Al Aaliya Island
{{short description|Island belonging to Qatar}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Al Aaliya Island
|other_name = Jazīrat ‘Alya
|native_name = جزيرة العالية{{lrm}}
|native_name_lang = ar
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|image_skyline = Environmental warning sign on Al Aaliya Island.jpg
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|subdivision_name = Qatar
| subdivision_type1 = Municipality
| subdivision_name1 = Al Daayen
| subdivision_type2 = Zone
| subdivision_name2 = Zone 69
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|coordinates = {{coord|25|24|23|N|51|33|56|E|display=inline,title}}
|coordinates_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://geographic.org/geographic_names/name.php?uni=-1130484&fid=4877&c=qatar|title=Jazīrat ‘Alya: Qatar|website=geographic.org|accessdate=8 February 2019}}
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Al Aaliya Island ({{langx|ar|جزيرة العالية{{lrm}}|Jazīrat ‘Alya}}) is an island located off the coast of the municipality of Al Daayen in Qatar, north of The Pearl.
Etymology
In Arabic, the island's name translates to "upper" or "top", referring to its location to the north of Al Safliya Island.{{cite web|url=https://www.encyclopedia.qa/ar/%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B1/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE%D9%8A%D8%A9/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%83%D9%86-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B1|title=الأسماء الجغرافية لأماكن دولة قطر|publisher=Qatar Historical Encyclopedia|language=Arabic|year=2022|accessdate=27 July 2024}}
Description
It is a small, low-lying island, of a brown colour, with a little peak at its east end, lying 3½ miles north of Al Safliya Island; it is visible 6 or 7 miles.{{cite book|author=|title=The Persian Gulf pilot: comprising the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Omán; and Makran coast|publisher=Hydrographic Dept|location=Great Britain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m5ItAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA123|page=123|year=1890}} This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Between these two islands is the artificial island of The Pearl, which was built in the late 2000s.{{cite web|url=http://geoportal.gisqatar.org.qa/qmape/index.html|title=District map|publisher=The Centre for Geographic Information Systems of Qatar|accessdate=8 February 2019|archive-date=24 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124143437/https://geoportal.gisqatar.org.qa/qmape/index.html|url-status=dead}} In the past its eastern peak was useful as a mark entering the Al Bidda harbour.
Environment
File:Bird house on Al Aaliya Island.jpg
The surface of the island is loose, weathered limestone rock with scattered Limonium and Zygophyllum bushes. A 2 km sandspit extends southward from the island at low tide. There are broad intertidal flats to the south and east, and coral reefs in the adjacent waters. The island has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports breeding colonies of Socotra cormorants and white-cheeked terns.{{cite web |url= https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/al-aliyah-island-iba-qatar |title=Al-Aliyah island|author= |date=2024|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 2024-10-09}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Al Daayen Municipality}}
Category:Important Bird Areas of Qatar
Category:Important Bird Areas of Persian Gulf islands
{{Qatar-geo-stub}}