Astola
Encyclopedia
Astola Island, also known as Jezira Haft Talar ) or 'island of the seven hills' or satadip, is a small, uninhabited island in the Arabian Sea, in the territorial waters of Pakistan
, some 25 km south of Pakistan
's nearest coastline and 39 km southeast of the Pakistani fishing port of Pasni
. Astola is Pakistan's largest offshore island and the only significant offshore island in the northern Arabian Sea. Administratively, the island is part of the Pasni subdistrict of Gwadar District
in Balochistan province.
Its geographical coordinates are Latitude 25° 7'21.51"N and Longitude 63°50'51.53"E.
or Karachi
via the Makran Coastal Highway. Motorized boats from Pasni, on average, take 5 hours to reach the island.
There are several natural caves and coves on the island. The south face of the island slopes off gradually whereas the north face is cliff-like with a sharp vertical drop.
(Chelonia mydas) and the Hawksbill turtle
(Eretmochelys imbracata) nest on the beach at the foot of the cliffs. The island is also a very important area for endemic reptiles such as the Astola Viper
(Echis carinatus astolae). The island is reported to support a large number of breeding water birds including coursers, curlews, godwits, gulls, plovers and sanderlings. Feral cats, originally introduced by fishermen to control the endemic rodent population, pose an increasing threat to wildlife breeding sites.
Astola Island is also home to coral reef.
in 1877 from South America
.
There is no source of fresh water on the island and the vegetation depends on occasional rainfall and soil moisture for survival.
installed a small gas-powered beacon on the island for the safety of passing vessels, which, in 1987, was replaced by a solar-powered one.
Between September and May of each year, Astola becomes a temporary base for mainland fishermen for catching lobsters and oysters. From June to August, the island remains uninhabited due to the fishing off-season, the rough seas and high tides.
There is a small mosque
dedicated to the Muslim
saint, Khawaja Khizr, which is used by the mainland fishermen during the fishing season.
Ruins of an ancient Hindu
temple of the Hindu goddess, Kali
are located on the island. The island was also known to the Hindus as Satadip.
In Arrian's
Indica
, which describes the westward journey of Alexander's fleet after the Indus Valley campaign (325 BC), Admiral Nearchus
is quoted as having anchored by an island named 'Carnine'. It was said to be inhabited by the Ichthyophagoi ('fish eaters' in Greek
) and where, "even mutton had a fishy taste". The Persian
phrase mahi khoran (fish eaters) has become the modern name of the coastal region of Makran
. Some scholars have assumed Carnine to be Astola Island, without considering the extreme aridity and lack of fresh water, which renders the place inhospitable for human habitation, as well as animal husbandry. In all likelihood, Carnine was the name of an island in the inland sea, presently known as Khor Kalmat
. This latter conjecture supports Nearchus' coast-hugging voyage (which would have kept him well away from Astola), a compulsion meant to provision Alexander's army that was supposed to have marched along a coastal route.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, some 25 km south of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's nearest coastline and 39 km southeast of the Pakistani fishing port of Pasni
Pasni City
Pasni is a medium-sized town and a fishing port in Gwadar, Balochistan, Pakistan. Its population is around 33.000. It is located on the Makran coast on Arabian Sea about 300 km from Karachi...
. Astola is Pakistan's largest offshore island and the only significant offshore island in the northern Arabian Sea. Administratively, the island is part of the Pasni subdistrict of Gwadar District
Gwadar District
Gwadar District is a coastal district in Balochistan province of Pakistan. Gwadar city is the district headquarters of Gwadar District.-Administration:Gwadar District is subdivided into the following tehsils or subdistricts:* Gwadar* Jiwani* Ormara...
in Balochistan province.
Location
Astola Island lies in the northern tip of the Arabian Sea, approximately 25 km south of Pakistan's Makran Coastline and approximately 39 km southeast of the Pakistani fishing port of Pasni. It is also the northernmost island of the Arabian Sea.Its geographical coordinates are Latitude 25° 7'21.51"N and Longitude 63°50'51.53"E.
Size
The island is approximately 4 km in length with a maximum width of 1 km. Its highest point is 246 feet above sea level.Accessibility
Astola Island can be accessed by rented boats via Pasni after travelling by road from either GwadarGwadar
Gwadar also known as Godar is a developing port city on the southwestern Arabian Sea coast of Pakistan. It is the district headquarters of Gwadar District in Balochistan province and has a population of approximately 50,000.Gwadar is strategically located at the apex of the Arabian Sea and at the...
or Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
via the Makran Coastal Highway. Motorized boats from Pasni, on average, take 5 hours to reach the island.
