Marawah Island

Last updated • 2 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Marawah [1] [2] (Arabic : مَرَوَح, romanized: Marawaḥ) is a low-lying island off the coast of the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

Contents

Geography

Marawah is 15 km (9.3 miles) north of the Khor al-Bazm (lagoon) along the Abu Dhabi coastline in the southern Gulf. It lies 100 km (62 miles) west of the city and capital, Abu Dhabi. It is about 13 km (8.1 miles) from east to west and about 5.5 km (3.4 miles) from north to south. There are three islands in proximity to Marawah: the small island of Al Fiyah to the west, the island of Junaina to the southeast, and the island of Abu al Abyad in the east.[ citation needed ]

Geology

Current research indicates that the island was formed from relict Pleistocene limestone platforms linked by Holocene sand and beach deposits and intervening patches of sabkha .

Environment

Marawah island is in the Marawah Biosphere Reserve, as recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and is one of the six marine protected areas in the Zayed Network of Protected Areas, a network managed by the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi. [3] [4]

The coastline of the island, with its extensive tidal mudflats, has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports both passage and wintering populations of many waders, including grey plovers, Siberian sand plovers, bar-tailed godwits, great knots and crab-plovers. [5]

History

The west first became aware of the island around 1829 when the East India Company recorded its location in a nautical survey of the Persian Gulf.[ citation needed ]

Archaeology

Although privately owned, the island is a key center of archaeology. Recent excavations yielded a small natural pearl that was carbon dated to 5800/5600 BCE. [6]

In 1992, the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS) completed a preliminary survey of the island. Archeologists identified 13 sites dating from the Neolithic to the Islamic Period (12-13 AD).[ clarification needed ]

In 2004, ADIAS discovered the oldest human skeleton ever found in the region amid the remains of Neolithic buildings and over 200 flint tools. DNA was extracted from teeth that were recovered from the site, and it was determined that the remains were about 7,500 years old.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the United Arab Emirates</span>

The United Arab Emirates is a country in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula located on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf and the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Oman. The UAE consists of seven emirates and was founded on 2 December 1971 as a federation, after UK armed forces left the region. Six of the seven emirates declared their union on 2 December 1971. The seventh, Ras al Khaimah, joined the federation on 10 February 1972. The seven sheikdoms were formerly known as the Trucial States, in reference to the truce treaties established with the British in the 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of the United Arab Emirates</span>

The United Arab Emirates is situated in the Middle East and West Asia, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia; it is at a strategic location along the northern approaches to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil. The UAE lies between 22°50′ and 26° north latitude and between 51° and 56°25′ east longitude. It shares a 19 km (12 mi) border with Qatar on the northwest, a 530 km (330 mi) border with Saudi Arabia on the west, south, and southeast, and a 450 km (280 mi) border with Oman on the southeast and northeast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Ain</span> City in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Al Ain is a city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and the seat of the administrative division of the Al Ain Region. The city is bordered to the east by the Omani town of Al-Buraimi. Al Ain is the largest inland city in the Emirates, the fourth-largest city, and the second-largest in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The freeways connecting Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai form a geographic triangle in the country, each city being roughly 130 kilometres (81 mi) from the others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan</span> Sheikh of Abu Dhabi from 1966 to 2004

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was an Emirati royal, politician, philanthropist and the founder of the United Arab Emirates. Zayed served as the governor of Eastern Region from 1946 until he succeeded Sheikh Shakhbut as the ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, and then as the first president of the United Arab Emirates while he retained his position as Abu Dhabi's ruler from 1971 until his death in 2004. He is revered in the United Arab Emirates as the Waalid al-Ummah, credited for being the principal driving force behind uniting the seven Trucial States to found the Union of the United Arab Emirates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abu Dhabi Investment Authority</span> Sovereign wealth fund

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is a sovereign wealth fund owned by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, founded to invest funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi. It manages the emirate's excess oil reserves and is estimated to manage $993 billion. ADIA is one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E 11 road (United Arab Emirates)</span> Road in the United Arab Emirates

E 11 is a highway in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The longest road in the Emirates, it stretches from the Al Batha border crossing at the Saudi Arabia–UAE border in al-Silah in the al-Dhafra region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and ends at the Oman–UAE border crossing of al-Darah in al-Jeer, Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, running roughly parallel to UAE's coastline along the Persian Gulf. The road forms the main artery in some emirates' main cities, where it assumes various alternate names —Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, Al Ittihad Road in Sharjah Emirate and Ajman Emirate, and Sheikh Muhammad bin Salem Road in Ras al-Khaimah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan</span> Vice President of the United Arab Emirates

