Failaka Island : KUWAIT
Failaka Island lies twenty km east of Kuwait city, opposite the bay of the same name. It is the biggest of Kuwait's nine islands, 12 km long, 6 km wide and mostly flat. Its land is fertile and favorable for cultivation; it has fresh underground water and, until recently, it was economically self-sufficient. During the Dilmun era (from ca. 3000 BC), which saw the establishment of neighboring Bahrain, the island of Failaka was already developing its own unique culture and religious pantheon. Worship of the sun appears to have been practiced (see Shamash). Human sacrifice may also have taken place. In the 3rd century BC, during Alexander the Great's advance through the region on his way to India, the ancient Greeks colonized the island, which they named Icaria after the Greek island in the Aegean Sea and the mythical hero Icarus; apparently because they believed the island had a similar shape off its Aegean counterpart. Some elements of Greek mythology mixed with the local cults. The island was inhabited through the seventh or eighth century AD. It is unknown when the island was settled in modern times. Prior to the Iraqi Invasion, the island had over two thousand residents and several schools. The village of Az Zawr is situated near the middle of the northwest side of the island. It was the longest continuously inhabited location in Kuwait. During 1990 and 1991, the invading Iraqis depopulated the island, expelling all of its residents to the mainland. The Iraqi military mined the beaches and used the island's facilities and buildings for target practice. In 1991, the allied forces forced the Iraqi army forces occupying the island to surrender through bombing and psywar operations [2]. The sewage system was destroyed and has yet to be fully repaired. Also, many old homes continue to sit empty and decaying; bullet holes can still be seen. After the war, Failaka was cleared of mines, but it remains under military use. Nevertheless, Failaka Island is becoming a popular holiday destination from Kuwait City. The ferry Ikarus takes passengers out to the island. Several of the captives held in extrajudicial detention in Guantanamo faced the allegation that their name had been found on a list recovered from a hard drive of a computer of an al Qaeda terrorist suspected of involvement with an October 2002 attack on US Marines stationed on Faylaka Island.[3][4][5][6] The Marines were training with blank ammunition when two terrorists drove by and fired AK47 rifles, killing one Marine and wounding another. Several Marines responded by killing the two attackers with pistols that were on hand for security
Failaka Island lies twenty kilometers east of Kuwait City, opposite the Bay of that name, and 50 kilometers from the southernmost tip of Iraq. It is one of the most important islands of Kuwait. Its area is approximately twenty-four square kilometers. It is triangular with its base in the west and head in the southeast It is fourteen kilometers in length, and its breadth varies between eight kilometers in the west, five in the middle, and two in the east. The island is flat, apart from a small hill thirty feet high in the extreme western part. It is linked to Kuwait City through a submarine pipeline that provides sweet water to the inhabitants of Failaka. Parallel to this are three submarine power cables that provide electricity. Failaka Island has its own source of water, but this was not sufficient as its population grew in the years prior to the Invasion, so a pipeline was laid from the mainland. The Island of Failaka is one of the most beautiful and most famous islands of Kuwait. Pronounced "Failacha" in the local dialect, it combines the ancient history of Kuwait, dating back to the early Stone Age and the modern history of Kuwait. The home of Kuwait's main archaeological site, Failaka's history goes back to the Bronze Age Dilmun civilization, which was centerd in Bahrain. It may be assumed that there was at least inter-Gulf trade between 2200 and 1800 BC. The Greeks arrived in the 4th century BC in the form of a garrison sent by Nearchus, one of Alexander the Great's admirals. A small settlement existed on the island prior to this, but it was as the Greek town of Ikaros that the settlement became a real city. The Greeks lived on Failaka for two centuries. Failaka Island had a small Greek colony from 325 to 150 BC and was part of a maritime trade route in the Ptolomeic era. The remains of a temple can be found there today. Coins and seals found there point to Failaka remaining an important trading post with links to Iraq, Persia, the Mediterranean, the Levant, India and Africa. Its fresh water and strategic position favouring the Island's development.