Terrain and physical features
The island consists of a large tilted plateau and a series of seven small hillocks (hence the local name "Haft Talar" or "Seven Hills"), with deep chasms and crevices, which are several feet wide.There are several natural caves and coves on the island. The south face of the island slopes off gradually whereas the north face is cliff-like with a sharp vertical drop.
Wildlife & marine life
The isolated location of the island has helped maintain endemic life forms. The endangered Green turtleGreen Sea Turtle
The Green sea turtle or green turtle is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
(Chelonia mydas) and the Hawksbill turtle
Hawksbill turtle
The hawksbill sea turtle is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in its genus. The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic and Pacific subspecies. E. imbricata imbricata is the Atlantic subspecies, while E...
(Eretmochelys imbracata) nest on the beach at the foot of the cliffs. The island is also a very important area for endemic reptiles such as the Astola Viper
Viperidae
The Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Antarctica, Australia, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii, various other isolated islands, and above the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long, hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom. Four...
(Echis carinatus astolae). The island is reported to support a large number of breeding water birds including coursers, curlews, godwits, gulls, plovers and sanderlings. Feral cats, originally introduced by fishermen to control the endemic rodent population, pose an increasing threat to wildlife breeding sites.
Astola Island is also home to coral reef.
Flora & fauna
Vegetation on the island is sparse and largely consists of scrubs and large bushes. There are no trees on the island. The largest shrub on the island is Prosopis juliflora, which was introduced into South AsiaSouth Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
in 1877 from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
There is no source of fresh water on the island and the vegetation depends on occasional rainfall and soil moisture for survival.
Man-made features
In 1982, the Government of PakistanGovernment of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
installed a small gas-powered beacon on the island for the safety of passing vessels, which, in 1987, was replaced by a solar-powered one.
Between September and May of each year, Astola becomes a temporary base for mainland fishermen for catching lobsters and oysters. From June to August, the island remains uninhabited due to the fishing off-season, the rough seas and high tides.
There is a small mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
dedicated to the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
saint, Khawaja Khizr, which is used by the mainland fishermen during the fishing season.
Ruins of an ancient Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
temple of the Hindu goddess, Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
are located on the island. The island was also known to the Hindus as Satadip.
In Arrian's
Arrian
Lucius Flavius Arrianus 'Xenophon , known in English as Arrian , and Arrian of Nicomedia, was a Roman historian, public servant, a military commander and a philosopher of the 2nd-century Roman period...
Indica
Indica (Arrian)
Indica is the name of an ancient book about India written by Arrian, one of the main ancient historians of Alexander the Great. The book mainly tells the story of Alexander's officer Nearchus’ voyage from India to the Persian Gulf after Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Indus Valley...
, which describes the westward journey of Alexander's fleet after the Indus Valley campaign (325 BC), Admiral Nearchus
Nearchus
Nearchus was one of the officers, a navarch, in the army of Alexander the Great. His celebrated voyage from India to Susa after Alexander's expedition in India is preserved in Arrian's account, the Indica....
is quoted as having anchored by an island named 'Carnine'. It was said to be inhabited by the Ichthyophagoi ('fish eaters' in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
) and where, "even mutton had a fishy taste". The Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
phrase mahi khoran (fish eaters) has become the modern name of the coastal region of Makran
Makran
The present day Makran is a semi-desert coastal strip in the south of Sindh, Balochistan, in Iran and Pakistan, along the coast of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. The present day Makran derived its name from Maka, a satrap of Achaemenid Empire....
. Some scholars have assumed Carnine to be Astola Island, without considering the extreme aridity and lack of fresh water, which renders the place inhospitable for human habitation, as well as animal husbandry. In all likelihood, Carnine was the name of an island in the inland sea, presently known as Khor Kalmat
Khor Kalmat
Khor Kalmat is a lagoon located along the Makran coast of Balochistan, Pakistan. The Basol River drains into the Khor Kalmat lagoon. In recent times, it has gained attention for being the locality where the Pakistan Navy plans to build a base, known as the Kalmat Naval Base.Kalmat lies about...
. This latter conjecture supports Nearchus' coast-hugging voyage (which would have kept him well away from Astola), a compulsion meant to provision Alexander's army that was supposed to have marched along a coastal route.
Eco-Tourism
Astola Island is a popular but "hard" destination for eco-tourism, although there are no lodging facilities on the island. Overnight tourists must camp on the island and bring their own provisions. Camping, fishing and scuba-diving expeditions are popular. It is also a site for observing turtle breeding. There has been some damage to Astola's ecology due to domesticated cats left behind by fishermen, these cats have been damaging bird nesting sites and turtle hatcheries.See also
Sources
- http://www.wwfpak.org/freshwater_astola.php
- http://mercantilemarine.gov.pk/Body/Light%20Houses/Astola_Island.htm
- http://kaiser-footloose.blogspot.com/2011/01/astolas-primeval-charm.html