The Mysterious Island _ Socotra

The Socotra Island

Look like an another Planet

Socotra is a small archipelago of four islands in the Indian Ocean. The largest island, also called Socotra, is about 95% of the landmass of the archipelago. It lies off some 240 kilometers (150 mi) east of the Horn of Africa and 380 kilometers (240 mi) south of the Arabian Peninsula. The island is very isolated and through the process of speciation, a third of its plant life is found nowhere else on the planet. It has been described as the most alien-looking place on Earth.

Socotra is part of the Republic of Yemen. It had long been a part of the 'Adan Governorate, but in 2004 it became attached to the Hadhramaut Governorate, which is much closer to the island than 'Adan (although the closest governorate would be Al Mahrah).


 

 

Socotra is characterized by the unique land and marine biodiversity. The island itself measures approximately 125 kms long by 45 kms wide and covers a total area of 3665 sq kms. 

The climate is harsh, hot, and dry, and yet - the most amazing plant life thrives there. Situated in the Indian Ocean 250 km from Somalia and 340 km from Yemen, the wide sandy beaches rise to limestone plateaus full of caves (some 7 km in length) and mountains up to 1,525 metres high.

Socotra is considered the jewel of biodiversity in the Arabian Sea. The long geological isolation of the Socotra archipelago and its fierce heat and drought has combined to create a unique and spectacular endemic flora.


 

Botanical field surveys led by the Centre for Middle Eastern Plants (part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh) indicate that 307 out of the 825 (37%) plant species on Socotra are endemic i.e. they are found nowhere else on Earth. The entire flora of the Socotra Archipelago has been assessed for the IUCN Red List, with 3 critically Endangered and 27 Endangered plant species currently recognized.


 

Also important in ancient times were Socotra's various endemic aloes, used medicinally, and for cosmetics. Other endemic plants include the giant succulent tree Dorstenia gigas, Moraceae, the cucumber tree and the rare Socotran pomegranate, Punica protopunica.

Socotra, the other "Mountains of Madness" - the trees and plants of this island were preserved through the long geological isolation, some varieties being 20 million years old.

One of the most striking of Socotra's plants is the dragon's blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari), which is a strange-looking, umbrella-shaped tree. Its red sap was thought to be the dragon's blood of the ancients, sought after as a medicine and a dye, and today used as paint and varnish. 

Scientists first reached the remote Socotra Archipelago in 1880, when Scottish botanist Isaac Bailey Balfour collected around 500 plants. Over 200 were species new to science.

To date, approximately 900 vascular plants have been recorded from Socotra, of which between 300(including some fifteen species restricted to Abd al Kuri) are found nowhere else (i.e. endemic species) they create weird vegetation - and make the archipelago the world's tenth richest island group for endemic plant species.


 

Many are strange-looking remnants of ancient floras which long ago disappeared from the African/Arabian mainland. Socotra’s flora has strong links with adjacent parts of Somalia and Arabia but some species and genera have interesting disjunctive distributions:


 

Dracaena cinnabari, the Dragon's Blood tree, is a tertiary relict with related species in southern Arabia, north-east Africa and the Canary Islands; species of Kalanchoe and Helichrysum show strong links with southern African species but perhaps the most strange distribution is that shown by the genus Thamnosma with T. socotrana on Soqotra and related species in southern Arabia, south-west Africa and south-west North America.


 

Socotran’s flora includes plants which can be considered taxonomic relicts, that is with no close relatives, these include: Dirachma socotrana, one of only two species in the Dirachmaceae, a family related to the Malvaceae but with an interesting mixture of characters including 8 merous flowers, stamens opposite the petals and fruits with a dehiscence similar to that found in Geranium.


 

The floras of oceanic island are often particularly rich in species and show a high degree of endemism. Socotra is no exception. It has one of the richest island floras in the world - on a par with those of the Galapagos, Mauritius, Juan Fernandez and the Canary Islands. However, island ecosystems are often fragile and their native species vulnerable to overgrazing from introduced herbivores and to being out-competed by exotic plant species. 


 

Dendrosicyos Soqotranus the only arborescent member of the Cucurbitaceae and Wellstedia a small shrub of boraginaceous affinities but which is sometimes placed in a family of its own.


 

Socotra is one of those "lost world" islands (separated from the world six million years ago) where intrepid travelers - particularly those seeking exotic nature and wildlife in a remote tropical setting - can go days on end without rubbing shoulders with that less-than-endangered species: tourists. Known for decades as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean, it's the world's tenth richest island for endemic plant species.


 

The island was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a world natural heritage site in July 2008. The European Union has supported such a move, calling on both UNESCO and International Organization of Protecting Environment to classify the island archipelago among the environmental heritages.


