Abd al Kuri

Abd al Kuri (Arabic: عبد الكوري‎) is a rocky island in the Guardafui Channel.[4] As a part of the Socotra Archipelago[2] of the Socotra Governorate of Yemen,[3] it lies about 65 miles (105 km) southwest of the island of Socotra.[2] It is geographically closer to Somalia.[2] It consists of granite and diorite covered by limestone.[5] There is a dispute between Yemen and Somalia's government over the island's sovereignty.[6]

Abd al Kuri
Jasiirada Khuuri
Disputed island
Photograph by NASA astronauts
Geography
Coordinates12°11′8.9″N 52°14′18″E
ArchipelagoSocotra Archipelago[1]
Area133 square km
Length36 km
Width5 km
Highest point
  • Mount Ṣāliḥ[2]
Administered by
Yemen
GovernorateSocotra Governorate[3]
Capital cityKilmia
Claimed by
Somalia
Demographics
Population450[1]
Density3.38/km²

Geography

Much of Abd al Kuri is semi-desert with little vegetation.[2] Two ranges of hills separated near the centre occupy the entire length of the island.[7] The northern coast consists mostly of a sandy beach with a few rocky points, while the southern coast consists of steep cliffs.[7][8] Its highest point, Mount Ṣāliḥ, reaches an altitude of over 700 metres (2,300 feet). Most of its inhabitants subsist on fishing.[2] Kilmia is the main village.[9]

Flora and fauna

Abd al Kuri has a number of endemic plant species[2] and an endemic bird, the Abd al-Kuri sparrow with estimated population of fewer than 1,000.[10][11][12]

Two species of lizards which are native to Abd al Kuri, Mesalina kuri and Pristurus abdelkuri, are named for the island.[13][14][15]

History

On 1 July 2006, the Somali seafaring vessel Mariam IV sank off the coast of Abd al Kuri. 16 of the 19 crew members survived, and complications followed when the citizens of Kilmia would not allow the use of their own radio. Rescue by a German helicopter came a week later, but the chief officer was mistakenly left behind. Due to difficulties with wind, transportation, and communication, the officer was not returned to mainland Yemen until September. He described the island as "A hellish place, where time stands still, and one can feel completely alone in the world."

  • Native dwellings (1903)
  • View of the 'Strath' and Native Dwellings, Abd-el-Kuri, 1898

Map
Topographic map of Socotra archipielago; Abd al-Kuri at bottom left
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References
  1. Socotra Governance & Biodiversity Project - "Welcome to Socotra" Archived 22 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine 10-06-2011.
  2. "ʿAbd al-Kūrī." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 6 October 2011.
  3. GeoNames National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  4. Steele, John. Ocean Currents: A Derivative of the Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences. p. 160.
  5. Schürmann (1974) pp. 24.
  6. "For First Time in History, Somalia Claims Socotra as Its Own". Yemen Post. 27 October 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  7. Nautical magazine (1878) pp. 809.
  8. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (2007) pp. 180.
  9. Abd al Kuri Island
  10. Abd al Kuri Sparrow Passer hemileucus
  11. 2010. "Passer hemileucus " In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. Archived 23 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Downloaded on 6 October 2011.
  12. Redman; Fanshawe; Stevenson (2009) pp. 412.
  13. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. ("Abd el Kuri", p. 1; "Kur", p. 148).
  14. "Mesalina kuri ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  15. "Pristurus abdelkuri ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

Bibliography
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