Three small islands in the western Pacific Ocean, S. of the Bonin Islands, forming part of the Japanese empire (annexed in 1891). They are also known as the Magellan Archipelago, and in Japan as Kwazan-retto (series of volcanic islands). They are situated between 24° and 26° N. and 141° and 142° E. Their names are Kita-iwojima (Santo Alessandro), Iwo-jima (Sulphur) and Minamiiwo-jima (Santo Agostino). Kita-iwo-jima - which, as its name (kita ) implies, is the most northerly of the three - rises 2520 ft. above the water, and Minami-iwo-jima, the most southerly, to a height of 3021 ft. The islands are not inhabited. With this group is sometimes included another island, Arzobispo, nearer the Bonin group.