Pelagic Islands

Pelagic Islands
Lampedusa coast
Waters	Mediterranean Sea
Geographical location	35 ° 49 ′  N , 12 ° 38 ′  E Coordinates: 35 ° 49 ′  N , 12 ° 38 ′  E
Number of islands	3
Main island	Lampedusa
Total land area	25.47 km²
Residents	6170 (2009)
map

The Pelagic Islands ( Italian Isole Pelagie ) are a group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea between Tunisia , Malta and Sicily . They are of volcanic origin. Politically, they now belong to the Agrigento Free Community Consortium of the Autonomous Region of Sicily in Italy .

The name of the islands is derived from the Greek word πέλαγος pélagos for "sea".

geography

Geologically, they belong to the African continent. The main island of Lampedusa is just 138 kilometers east of the Tunisian coast on the shortest route. Due to its location between the 35th and 36th parallel, it is the southernmost part of Italy.

The archipelago consists of the following islands:

• Lampedusa (with the rock island of Isola dei Conigli in the south and the rock Scoglio A'Barca Abboccata in the north , as well as other unnamed rocks)
• Linosa
• Lampion

The islands form the municipality of Lampedusa e Linosa with 6170 inhabitants (as of 2009). The smallest island of Lampione with an area of ​​around four hectares is uninhabited, as is the rocky island of Isola dei Conigli, which is about the same size and is immediately in front of the main island of Lampedusa. The climate is characterized by extreme heat and low rainfall, especially in the summer months.

Flora and fauna

Hawksbill sea turtle

The flora is influenced by Africa. Numerous species of cacti grow that do not exist in Europe. Some of the species found here are so-called pelago-Maltese endemics, so they are only found on the Pelagic Islands and on Malta (e.g. Linaria pseudolaxiflora , Elatine gussonei and Daucus lopadusanus ).

Some of the beaches on the Pelagie Islands are where the hawksbill sea turtles lay their eggs. In order to protect the endangered species, parts of the Pelagic Islands were placed under nature protection in 2002 and the Riserva Marina Isole Pelagie nature reserve was established.

Economy and Transport

The inhabitants of Lampedusa and Linosa live from fishing, agriculture and increasingly from tourism.

Lampedusa and Linosa can be reached daily by ferry from the Sicilian port city of Porto Empedocle . There is a daily plane from Palermo to Lampedusa . Flights from other major Italian cities are also offered during the summer season.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Destination for refugees - Why Lampedusa? tagesschau.de, October 3, 2013, accessed May 6, 2017
2. ^ Edwin Lanfranco: Vegetation of the Maltese Islands , online

Web links

Wiktionary: Pelagic Islands  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

• Outline Map of the Pelagian Islands (Public Domain)