of Rockall were reported in 2006 as the largest ever recorded by scientific instruments in the open ocean.[5] Rockall's first named geographic location and only occupiable area is Hall's Ledge.[6]

Rockall has appeared on maps since at least 1550 and in literature since at least 1698. Marine surveyors, scientists, adventurers, amateur radio operators and environmental activists, have variously landed on and/or briefly occupied the islet. The earliest documented landing on Rockall was in 1811 by a small Royal Navy party led by Basil Hall. The longest known continuous occupation is 45 days, achieved solo in 2014 by Nick Hancock.[7]

Possession of Rockall was for many decades deemed imperative to claims to the vast surrounding fisheries and oil-rich Atlantic seabed.[8] The Irish Times claims to have reported on the economic value of Rockall's fisheries, as long ago as 1861.[4] Driven by cold war national security concerns, the United Kingdom (UK) claimed Rockall in 1955 and incorporated it as part of Scotland in 1972.[9] The UK claims a 12 nautical miles (22 kilometres) territorial sea at Rockall.[10][11] Although never claiming sovereignty of Rockall, Ireland claims UK rights to Rockall are invalid.[12][13][10][11][14] Iceland and Denmark (on behalf of the Faroes) have lodged claims of the adjoining seabed.[8]

Marine Scotland patrol boat officers in 2021 boarded an Irish fishing boat, ordering it leaves Rockall's 12-nautical-mile zone.[15] The Irish and Scottish governments in 2024 bi-laterally proposed, to allow Irish fishing boats to return to the 12 nautical mile zone. The then UK Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, vetoed the proposal.[16]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference GoogleEarthStKilda was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference GoogleEarthTory was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Follett, Christopher (28 November 2016). "Watch out for the big rock: Remembering Denmark's greatest maritime disaster". cphpost.dk. Copenhagen Post Online. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Who owns Rockall? A history of disputes over a tiny Atlantic island". The Irish Times. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference recwaves was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference clubfacts was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference guar8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b "Who owns Rockall? A history of legal and diplomatic wrangles" theguardian.com Owen Bowcott, 31 May 2013
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference missspy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b Clive R. Symmons "Ireland and the Rockall Dispute: An Analysis of Recent Developments" contained in IBRU Boundary and Security Bulletin Spring 1998 at page 81 "Ireland has... even rejected imposition of a 12-mile fishery zone (or territorial sea) around the rock."
  11. ^ a b Spring, Dick (25 September 1996). "Dáil Éireann debate: Written Answers. – UN Convention on the Law of the Sea". At present the United Kingdom claims a 12-mile territorial sea around Rockall, a claim which — depending as it does on jurisdiction over the rock – Ireland has likewise not accepted.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference oir-2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ McClafferty, Enda (13 June 2019). "Fishing row 'political stunt' by SNP". BBC News.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference oire9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference patrol was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ "Rockall deal vetoed by David Cameron". FishingNews.co.uk. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
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