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( Socotra)
Socotra or Soqotra (Arabic ????? ; Suqu?ra) is a small archipelago of four islands and islets in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the Horn of Africa some 190&_160;nautical miles (220&_160;mi/350&_160;km) south of the Arabian peninsula, belonging to the Republic of Yemen. It has long been a part of the 'Adan Governorate, but in 2004 became attached to the Hadhramaut Governorate, which is much closer to the island than 'Adan (although the closest governorate would be Al Mahrah). Socotra is one of the most isolated landforms on Earth of continental origin (i.e., not of volcanic origin). The archipelago was once part of the supercontinent of Gondwana and detached during the Middle Pliocene (ca 6 million years ago), in the same set of rifting events that opened the Gulf of Aden to its northwest. The archipelago consists of the main island of Socotra (3,625 km² or 1,400&_160;sq&_160;mi), three smaller islands — Abd al Kuri, Samhah, Darsa — and small rock outcrops like Ka’l Fir’awn and Sabuniyah that are uninhabitable by humans but important for birds. [1] The main island has three geographical terrains the narrow coastal plains, a limestone plateau permeated with karstic caves, and the Haghier Mountains. The mountains rise to 5,000 feet (1,525 m). The island is a little over 80 miles (130 km) long east to west and typically 18-22 miles (30-35 km) north to south.
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