Galite Islands
Encyclopedia
The Galite Islands are a rocky group of islands of volcanic
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...

 origin that belong to Bizerte Governorate
Bizerte Governorate
Bizerte Governorate is the northernmost of the 24 governorates of Tunisia. It is situated in northern Tunisia. It covers an area of 3,685 km² and has a population of 524,000 . The capital is Bizerte...

, northern Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...

. They are located 38 km northwest of Cape Serrat, the closest point of the Tunisian mainland coast, from which they are separated by the Galite Channel, and almost 80 km NNE
NNE
As an abbreviation, NNE may stand for:*Non-viable National Economy*North-northeast*Novo Nordisk Engineering...

 of the city of Tabarka
Tabarka
Tabarka is a coastal town located in north-western Tunisia, at about , close to the border with Algeria. It has been famous for its coral fishing, the Coral Festival of underwater photography and the annual jazz festival. Tabarka's history is a colorful mosaic of Phoenician, Roman, Arabic and...

, and 150 km south of Cape Spartivento in the south of Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...

. The islands of the group sit atop Banc de Galite.

Main island

The centrally situated main island La Galite is 5.4 km long east-west, and up to 2.9 km wide in the east. The area of the group is 9 km², most of which La Galite accounts for. The main island has 200 m high cliffs and is accessible only in the south on the bay Escueil de Pasque. A few fishermen's families live on the island. The highest peak with 391 m is Bout de Somme (Grand Sommet), which is topped by a yellow lookout tower. Piton de l'Est, a prominent cone-shaped peak close to the most southeasterly point of the island, is 360 m high.

Other islands

Besides the main island La Galite, there are two groups of islets or rocks, which are all inaccessible.

The Galitons de l'Ouest (West Galitons) are 3 km southwest of the main island. They consist of the second largest and third largest islands of the Galite Islands, 158 m high Le Galiton (area 0.4 km²) and 137 m high La Fauchelle, immediately southeast of Le Galiton. On the peak of Le Galiton is a lighthouse, 14 m high. In 1980, the Ministry of Agriculture declared Le Galiton a natural reserve, to protect the Mediterranean Monk Seal
Mediterranean Monk Seal
The Mediterranean monk seal is a pinniped belonging to the Phocidae family. At some 450-510 remaining individuals, it is believed to be the world's second-rarest pinniped , and one of the most endangered mammals in the world.It is present in parts of the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic...

s.

The smaller Galitons de l'Est (East Galitons, also Les Chiens or "The Dogs"), are at a distance between 1 and 2 km northeast of the main island. This group consists of three rocks, which are, from north to south, Gallo, Pollastro and Gallina. Gallo is the largest of the three and is 119 m high.

About 25 km to the southwest are the reefs Écueil des Sorelles, which consist of two shallow rocky patches. A lighted buoy, fitted with a racon, is moored to the western patch, and another buoy to the eastern patch. A two meters high concrete block stands on the western patch.

13 kilometers to the north of the group is submerged Banc des Mazzarilles, with depths between 21 and 49 meters.

Tunisian independence leader Habib Bourguiba
Habib Bourguiba
Habib Bourguiba was a Tunisian statesman, the Founder and the first President of the Republic of Tunisia from July 25, 1957 until 7 November 1987...

 was exiled on La Galite by the French colonial authorities from May 21, 1952 through May 20, 1954.

Salvatore Todaro, an italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 soldier, died on La Galite in December
December
December is the 12th and last month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days.December starts on the same day as September every year and ends on the same day as April every year.-Etymology:...

 14, 1942.

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