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, often referred to as Sheikh Mansour, is an Emirati royal and politician who is the current vice president and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, as well as the minister of presidential court and member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi. He is the brother of the current president of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and is married to Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai. A billionaire, he holds stakes in a variety of football clubs through City Football Group, including current Premier League winners Manchester City F.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sir Bani Yas</span> Island in United Arab Emirates

Ṣīr Banī Yās is a natural island located 170 km (110 mi) southwest of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It lies 9 km (5.6 mi) offshore from Jebel Dhanna, which serves as a crossing point to other islands such as Dalma. Sir Bani Yas is 17.5 km (10.9 mi) from north to south and 9 km (5.6 mi) from east to west, making it the largest natural island in the United Arab Emirates. Located just off the shore of the western region of Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas was originally home to Arabia's largest wildlife reserve. Spanning over 87 km2 (34 sq mi), the reserve was established in 1977 by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Due to decades of conservation work and ecological investment, it is now home to thousands of large free-roaming animals and several million trees and plants. A bird sanctuary as well as a wildlife reserve, Sir Bani Yas showcases nature through activities such as adventure safaris, kayaking, mountain biking, archery, hiking and snorkeling.

The Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS) was established in 1992 on the instruction of the late President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to survey for, record and where appropriate, excavate archaeological sites on the coast and islands of Abu Dhabi. Since 1992, ADIAS has identified thousands of sites or groups of sites on the coast and islands of Abu Dhabi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emirate of Abu Dhabi</span> Constituent emirate of the United Arab Emirates

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is one of seven emirates that constitute the United Arab Emirates. It is the largest emirate, accounting for 87% of the nation's total land area or 67,340 km2 (26,000 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of Abu Dhabi</span>

Now part of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi was formerly the largest of the seven sheikdoms which made up the Trucial States on the Pirate Coast of eastern Arabia between Oman and Qatar. The Trucial States as a whole had an area of some 32,000 square miles of which Abu Dhabi alone had 26,000. The capital was the town of Abu Dhabi which is on an offshore island and was first settled in 1761.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abu Dhabi</span> Capital of the United Arab Emirates and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The city is the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's second-most populous city, after Dubai. The city is situated on a T-shaped island, extending into the Gulf from the central-western coast of the UAE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bu Tinah</span> Protected archipelago in United Arab Emirates

Bu Tinah is a tiny archipelago amid extensive coral formations and seagrass beds some 25 km south of Zirku and 35 north of Marawah in the United Arab Emirates. Found in the waters of Abu Dhabi, it is protected as a private nature reserve. Bu Tinah Island, rich in biodiversity, lies within the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve with a territory of more than 4,000 km2. The biosphere reserve is the region's first and largest UNESCO-designated marine biosphere reserve. It has been a recognized UNESCO site since 2001. Closed to visitors, fishing and the collection of turtle eggs are prohibited on Bu Tinah Island; the ban being enforced by patrols. An Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi Ranger Station is located on the island.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was an Emirati businessman and the managing director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

Cultural policy in Abu Dhabi, a city within the United Arab Emirates, refers to any initiative undertaken by the Emirate government aimed at achieving goals to contribute to or shape culture. Abu Dhabi's government aims to develop a cultural infrastructure that will allow it to establish itself as a reference point for culture on three levels:

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of the United Arab Emirates</span>

The wildlife of theUnited Arab Emirates is the flora and fauna of the country on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula and the southern end of the Persian Gulf. The country offers a variety of habitats for wildlife including the coast, offshore islands, mangrove areas, mudflats, salt pans, sand and gravel plains, sand dunes, mountain slopes, wadis and rocky summits. Because the terrain is so varied, it supports a greater number of species of plants and animals than might be expected in a small country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of the East monastery on Sir Bani Yas</span> 7th century church in the U.A.E

The Church of the East monastery on Sir Bani Yas is an archaeological site in the United Arab Emirates discovered in 1992. The site is significant as evidence of the presence of Christianity in the UAE in the pre-Islamic period. Believed to be Nestorian, the Christian community continued for at least a century after the arrival of Islam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saudi Arabia–United Arab Emirates border</span> International border

The Saudi Arabia–United Arab Emirates border is 457 km (284 mi) in length and runs from the Persian Gulf coast in the west to the tripoint with Oman in the east.

References

  1. Marawah, Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey
  2. "Environment analysis". The Report Abu Dhabi 2015. Oxford Business Group. 2016-05-09. p. 278. ISBN   9781910068250.
  3. "Marawah is UAE's first biosphere reserve". gulfnews.com. 2 November 2007. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  4. "EAD commemorates Year of Zayed with 10 environmental initiatives". wam. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  5. "Marawah Island". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  6. "World's oldest pearl discovered near Abu Dhabi". BBC. 21 October 2019.

24°17′N53°15′E / 24.283°N 53.250°E / 24.283; 53.250