Kamaran ( Arabic: كمران ) is the largest island belonging to Yemen in the Red Sea .
| Kamaran | |
|---|---|
| Arab. كمران | |
 View of the Kamaran island from space. | |
| Specifications | |
| Square | 108 km² |
| Highest point | 24 m |
| Population | 2200 people |
| Population density | 20.37 people / km² |
| Location | |
| Water area | Red sea |
| A country |
|
| Region | Hodeida |
Geography
The island is located in the southern part of the Red Sea, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula , surrounded by coral reefs . The area of the island is 108 km² with a length of 18 km and a width of 7 km [1] .
History
The island occupies a strategically important position at the exit from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean . The first Europeans to land on the island were the Portuguese in the 16th century. The Portuguese, who began to establish bases in the Indian Ocean, arrived at Kamaran in 1490 and renovated the Persian fort.
Then the island was occupied by the Ottoman Empire , and was used as a quarantine station for Muslim pilgrims who made hajj to Mecca from Africa and India .
During the First World War , in June 1915 , Kamaran was occupied by English troops arriving from Aden . After the signing of the Lausanne Peace Treaty in 1923 and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the island was subordinated to the administration of the English settlement of Aden , which, together with the island of Kamaran, became an Aden colony from April 1, 1937.
November 30, 1967 , with the declaration of independence of the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen), became a part of it. In 1972, Kamaran was occupied by the troops of the Yemen Arab Republic (Northern Yemen). Since the unification of the two Yemeni states in 1990, it has been part of the Republic of Yemen.
Population
The only settlement on the island is the town of Kamaran . The population of about 2,200 [2] is Arabs.
Economics
The population is primarily engaged in fishing and navigation .
Tourism
Today, one of the most important activities of the residents of Kamaran is a travel service . Kamaran and the surrounding small islands are ideal for snorkeling enthusiasts.
Notes
- ↑ Source - UN System-wide Earthwatch Web Site - Island Directory . Other sources cite significantly different numbers: 181, 130, 57 km². In this photo . Archived November 22, 2006. During the period of British rule, the figure is 207 km².
- ↑ Farlex Encyclopedia
Links
- World Statesmen - Yemen
- Kamaran Island page (inaccessible link) . Archived December 18, 2006.
- Kamaran Island Photo Gallery (inaccessible link) . Archived March 27, 2007.
- Nigel Groom. The island of two moons: Kamaran 1954 . (English) (inaccessible link) . Archived August 24, 2006. at The British-Yemeni Society (link unavailable) . Archived July 29, 2005. webpage