Iles de Los
Encyclopedia
Îles de Los are an island group lying off Conakry
in Guinea
. There are three main islands: Tamara (Fortoba), Kassa and Roume, while Coraille, Blanche and Cabris are smaller islands to the south.
The islands have been inhabited for a long time. The British took possession of them, then handed them to France
in 1904 in exchange for France relinquishing fishing rights in Newfoundland and Labrador
. Roume is said to have inspired the novel Treasure Island
, and was known for its role in slave trading, while Tamara was a prison
.
The islands are best known for their beaches and forested interiors and are popular with tourists. Ferries sail to the Los from Conakry.
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
in Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
. There are three main islands: Tamara (Fortoba), Kassa and Roume, while Coraille, Blanche and Cabris are smaller islands to the south.
The islands have been inhabited for a long time. The British took possession of them, then handed them to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1904 in exchange for France relinquishing fishing rights in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. Roume is said to have inspired the novel Treasure Island
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
, and was known for its role in slave trading, while Tamara was a prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
.
The islands are best known for their beaches and forested interiors and are popular with tourists. Ferries sail to the Los from Conakry.