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Geography and Geology
Socotra island lies in the
north –western corner of the Western Indian Ocean, at the junction between
the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea at 12o 30’N – 53o50’E the island lies
about 240 km east of Somalia, some 380 Km southeast of Ras Fartaq on the Gulf of Aden coastline of Yemen and about 200
km east of Cape Guardafui, the tip of the Horn of Africa. The island is
approximately 125 km long and about 45 km wide, with a total surface area
if 3665 km2. Its highest elevation is at Jabal Mashneq (1526 masl) in the
central Hagghier Massif. The island may be divided into three main zones;
the Hagghier Mountains the limestone plateau and the alluvial coastal
plains, the backbone of the island is formed by the Hagghier mountains
located in the north-west of the island. With their jagged granite peaks,
these mountains rise dramatically along their sheer northern face and slope
of more gently along the southern and eastern flanks.
Although Socotra lies in the rain bearing monsoon belt, it is predominantly
the Hagghier Mountains that attract the precipitation, with the result that
their slopes are well vegetated and several of their steams are perennial.
The limestone Plateau surrounds this elevation to the east west and south,
covering most of the island and averaging 300 -700 m in altitude. They drop
away at the edges in steep cliffs and are eroded on the surface into karsts
topography.
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