geo.wikisort.org - Island

Sa Dragonera (Catalan pronunciation: [sə ðɾəɣoˈneɾə]) is an uninhabited islet in the Balearic Islands, Spain, located just off the west coast of Majorca. It is currently a natural park.[1]

Dragonera Sa Dragonera
Island
View of Sa Dragonera from nearby Majorca
Dragonera Location in Spain
Coordinates: 39°35′02″N 02°19′17″E
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Balearic Islands
Council	Consell Insular de Mallorca
Municipality	Andratx
Area
• Total	2.88 km2 (1.11 sq mi)
Highest elevation	360 m (1,180 ft)
Population  (2009)
• Total	no permanent population
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)

Geography

Geologically speaking, Dragonera is an emerged part of the geologic system running southwest-northeast in the Iberian Peninsula. This runs from the Málaga province through Cap de la Nau and then gets submerged under the Mediterranean Sea. It surfaces again to form the island of Ibiza, the Tramuntana Range in the island of Majorca and Sa Dragonera itself. The silhouette of the mountain range vaguely resembles a dragon, hence its name.[2]

Sa Dragonera is approximately 3,200 metres in length and has a maximum width of 500 metres. Although its highest hill Pico Popi is only 360 metres high, the island's overall relief is very abrupt, especially considering its small size, which made the islet of little importance in historic times.

The island is a part of the municipality of Andratx, which is, along with Sant Elm (both in nearby Majorca), the closest towns to the island.

Dragonera has a small natural port in the Cala Lladó area.

History

The name of Dragonera comes from Dragon that was associated to the shape that the island has from a specific perspective, and from the large number of endemic Lilford's wall lizards.[3]

There is an Ancient Roman necropolis in the Es Lladó area, but there are no other signs of historical permanent settling.

During the 18th century two defensive watchtowers were built on the island in order to watch for the numerous Barbary pirates operating in the area.

In 1910 the lighthouses of Tramuntana (north) and Llebeig (southwest) began to operate, replacing the Faro Viejo or old lighthouse, which was built in a lower part of the island, in an area often surrounded by mist.

In 1941 Juan Flexas bought the islet and started farming activities in the Es Lladó area.

By the mid 20th century, the islet was often used by estraperlo smugglers for their illegal activities.

Between 1960 and 1975 the lighthouses were improved and became automatic, which meant that the only permanent and tiny population (that of the lighthouse keeper and family) left the islet.

In 1974 the islet was bought by a Spanish company in order to build a touristic resort. The original plan included a luxury residential, an hotel, a casino and, to serve all these, a manmade port. These plans were heavily contested by the ecologist movements and a harsh and long legal battle followed. The ecologists managed to get all the plans on hold until the legal controversy was cleared. It only finished ten years after, in 1984, when the Audiencia Nacional finally barred any building activities on the uninhabited islet.

Part of the 1982 film adapting Agatha Christie's mystery Evil Under the Sun was shot in Sa Dragonera, presented as an island of the fictional Tyrania by the Adriatic.

Then, in 1987, the Consell Insular de Mallorca bought the islet. In 1995 the Balearic regional Government declared the islet natural park status along with the nearby islets of Pantaleu and Isla Mediana.

Gallery

• View of the dragon island at different times and under different atmospheric conditions
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
  Dragonera as seen from the Tramuntana Range in Majorca.
• 
  Endemic lizard
  of Sa Dragonera
  (Podarcis lilfordi)
• 
  Cala Lladó is the islet's tiny natural harbor

References

External links

• Sa Dragonera - S'Arracó
• Dragonera in Google Maps

На других языках

---

[de] Sa Dragonera

Sa Dragonera (die Dracheninsel) ist eine unbewohnte Felseninsel vor der Westküste der spanischen Mittelmeerinsel Mallorca. Sie wird von deren westlichstem Punkt, der Punta Negra, durch den an der schmalsten Stelle 780 Meter breiten Canal des Freu getrennt. Dragonera gehört wie Mallorca zur Gruppe der Balearischen Inseln. Ihr Name wurde zum einen auf ihr besonderes Erscheinungsbild zurückgeführt, das einem Drachen ähnelt, und zum anderen auf die unzähligen dort lebenden Eidechsen. Wissenschaftler leiten ihn aber vom lateinischen tracones ab, das im Mittelalter für unterirdische Wasserleitungen stand und auf die wichtige Rolle der Insel (insbesondere der Cova de sa Font) für die Wasserversorgung antiker Schiffe hindeutet, die diese Gegend befuhren.[1]

---

- [en] Dragonera

---

[es] Isla Dragonera

La isla Dragonera (Sa Dragonera en catalán) es un islote perteneciente al archipiélago de las Baleares, España. Se encuentra situada al oeste de la isla de Mallorca y está protegida como espacio natural con la categoría de Parque natural. Se cree que su nombre procede del vocablo latino traco(onis) (traconaria, dragonera) que significa "hendidura en la tierra, resquebrajamiento, pasos subterráneos" haciendo referencia a la hendidura con agua dulce en una cueva de la isla, y no –en contra de lo que parece– a "dragones" (que es el nombre que se da a las lagartijas en Baleares). Tiene una longitud de 3200 metros y una anchura de quinientos, con un relieve muy escarpado e irregular, con su pico más alto, el llamado Na Pòpia, a unos 360 metros de altitud. Las localidades más próximas son San Telmo y Port d'Andratx, donde se han establecido centros de submarinismo y buceo, hecho que aumenta el flujo de turistas en verano.

---

[fr] Sa Dragonera

Sa Dragonera est une île de l'archipel des îles Baléares en Espagne située à l'ouest de l'île de Majorque. Faisant partie de la municipalité de Sant Elm dans la commune d'Andratx, l'île constitue dans sa globalité le parc naturel de Sa Dragonera depuis 1995.

---

[it] Dragonera

Dragonera è un isolotto appartenente all'arcipelago delle Isole Baleari, Spagna.

---

[ru] Драгонера

Драгоне́ра (исп. Isla Dragonera, кат. Sa Dragonera, La Dragonera — «остров Драконов») — необитаемый скалистый остров у западного побережья острова Мальорка, отделённый проливом шириной в 780 метров. Остров Драгонера входит в состав островного совета Мальорка Балеарских островов.

---

---