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Kerkennah Islands (Tunisian Arabic: قرقنة qarqna; Ancient Greek: Κέρκιννα Cercinna; Spanish:Querquenes) are a group of islands lying off the east coast of Tunisia in the Gulf of Gabès, at 34°42′N 11°11′E. The Islands are low-lying, being no more than 13 metres (43 feet) above sea level. The main islands are Chergui and Gharbi. The archipelago has an area of 160 square kilometres (62 sq mi) and a population of 15,501 (2014).[1]

Kerkennah Islands

Native name: قرقنة (Arabic) Standard Arabic: qarqna Κέρκιννα(Greek) Κέρκιννα: Cercinna
Kerkennah Islands seen from space
Kerkennah Islands
Geography
Coordinates	34°42′N 11°11′E
Archipelago	Mediterranean Sea
Area	160 km2 (62 sq mi)
Administration
Tunisia
Demographics
Demonym	Kerkennian
Population	15,501 (2014-04-23)

Kerkennah's main town, Remla (on Chergui), has a population of 2,000. The population of the islands significantly decreased during the 1980s due to drought. The islands were unable to provide suitable irrigation systems and, with clean water rapidly running out, many islanders were forced to leave for mainland Tunisia, the nearest city being Sfax.

History

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2022)

The natives of Tunisia and Kerkennah originally settled there, but during the spread of the Roman Empire, Kerkennah was used as a port and look-out point by the Romans, to keep note of off-shore activity. In 2 BC, Augustus exiled Sempronius Gracchus, a lover of Julia the Elder, to the islands for 14 years for his indiscretions with his then-married daughter. Greeks called it Cercina (Ancient Greek: Κέρκινα)[2][3][4][5][6] and Cercinna (Ancient Greek: Κέρκιννα).[7] Strabo and Ptolemaeus wrote that also the city that was on the island was called Cercinna (Ancient Greek: Κέρκιννα), same as the island.[7][8]

Among the Catholic bishops whom the Arian Vandal king Huneric summoned to Carthage in 484, was a Bishop Athenius of Cercina, the seat of the bishopric being in the most easterly island of the group.[9][10] No longer a residential bishopric, Cercina is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see.[11]

In 532, Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe built a monastery on one of the islets of the group.[9]

During the Second World War, the Battle of the Tarigo Convoy was fought near the islands on 16 April 1941.

Geography

The islands are warm and dry, with strong prevailing winds. This is mainly due to its positioning in the Gulf of Gabes, with strong sea winds (Gharbi), carried over the mainland, making them hot and dry. What little water vapour there is, is lost over cooler Tunisia first. This causes the general ecology of the island to mainly consist of tall xerophytic (and often halophytic) flora, such as palms and saltbushes.

The land is arid and there is little agriculture, though the islanders own chickens and goats for their own personal consumption. Fishing, especially for octopus, is a key industry of Kerkennah, whence it is exported to mainland Tunisia and other nearby countries.

Tourism is limited in Kerkennah and it lacks grandiose sandy beaches. Many mainland Tunisians spend their holidays in Kerkennah, and many more affluent Tunisians often build private second homes on the island. Tourists also come from European countries. Temperatures on the island are high, with a minimum of 4 °C (39 °F) and often reaching 40 °C (104 °F).

The north includes a port known as Kraten.

See also

• Kerkennah Islands gerbil
• Océano Club de Kerkennah

References

На других языках

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[de] Kerkenna-Inseln

Die Kerkenna-Inseln, früher Kyrannis (griech.) genannt, später Cercina (lat.), dann Kerkenah (arabisch جزر قرقنة, DMG Ǧuzur Qarqanna), sind eine Inselgruppe vor der Ostküste Tunesiens im Golf von Gabès, ca. 20 km vor dem Festland (Sfax) gelegen. Die Inselgruppe bildet eine von 16 Gemeinden (Delegation) des Gouvernement Sfax. Sie besteht aus den beiden etwa 300 m auseinander gelegenen und durch einen Fahrdamm verbundenen Hauptinseln Chergui, auch Sharki, oder Sharqi, (von arabisch شرقي, DMG šarqī ‚östlich‘) und Garbi (von arabisch غربي ‚westlich‘) sowie mehreren kleineren unbewohnten Eilanden. Der Hauptort Remla ist etwa 16 km von Kerkennas Verbindungshafen zum Festland (Port de Sidi Youssef) entfernt. Die Inseln sind durch eine regelmäßige Fährverbindung mit dem tunesischen Festland (Sfax) verbunden.

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- [en] Kerkennah Islands

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[es] Islas Kerkennah

Las islas Kerkennah[1] (en árabe: قرقنة) conocidas históricamente en España como los Querquenes[2] o las islas Querquenes,[3] son un archipiélago situado en la costa oriental de Túnez[4] en el golfo de Gabés. Las islas son bajas y no superan los 13 metros sobre el nivel del mar. Las islas principales son Chergui y Gharbi. El archipiélago tiene una superficie de 180 km² y una población de 14400 personas en el año 2006.

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[fr] Kerkennah

Les Kerkennah (arabe : قرقنة .mw-parser-output .prononciation>a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Loudspeaker.svg/11px-Loudspeaker.svg.png")center left no-repeat;padding-left:15px;font-size:smaller}Écouter [qærqnæ]) sont un archipel tunisien de la mer Méditerranée situé à 17,9 kilomètres au large de Sidi Mansour, dans la périphérie nord-est de Sfax. Administrativement, il constitue une délégation rattachée au gouvernorat de Sfax, composée de dix imadas, mais aussi une municipalité.

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[it] Isole Kerkenna

Le isole Kerkenna, talvolta Kerkennah, (in arabo: جزر قرقنة‎, Juzur Qarqana; in italiano Cercara o Cercina) sono un arcipelago situato al largo di Sfax, sulla costa orientale della Tunisia, nel Golfo di Gabès. L'arcipelago dista 17,9 km da Sfax e 120 km dall'isola italiana di Lampedusa.

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[ru] Керкенна

Керкенна[1] (араб. جزر قرقنة‎) — группа островов у восточного побережья Туниса, в заливе Габес. Составляют коммуну Керкенна в вилайте Сфакс, в 18 км от самого Сфакса.

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