 

Socotra's fauna is just as fascinating. Among the land birds Socotra Island is home to 180 species of birds 6 species are endemic, (Socotra sparrow – Socotra Cisticola – Socotra Starling – Socotra Sun bird –Socotra Warbler – and the rarest Socotra Bunting (estimated with 1000 specimens alive).
  

As well as 14 sub-species, are restricted to Socotra. And also it’s a host point for many immigrated/breeding birds of over 45 species such as Flamingos, Kettle Egrets, Reef Hearns, Gulls, etc. And the highest density in the world for Egyptian Vulture has registered on the island. More work is still needed to clarify the status of other species.


 

There are 190 species of butterfly and with a large number of endemics. The reptilian and insects fauna is also very rich 600 species of insects with 90% with high proportion of endemic.


 

The reptilian fauna is also very rich with 19 out of a total of 22 species regarded as endemics. Goats, shapes, caws, donkeys, and camels are common to come across. Bats and civil cat is the only mammals native to the island.


 

In the marine world Socotra has taken a spectacular place as it has mixture of species from different biogeography regions- the western Indian Ocean, the Red sea, East Africa and the wider Indo-Pacific. Despite of the small archipelago, Socotra Island is home to more than 680 Species of fishes are comparable to those of the Red Sea, and about 230 species of hard corals (five are endemics) and 30 species of soft corals.


 

In addition to 300 species of crustacean (nine are endemics), 490 species of mollusks, and 230 species of algae. Sea-turtles also nest on the north of the island but there is a need for more work on these (as with almost all Socotra's wildlife).


 

The inhabitants are of Arab, Somali, and South Asian origins. They follow the Islamic faith and speak Soqotri, a Semitic language. Their primary occupations have been fishing, animal husbandry, and the cultivation of dates. 

Almost all inhabitants of Socotra, numbering nearly 50,000, live on the homonymous main island of the archipelago. The principal city, Hadiboh (with a population 8,545 at the census of 2004), the second largest town, Qulansiyah (3,862), and Qād̨ub (929) are all located on the north coast of the island of Socotra. 

The threats to the Socotran flora can be illustrated by considering the fate of the vegetation on other oceanic islands. The decimation of Dracaena draco on the Canary Islands and Madeira is a particularly relevant example. On Socotra Dracaena cinnabari is widespread over the centre and east of the island and is the dominant tree in some areas.

In the Canary Islands its closest relative, D. draco, is reduced to five trees on Madeira and is extinct on four of the seven Canary islands with no more than 200 trees surviving on the other three islands. On St Helena the vegetation has been almost totally decimated. Goats were introduced on to the island in 1513. By 1800 the forests which originally covered the islands were reduced to a few remnants and it has been estimated that, of the probable 100 endemics on the island, only 40 now remain. Source: wikipedia & web

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Attractive Tourism Place_Part-2

Most Tourism Place in our beautiful Planet

Part # 2

Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four (24) hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited.

Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2008, there were over 922 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 1.9% as compared to 2007. International tourism receipts grew to US$944 billion (euro 642 billion) in 2008, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 1.8%.

1. Iguazu Falls

[Argentina & Brazil]

Iguazu Falls, in Iguazu River, are one of the world’s largest waterfalls. They extend over 2,700 m (nearly 2 miles) in a semi-circular shape. Of the 275 falls that collectively make up Iguassu Falls, "Devil’s Throat" is the tallest at 80 m in height.



Iguazu Falls are on the border between the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones, and are surrounded by two National Parks (BR/ARG). Both are subtropical rainforests that are host to hundreds of rare and endangered species of flora and fauna.

2. Vesuvius

[Italy]

Mount Vesuvius is a volcano east of Naples, Italy. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting.  

Vesuvius is best known for its eruption in AD 79 that led to the destruction of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. It has erupted many times since and is today regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. 

3. El Yunque

[Puerto Rico]

El Yunque National Forest, formerly known as the Caribbean National Forest, is located on the island of Puerto Rico. It is also the name of the second highest mountain peak in the Forest.

El Yunque is the only tropical rain forest in the United States National Forest System. 

4. Galapagos

[Ecuador]

The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator, 965 kilometres west of continental Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean.

The islands are all part of Ecuador’s national park system. They are famed for their vast number of endemic species 

5. Uluru

[Australia]

Uluru (Ayers Rock) is one of Australia’s most recognizable natural icons.

The world-renowned sandstone formation stands 348 m high above sea level with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures 9.4 km in circumference. Uluru appears to change color as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year. 

6. Milford Sound

[New Zealand]

Milford Sound, located in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island, is located within the Fiordland National Park. It runs 15 km inland from the Tasman Sea and is surrounded by sheer rock faces that rise 1200 m or more on either side.

