NASSIR Posted July 3, 2005 Botanical journey "Exploration of the island of Socotra" Socotra Island - Yemen The Indian "dvipa sukhatara" ("the island of happiness"), the Greek Dioscoride, located at less than 250 km from the Horn of Africa and some thousand kilometers from Aden, the old capital of South Yemen. The island has the shape of a stretched crescent and has a length of 130 km and a width of 40 km. Mountainous, it culminates at 1,500 meters above sea level, and is exposed to two monsoons. The island doesn't have safe anchorage places and is often difficult to reach. Its position places Socotra on the Arabian dhows routes, from the South Arabic coasts to East Africa and South India ; positioned at such a crossroads, it was subject to varied cultural influences, from India as well as from Africa. The island population, whose cosmopolitan character had already struck the ancient travellers, counts ca. twenty thousands inhabitants : Arabs, Indians, Somalis, ... Age-old refuge of the world strangest plants, on the 850 plants species listed on Socotra, nearly a third are unique. Many of these endemic species are the remains of old floras which have disappeared on the African continent, a long time ago. Due to this singular vegetation, the island of Socotra is the tenth richest island in the world with regard to the endemic plants species, according to the World Conservation Center. The Island of Socotra is located more than 1,000 km south-east of Aden and 250 km off Guardafui Cape in Somalia. The island (3,580 sq. km) only had 15,000 inhabitants at the beginning of 1990, living from fishing and pearls searching. Because of the dryness, agriculture is limited to dates and condiments productions. Isolated for a long time, the lack of substructures (few dhows and the landing strip is very recent), as well as the few interest expressed by the land authorities, maintained this isolation. Today, and more recently, a airline regular service of Yemenia has been establishes between mainland and island. However, the interest for the island is obvious, historically, ethnologically and ecologically, the flora is exceptional, one discovers there, tropical plants and trees with surprising proportions and forms. The infrastructures are modest, except a "small funduk" (kind of inn with few comfort), in Hadiboh, the capital city, everywhere else, we can only rely on our camping gear (imported tents and gear from France). Overnight at Hadiboh in "funduk". World of Islands Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Haddad Posted July 3, 2005 Originally posted by CAAMIR: What do you know of the Socotran Archipelago I have heard claims that the Archipelago belongs to Somalia, that Yemen is illegally occupying it. I am not sure if the claims are correct. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
