geo.wikisort.org - Island

Saona Island (Spanish: Isla Saona) is a 110 square kilometer tropical island located off the south-east coast in Dominican Republic's La Altagracia province. It is a government-protected nature reserve and is part of Parque Nacional Cotubanamá.[1]

Saona

Native name: Isla Saona
Saona Island
Saona Saona Island (Dominican Republic)
Geography
Location	Caribbean Sea
Coordinates	18°09′20″N 68°41′58″W
Area	110 km2 (42 sq mi)
Length	25 km (15.5 mi)
Width	5 km (3.1 mi)
Coastline	47 km (29.2 mi)
Highest elevation	35 m (115 ft)
Administration
Dominican Republic
Province	La Altagracia
Demographics
Population	300
Pop. density	2.73/km2 (7.07/sq mi)
Isla Saona Lighthouse
Construction	concrete (tower)
Height	12 m (39 ft)
Markings	white (tower)
Power source	solar power
Focal height	32 m (105 ft)
Range	16 nmi (30 km; 18 mi)
Characteristic	Fl W 10s

There are two permanent settlements, the towns of Mano Juan and Catuano. Mano Juan is a fishing village with wooden houses and "Catuano beach" has a detachment of the navy.

The island is a popular destination for tourists from all over the Dominican Republic, who arrive in fleets of catamarans and small motorboats on organized excursions every day. It is known for its beaches, and has been used on a number of occasions by filmmakers and advertisers looking for a stereotypical "deserted island" setting for their film or product.

Such notable films include Pirates of the Caribbean (2003),[2] and The Blue Lagoon.[3]

Etymology

Granberry and Vescelius (2004) suggest a Macoris etymology for the name Saona, comparing it with sa-ona 'full of bats' in the purportedly related Warao language of the Orinoco Delta.;[4] However, it is widely accepted that Columbus named it after the Italian city of Savona (see below).

History

The island was baptized "Saona" by Christopher Columbus, who landed on it in May 1494[5] during his second voyage to the Americas. The name was meant "... to honor Michele da Cuneo, [Columbus'] friend from Savona."[6] Columbus named Michele da Cuneo the first governor of the island.[7]

By 1500, the Tainos on the island provided Santo Domingo with most of its cassava.[8]

Saona Island and Savona (now part of Liguria, northern Italy) still have twinning relationships. The small power plant in Saona Island is a gift of Savona.

Geography

The seas around the Island are rich in wildlife, with many species of birds and tropical marine fish, and there are large areas where natural sandbars offshore bring the depth to just a few feet. Smaller speed boats stop for tourists to relax in the waist-deep shallows where they snorkel, and explore the fields of starfish indigenous to the region.

Near and around Saona island are coral reefs ecosystems with impressive marine diversity that attract snorkelers and scuba divers alike.

Flora and fauna

There are 539 registered species of endemic flora within the Cotubanamá National Park, all in a diversity of ecosystems including wild bushes and mangroves, semi-humid and salted forests.

Four species of neotropical mangrove are present along the Catuano Channel - Red, White, Black, and Button Mangle.

Birds

Among the 112 species of birds on the island, the most prominent are Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens), Flamingos, Seagulls, endemic Hispaniolan Parrots, and Red-footed Boobies.

Sea life

In the surrounding Caribbean Sea, 40 species of fish, 10 coral, and 124 mollusks can be found, with notable green sea turtles, loggerhead sea turtles, manatees, bottle-nose dolphins, rhinoceros iguanas, and octopus. [9] [10]

Tourism

As one of the most visited locations in the Dominican Republic with over 1 million visitors per year,[11] Saona offers visitors a unique variety of things to do, from sunbathing on turquoise beaches, to more adventurous activities such as snorkeling. Below is a list of some of the popular activities on Saona Island.

It is the most visited protected area in the Dominican Republic, capturing 45% of the visits to protected areas in 2019.[12]

See also

• List of lighthouses in the Dominican Republic

References

External links

На других языках

---

[de] Isla Saona

Die etwa 110 km² große Insel Isla Saona liegt in der Provinz La Altagracia im Osten der Dominikanischen Republik. Von den Ureinwohnern, den Taíno, wird die Insel auch Adamanay genannt. Sie gehört zum Parque Nacional del Este („Nationalpark des Ostens“) und steht unter Naturschutz. Er zählt zu den größten Nationalparks des Landes und ist bekannt durch seinen Reichtum an Vögeln, insbesondere seltener Vogelarten. Die ursprünglich tropische Vegetation wurde zunehmend durch Palmenwälder und Sandstrände ersetzt.

---

- [en] Saona Island

---

[es] Isla Saona

La Isla Saona es una de las más grandes de la República Dominicana que se encuentra ubicada frente a las costas de la provincia La Altagracia. Políticamente la Isla Saona pertenece a la provincia de La Romana.[1] Es parte del parque nacional Cotubanamá (Antiguo parque nacional Del Este). La isla también es de gran atractivo turístico por sus hermosas playas y bellezas naturales.

---

[fr] Île Saona

L'île Saona (Isla Saona) est une île tropicale de la mer des Caraïbes, située au sud-est de la République dominicaine dans la province de La Altagracia dont elle est séparée par un chenal de 2 km de large au point le plus étroit. Ses dimensions sont 20 km de long sur 5 de large, pour une superficie de 110 km2.

---

[it] Saona (isola)

Saona, situata nel mar dei Caraibi, in posizione parallela all'estremità sud orientale delle Repubblica Dominicana, è un'isola delle Antille di 110 km² di superficie, lunga circa 22 km e larga 5 km nella sua parte più estesa. Appartiene alla provincia con capoluogo La Romana della Repubblica Dominicana. Perlopiù pianeggiante, è una zona protetta e santuario naturale parte del Parco Nazionale dell'Est, istituito nel 1975. È facilmente raggiungibile da Bayahibe, piccola comunità rurale di pescatori.

---

[ru] Саона

Саона (исп. Isla Saona) — самый крупный остров, относящийся к провинции Доминиканской республики Ла-Альтаграсия, входит в состав юго-восточного национального заповедника. Занимает площадь 110 км². На острове находятся три небольшие рыбацкие деревни.

---

---