Among its most striking features are Miter Peak, rising 1,692 m above the sound, the Elephant at 1,517 m and resembling an elephant’s head, and Lion Mountain, 1,302 m, in the shape of a crouching lion. Lush rain forests cling precariously to these cliffs, while seals, penguins and dolphins populate the water. 

7. Yushan

[China]

Yushan, part of Yushan National Park, is a central mountain range in Chinese Taipei and it also the name of the highest point of the range. It is also called Jade Mountain and its height is 3,952 m above sea level.

The park is also known for its diverse wildlife and ecology. The environment around Yushan itself spans from sub-tropical forests at its base to alpine conditions at its peak. 

8. Grand Canyon

[United States]

The Grand Canyon, created by the Colorado River over a period of 6 million years, is 446 km long, ranges in width from 6 to 29 km and attains a depth of more than 1.6 km.

During prehistory, the area was inhabited by Native Americans who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves.

9. Table Mountain

[South Africa]

Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark. It is next to the city of Cape Town in South Africa.

Table Mountain is an important tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway to take a ride to the top. The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. 

10. Puerto Princesa Underground River

[Philippines]

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river.  

A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences.  

The underground river is reputed to be the world’s longest. At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water’s edge. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave. Article Source: Fulldhamaal

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Museums, Some of the Best

Some of best Museum in the world

In the world are exist many kind of Museum, categories include: fine arts, applied arts, craft, archaeology, anthropology and ethnology, history, cultural history, military history, science, technology, children's museums, maps, natural history, numismatics, botanical and zoological gardens and philately. Within these categories many museums specialize further, e.g. museums of modern art, local history, aviation history, agriculture or geology. Here are described some of best museum in the world.

1. National Palace Museum [Taiwan]

(Image Source: Wikipedia)

The National Palace Museum in Taipei has the largest collection of ancient Chinese artifacts and artworks in the world. The museum was originally established as the Palace Museum in Beijing’s Forbidden City in 1925, shortly after the expulsion of the last emperor of China. 

In the final years of the Chinese Civil War the most prized items in the museum’s collection were moved to Taiwan. By the time the items arrived in Taiwan, the communist army had already seized control of the Palace Museum.

2. British Museum [United Kingdom]

(Image Source: Khayal)

Established in 1753, the British Museum in London is a museum of human history and culture. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.

Objects include the Rosetta Stone, the key to the deciphering of hieroglyphs, and the largest collection of mummies outside of Egypt.

3. Guggenheim Museum [Bilbao, Spain]

(Image Source: lezuck)

Designed by Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain is a spectacular twisting titanium-clad modern art museum and perhaps the most celebrated building of the 1990.

The graceful, sensuous curves, evocative of the ships that used to be ubiquitous along the docks of Bilbao, are covered in titanium squares, which resemble the scales of a fish and shimmer in the sunlight. The museum features permanent and visiting exhibits of works by Spanish and international artists.

4. Museo Nacional de Antropologia [Mexico]

(Image Source: Mikey Stephens)

The Museo Nacional de Antropología (or National Museum of Anthropology) in the Mexico City contains archaeological artifacts from the pre-Columbian heritage of Mexico. Opened in 1964 by, the museum has a number of significant exhibits,such as the giant stone heads of the Olmec civilization and the Sacred Cenote from Chichen Itza.

The most famous artifact however is the Stone of the Sun which was actually not used as a calendar but does contain 20 day signs and the 4 era’s of suns that preceded the current 5th sun.

5. Louvre [Paris, France]

(Image Source: pmorgan)

The Louvre in Paris is one of the world’s largest and most visited art museums in the world. The museum opened in 1793 and is housed in the Louvre Palace, a former royal palace. The famous glass pyramid which in the main courtyard of the Louvre Palace was added in 1989 and serves as the main entrance to the museum.

Its exhibits come from such diverse origins as ancient Egypt, classical Greece and Rome, medieval Europe and Napoleonic France. Its most famous exhibit, of course, is Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Mona Lisa, generally to be found surrounded by hordes of camera-flashing tourists.

6. Metropolitan Museum of Art [USA]

(Image Source: A. Strakey)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as The Met, is an art museum located on the eastern edge of Central Park in New York City. This massive gothic-style building, originally opened in 1872 and with numerous expansions added on over time, holds literally hundreds of rooms on its two floors, containing more than two million works of art from across human history and around the world, covering virtually every field of art in existence.

In addition to its permanent exhibitions, the Met organizes and hosts large traveling shows throughout the year.

7. Prado Museum [Spain]

(Image Source: Alvaro Carnicero)

One of the top museums in Spain, The Prado Museum in Madrid features some of the best collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century.  

