5 April 2008

SANA'A, April 5 2008 - A recent study has revealed that the most ancient relationship between the Socotra Island and the ancient states is dating back to 1580- 1322 BC, particularly since the Egyptian trade missions to Yemen and Somalia had been flourished.

The study noted that the island was known for the trade with frankincense and one of the Arab origin places that produce it. Socotra produces seven kinds of frankincense due to plenty rains that fall in summer.

"The island is very important because of its location amid the Aden Gulf, the Arab Sea and the Indian Ocean which makes the island controls important straits and international trade sea routes, through which crucial goods and products such as oil pass daily", the study said.

"The island is also one of the national wealth resources because of its natural features that the country takes advantage of", the study added. The island's sidereal position is one of the elements which affect its biogeography.

The study indicated that the northern part of the island's capital is considered as a weakness point that makes the island easier for attack, adding that the scatter of population may not help carry out good economic planning to provide infrastructure services for those people.

Most of the population are located at the northern coast of the island particularly in the capital Hudaibu and towns of Qlensia, Qathip, Mori, Sarhan, Qurrah, Hulaf and Souk for the importance of the northern coast linked to the southern ports of the Arab peninsula such as Aden and Mukalla harbors and the international route of ships that carry goods between Africa and India and nearby regions.

Russian military bases were found on the island in an attempt to create a military balance in the region after the US established the Diego Garcia base in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Socotra had been since 1960s until 1980s a ground for the Russian military activity and was ambiguous though many statements of the Democratic South Republic of Yemen which denied any Russian existence on the island.

Foreign scientists paid visits to the island and found out it was a ground for different military activities. They discovered a 60 square km net of tunnels were used to launch missiles and used also as weapons stores, according to Belgian scientists.

Furthermore, the island has many crude minerals such as oil and gas and those geological discoveries confirm they are found with large quantities particularly the material of gas. Constructional materials such as cement, glass and granite that may help boost economic industries in the country are also found on the island.

The biodiversity of the island is marvelous. Many plants that could be used to produce medicine and cosmetics grow on the island. Yemen has about 2000 various kinds of plants, of which 750 were found in the Socotra island.

The government's comprehensive program for developing the island includes providing infrastructure services and the construction of an airport and a port as well as a tourist huge complex funded by the World Bank. The program also includes plans to implement a wide net of roads linking the areas of the island that covers 221 square kilometers.

The island has an oval irregular rectangular shape at length of 75 miles (135 km) and width of 22 miles (40 km). Socotra is considered as a central point in the Arab peninsula that overlooks the commercial routes of the Bab el-Mandab and Hurmos straits.

It has a strategic, geo-strategic, political, economic and military significance because of its location and its role in the international trade and navigation between the east ( India and Persia) and the west (the ancient Egyptians of Feroon, Romans and Greeks).

In addition, it played a vital role in the confrontation between Portugal and the Netherlands early in the sixteenth century and in the clashes between Britain and France at the end of the nineteenth century.

Now Socotra is competing to be one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. It has reached the third stage of the international competition sponsored by the New 7 Wonders organization set to be ended on December 31, 2008 with 21 favored chosen sites from around the world and in January 2009, only seven wonders are set to be elected from the 21 sites for the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Source: Yemen Times