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Socotra Island

The most alien-looking place on Earth.
  • Dragons blood trees - Socotra Island in Hidaybu, Yemen

    Click to enlarge. Dragons blood trees source

  • Lobsters on Socotra Island - Socotra Island in Hidaybu, Yemen

    Click to enlarge. Lobsters on Socotra Island source

  • Adenium socotranum - Socotra Island in Hidaybu, Yemen

    Click to enlarge. Adenium socotranum source

  • Socotra Island - Socotra Island in Hidaybu, Yemen

    Click to enlarge. Socotra Island source

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The island of Socotra is part of an archipelago in the Indian Ocean. It is so isolated that a third of its plant life is found nowhere else on the planet. Notable are the dragon's blood trees that look like flying saucers perched on trunks. Adenium socotranum are trees that look like elephants' legs with pink flowers on top. Birds such as the Socotra starling, Socotra sunbird, and Socotra grosbeak are found nowhere else on Earth. Bats are the island's only native mammal.

There are almost no roads on the island, which is also home to a collection of caves and a number of shipwrecks.

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  • Address Socotra Island
    12°29′20.97″N 53°54′25.73″E
    Indian Ocean
    Socotra
    Yemen

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Comments

By Anonymous June 22 2009

The Dorstenia gigas tree looks like its from outer space.

By Anonymous June 23 2009

The map points to somewhere in the Gulf of Guinea, in the Atlantic Ocean, instead of the island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean. I think the coordinates are set al 0º 0º, in fact.

By Anonymous July 5 2009

Yes, the island of Socotra is off the horn of Africa on the east coast on the southern side of the Gulf of Eden. It is part of Yemen.

By Anonymous October 14 2009

can anyone give a close pronounciation of the name Socotra in american english?

By Anonymous November 27 2009

lol anon from oct 19, only an american would ask something like that (i'm american too but wouldn't say that).

By Anonymous December 31 2009

gulf of eden, you mean aden?

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