The best known works on display at the museum are the Majas of Goya (La Maja Vestida and La Maja Desnuda) and Las Meninas by Velázquez. Velázquez not only provided the Prado with his own works, but his keen eye and sensibility was also responsible for bringing much of the museum’s fine collection of Italian masters to Spain.

8. Museum of Modern Art [New York, USA]

(Image Source: eschipul)

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), located in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world. It arguably contains the best collection of modern masterpieces world-wide including Monet’s Water Lilies, Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, and van Gogh’s Starry Night.

In addition to the artwork, one of the main draws of MoMA is the building itself. A maze of glass walkways permits art viewing from many angles. In 2004 a $425 million face-lift by Yoshio Taniguchi increased the exhibition space of the museum by nearly 50%.

9. Uffizi Gallery [Italy]

(Image Source: cfwee)

The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. It is housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi which was constructed in the 16th century as the offices for the Florentine magistrates.

The collections of Renaissance paintings and sculptures from classical antiquity are superb. Included is The Birth of Venus by Sandro Boticelli. There are often long lines starting even before the doors open.

10. Rijksmuseum [Netherlands]

(Image Source: sainz)

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the largest and most prestigious museum for art and history in the Netherlands.  

It has a large collection of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age including works by Vermeer and Rembrandt. Until 2013, the museum is being completely renovated, but the major masterpieces are still on show.

11. Egyptian Museum [Egypt]

(Image Source: tutincommon)

Home to at least 120,000 items of ancient Egyptian antiquities, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is one of the world’s best museums. There are two main floors of the museum, the ground floor and the first floor. On the ground floor there is an extensive collection of papyrus and coins used in by the ancient Egyptians.

On the first floor there are artifacts from the final two dynasties of Ancient Egypt and also many artifacts taken from the Valley of the Kings. Highlights include the objects from the Tomb of Tutankhamen and the Royal Mummy Room containing 27 royal mummies from pharaonic times.

12. Hermitage Museum [Russia]

(Image Source: matildaben)

Founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great, the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia is a massive museum of art and culture showing the highlights of a collection of over 3 million items spanning the globe.

The Hermitage is truly one of the best museums in the world, with an imposing setting displaying priceless works by Rembrandt, Da Vinci, Michealangelo, Reubens and more. The collections occupy a large complex of six historic buildings including the Winter Palace, a former residence of Russian emperors.

13. Museum of Fine Arts [Hungary]

(Image Source: wikipedia)

The Museum of Fine Arts (Hungarian: Szépművészeti Múzeum) is a museum in Heroes' Square, Budapest, Hungary, facing the Palace of Art.It was built by the plans of Albert Schickedanz and Fülöp Herzog in an eclectic-neoclassical style, between 1900 and 1906. The museum's collection is made up of international art (other than Hungarian), including all periods of European art, and comprises more than 100,000 pieces. 

The collection is made up of various older additions such as those from Buda Castle, the Esterházy and Zichy estates, as well as donations from individual collectors. The Museum's collection is made up of six departments: Egyptian, Antique, Old sculpture gallery, Old painter gallery, Modern collection, Graphics collection. The institution celebrated its centenary in 2006.

14. Tokyo National Museum [Japan]

(Image Source: Psicoloco)

Established 1872, the Tokyo National Museum is the oldest and largest museum in Japan.  

The museum’s collections focus on ancient Japanese art and Asian art along the Silk Road. There is also a large collection of Greco-Buddhist art.

15. Vatican Museums [Italy]

(Image Source: tripleman)

Founded by Pope Julius II in the 6th century, the Vatican Museums inside the Vatican City, Italy are among the best museums in the world. The museums are most famous for the spiral staircase, the Raphael Rooms and the exquisitely decorated Sistine Chapel.

Under the patronage of Pope Julius II, Michelangelo painted the chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512. Today the ceiling, and especially The Last Judgment, are widely believed to be Michelangelo’s crowning achievements in painting.

16. The São Paulo Museum of Art [Brazil]

(Image Source: wikipedia)

The São Paulo Museum of Art (in Portuguese, Museu de Arte de São Paulo, or MASP) is an art museum located on Paulista Avenue in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. It's well-known for its headquarters, a 1968 concrete and glass structure designed by Lina Bo Bardi, whose main body is supported by two lateral beams over a 74 meters freestanding space, considered an landmark of the city and a main symbol of modern Brazilian architecture.

The museum is a non-profit making private institution founded in 1947 by Assis Chateaubriand and Pietro Maria Bardi. MASP distinguished itself for many important initiatives concerning museology and art education in Brazil, as well as for its pioneer role as a cultural center. It was also the first Brazilian museum interested in Post-World War II artistic tendencies.

Article Source:  touropia & wikipedia

 

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