Oeno Island, also known as Holiday Island, is an uninhabited coral atoll in the South Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Pitcairn Islands overseas territory and is located in the Pitcairn Island Group, along with Pitcairn, Henderson, and Ducie islands.

Geography

Oeno Island is located about 143 kilometers (89 miles) northwest of Pitcairn Island, at coordinates 23°55′26″S 130°44′03″W (or -23.92389°S -130.73417°W). Oeno Atoll has a diameter of about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), including its central lagoon, and covers more than 20 square kilometers (7.7 square miles). The atoll has two larger and three smaller islets on or near its rim. Together, these islets cover a total land area of 0.69 square kilometers (170 acres). Oeno Island is used as a private holiday site by the small number of residents of Pitcairn Island, who visit in January for two weeks because Oeno has beaches, while Pitcairn does not.

The main island, Oeno Island, covers about 50 hectares (120 acres) and has forest and scrubland with pandanus and palm trees. It is located in the southwest part of the atoll’s lagoon. A water tap is installed on the island. The highest point on the island is less than 5 meters (16 feet) above sea level. Sandy Island, or Islands, is located to the northeast within the lagoon and may be a temporary island. Three smaller islets are found to the south and west of the main island.

Oeno Island has been recognized by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it is home to a large colony of Murphy’s petrels. This colony, with about 12,500 pairs of birds, is estimated to be the second largest in the world.