The Socotra Archipelago (Arabic: أرخبيل سقطرى ʾArḫabīl Suquṭrā) or Suqutra is officially one of the governoratesofYemen. It is composed of the Guardafui Channel's archipelagoofSocotra.
Socotra
Suqutra
سقطرى
| |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates: 12°27′04″N 53°36′43″E / 12.4510°N 53.6120°E / 12.4510; 53.6120 | |
| Country |  Yemen |
| Region |  Hadhramaut |
| Seat | Hadibu (Tamrida) |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Raafat Ali Ibrahim Al-Thuqli[1] |
| Area | |
| • Land | 3,973.64 km2 (1,534.23 sq mi) |
| Population
(2004)
| |
| • Total | 44,670 |
| ISO 3166 code | YE-SU |
Since before British rule, Socotra had been part of the Mahra Sultanate but later it was captured by the British and they made Socotra a part of Bombay PresidencyinBritish India and it remained its part till 1937. In 1937 British made it part of Aden Protectorate. With the independence of South Yemen in 1967, the archipelago was attached to the Aden Governorate, despite its distance. In 2004, it was moved to the Hadhramaut Governorate.[2] Since December 2013, it has been a governorate of its own.[3]
On 30 April 2018, the United Arab Emirates, as a part of the ongoing Yemen Civil War, deployed troops and took administrative controlofSocotra Airport and seaport.[4][5] On 14 May 2018, Saudi troops were also deployed on the island and a deal was brokered between the United Arab Emirates and Yemen for a joint military training exercise and the return of administrative control of Socotra's airport and seaport to Yemen.[6][7]
The Southern Transitional Council seized control of the island in June 2020.[8]
The archipelago consists of four large islands: Socotra, Abd al Kuri, Samhah, and Darsah, as well as 3 small islets to the north of the archipelago.
| Island / Islet | Coordinates | Area (km2) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Socotra | 12°29′N 53°52′E / 12.483°N 53.867°E / 12.483; 53.867 | 3,796 | 44,120 |
| Abd al Kuri | 12°11′N 52°13′E / 12.183°N 52.217°E / 12.183; 52.217 | 130.2 | 450 |
| Samhah | 12°09′20″N 53°02′30″E / 12.15556°N 53.04167°E / 12.15556; 53.04167 | 39.6 | 100 |
| Darsah | 12°07′10″N 53°16′30″E / 12.11944°N 53.27500°E / 12.11944; 53.27500 | 7.5 | 0 |
| Ka'l Fir'awn (north) | 12°26′26″N 52°08′17″E / 12.44056°N 52.13806°E / 12.44056; 52.13806 | 0.17 | 0 |
| Ka'l Fir'awn (south) | 12°26′14″N 52°08′02″E / 12.43722°N 52.13389°E / 12.43722; 52.13389 | 0.12 | 0 |
| Sabuniyah | 12°38′12″N 53°09′27″E / 12.63667°N 53.15750°E / 12.63667; 53.15750 | 0.05 | 0 |
Socotra Governorate is divided into the following 2 districts. These districts are further divided into sub-districts, and then further subdivided into villages:
On Saturday, the STC announced it had seized government facilities and military bases on the main island of Socotra, a sparsely populated archipelago which sits at the mouth of the Gulf of Aden on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.