Failaka Island in Kuwait is the most visited tourist destination in the country. This island is situated in the northern part of the Persian Gulf and lies 20 kilometers away from the Kuwait city. It is situated at the opposite of to the Failaka Bay that is 50 kilometers away from the southernmost tip of Iraq. The area of the island covers an area of about twenty-four square kilometers and it is regarded as the most important islands of Kuwait. Apart from the small hill of thirty feet in the western part, this triangular island is basically flat. Failaka Island in Kuwait, one of the major Tourist Attractions in Kuwait is connected to Kuwait City through a submarine pipeline that supplies sweet water to the inhabitants of Failaka. Three more submarine power cables are connected by in a parallel line that supplies electricity to the nativeplace. Though the Failaka Island in Kuwait has its own source of water, but it was not adequate as its population grew enormously during the years of prior Iraqi attackgrew enormously through the years. Kuwait Tourism gains much of its popularity due to the prominence of Failaka Island in Kuwait. Failaka Island is one of the most magnificent islands that combines the ancient history of Kuwaitwhere the ancestry of Kuwait has blended seamlessly with gleaming modernity, and add to it, the scenic splendor of the place. However the real claim to fame of the Failaka Island at Kuwait rests on its antiquity. The history of Failaka Island in Kuwait Previously, the island was the home for over two thousand residents. However, during the Iraqi invasion many dwellers left that place. There are lot of mines in this island which are now being used by the military. can be traced back to the early years of the Stone Age. The island also houses interesting and intriguing specimens from the Dilmun Civilization of the Bronze Age.
Failaka Island lies twenty kilometers east of Kuwait City, opposite the Bay of that name, and 50 kilometers from the southernmost tip of Iraq. It is one of the most important islands of Kuwait. Its area is approximately twenty-four square kilometers. It is triangular with its base in the west and head in the southeast It is fourteen kilometers in length, and its breadth varies between eight kilometers in the west, five in the middle, and two in the east. The island is flat, apart from a small hill thirty feet high in the extreme western part. It is linked to Kuwait City through a submarine pipeline that provides sweet water to the inhabitants of Failaka. Parallel to this are three submarine power cables that provide electricity. Failaka Island has its own source of water, but this was not sufficient as its population grew in the years prior to the Invasion, so a pipeline was laid from the mainland. The Island of Failaka is one of the most beautiful and most famous islands of Kuwait. Pronounced "Failacha" in the local dialect, it combines the ancient history of Kuwait, dating back to the early Stone Age and the modern history of Kuwait. The home of Kuwait's main archaeological site, Failaka's history goes back to the Bronze Age Dilmun civilization, which was centerd in Bahrain. It may be assumed that there was at least inter-Gulf trade between 2200 and 1800 BC. The Greeks arrived in the 4th century BC in the form of a garrison sent by Nearchus, one of Alexander the Great's admirals. A small settlement existed on the island prior to this, but it was as the Greek town of Ikaros that the settlement became a real city. The Greeks lived on Failaka for two centuries. Failaka Island had a small Greek colony from 325 to 150 BC and was part of a maritime trade route in the Ptolomeic era. The remains of a temple can be found there today. Coins and seals found there point to Failaka remaining an important trading post with links to Iraq, Persia, the Mediterranean, the Levant, India and Africa. Its fresh water and strategic position favouring the Island's development.
Failaka Island in Kuwait is the most visited tourist destination in the country. This island is situated in the northern part of the Persian Gulf and lies 20 kilometers away from the Kuwait city. It is situated at the opposite of to the Failaka Bay that is 50 kilometers away from the southernmost tip of Iraq. The area of the island covers an area of about twenty-four square kilometers and it is regarded as the most important islands of Kuwait. Apart from the small hill of thirty feet in the western part, this triangular island is basically flat. Failaka Island in Kuwait, one of the major Tourist Attractions in Kuwait is connected to Kuwait City through a submarine pipeline that supplies sweet water to the inhabitants of Failaka. Three more submarine power cables are connected by in a parallel line that supplies electricity to the nativeplace. Though the Failaka Island in Kuwait has its own source of water, but it was not adequate as its population grew enormously during the years of prior Iraqi attackgrew enormously through the years. Kuwait Tourism gains much of its popularity due to the prominence of Failaka Island in Kuwait. Failaka Island is one of the most magnificent islands that combines the ancient history of Kuwaitwhere the ancestry of Kuwait has blended seamlessly with gleaming modernity, and add to it, the scenic splendor of the place. However the real claim to fame of the Failaka Island at Kuwait rests on its antiquity. The history of Failaka Island in Kuwait Previously, the island was the home for over two thousand residents. However, during the Iraqi invasion many dwellers left that place. There are lot of mines in this island which are now being used by the military. can be traced back to the early years of the Stone Age. The island also houses interesting and intriguing specimens from the Dilmun Civilization of the Bronze Age.
