geo.wikisort.org - Island

Search / Calendar

The Galite Islands (Tunisian Arabic: جالطة Jalita, French: La Galite, Italian: Isola della Caletta) are a rocky group of islands of volcanic origin that belong to Bizerte Governorate, northern Tunisia. They are located 38 kilometres (24 miles) northwest of Cape Serrat, the closest point of the Tunisian mainland coast, from which they are separated by the Galite Channel, and almost 80 km (50 mi) north-by-northeast of the city of Tabarka, and 150 km (93 mi) south of Cape Spartivento in the south of Sardinia. The islands of the group sit atop Banc de Galite.

Old map of the Galite Islands
Old map of the Galite Islands
Galite
NASA Landsat Image
Galite
Geography
LocationMediterranean Sea
Coordinates37°31′37″N 08°55′43″E
Total islands6[1]
Major islandsLa Galite (5.4 km2)
Le Galiton
La Fauchelle
Area8.08 km2 (3.12 sq mi)
Highest pointBout de Somme (391 m)
Administration
 Tunisia
GovernorateBizerte Governorate
View of La Galite from Cap Serrat
View of La Galite from Cap Serrat

Main island


The centrally situated main island La Galite is 5.4 km (3.4 mi) long east-west, and up to 2.9 km (1.8 mi) wide in the east. The area of the group is 9 square kilometres (3 sq mi), most of which La Galite accounts for. The main island has 200m high cliffs and is accessible only in the south on the bay Escueil de Pasque. A few fishermen's families live on the island. The highest peak at 391m is Bout de Somme (Grand Sommet), which is topped by a yellow lookout tower. Piton de l'Es', a prominent cone-shaped peak close to the most southeasterly point of the island, is 360m high.


Other islands


Besides the main island La Galite, there are two groups of islets or rocks, which are all inaccessible.

The Galitons de l'Ouest, or West Galitons, are 3 km (2 mi) southwest of the main island. They consist of the second largest and third largest islands of the Galite Islands, 158m high Le Galiton (area 0.4 km2) and 137m high La Fauchelle, immediately southeast of Le Galiton. On the peak of Le Galiton is a lighthouse, 14m high. In 1980, the Ministry of Agriculture declared Le Galiton a natural reserve, to protect the Mediterranean monk seals.

The smaller Galitons de l'Est, or East Galitons, also called Les Chiens or The Dogs, are at a distance between 1 and 2 km (1 mi) northeast of the main island. This group consists of three rocks, which are, from north to south, Gallo, Pollastro and Gallina (meaning "rooster", "chicken" and "hen" in Italian). Gallo is the largest of the three and is 119 m high.

About 25 km (16 mi) to the southwest are the Sorelle Rocks, or Écueil des Sorelles, which consist of two shallow rocky patches. A lighted buoy, fitted with a racon, is moored to the western patch, and another buoy to the eastern patch. A two meters high concrete block stands on the western patch.

13 km (8 mi) to the north of the group is the submerged Banc des Mazzarilles, with depths between 21 and 49 meters.

During World War II, La Galite hosted a small Italian naval base. Salvatore Todaro (it), an Italian war hero, died on La Galite in December 14, 1942.

Tunisian independence leader Habib Bourguiba was exiled to La Galite by the French colonial authorities from May 21, 1952 through May 20, 1954.


Natural history


The islands have been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support populations of Audouin's gulls, Eleonora's falcons and Sardinian warblers.[2]


Notes and references


  1. Plus some reefs and a submerged group
  2. "Archipel de la Galite". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2021.


Media related to Galite Islands at Wikimedia Commons


На других языках


[de] Galite-Inseln

Die Galite-Inseln (arabisch أرخبيل جالطة Archabil Dschalita, DMG Arḫabīl Ǧāliṭa, französisch La Galite) sind eine felsige tunesische Inselgruppe.
- [en] Galite Islands

[fr] La Galite

La Galite (arabe : جالطة) est un archipel d'îles rocheuses d'origine volcanique situé au nord de la Tunisie. La Galite est également l'archipel et le point le plus septentrional de la Tunisie, mais également de tout le continent africain[1].

[it] La Galite

La Galite (in italiano Galita, in arabo Jazirat Jalitah) è un arcipelago di isole rocciose, d'origine vulcanica, formato da cinque isole principali ed alcuni scogli. Tali isole sono situate a circa 80 km a nord-ovest della città tunisina di Tabarca e a 150 km a sud di Capo Spartivento, in Sardegna. Il punto di terraferma più vicino alle isole è Capo Serrato, 38 km a sud, dal quale l'arcipelago è separato tramite il Canale di Galitone o Canal de La Galite.

[ru] Галит (острова)

Гали́т (араб. جالطة‎) — группа скалистых островов вулканического происхождения в Средиземном море к северу от побережья Туниса.



Текст в блоке "Читать" взят с сайта "Википедия" и доступен по лицензии Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike; в отдельных случаях могут действовать дополнительные условия.

Другой контент может иметь иную лицензию. Перед использованием материалов сайта WikiSort.org внимательно изучите правила лицензирования конкретных элементов наполнения сайта.

2019-2024
WikiSort.org - проект по пересортировке и дополнению контента Википедии