Chafarinas Islands Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Chafarinas Islands
Geography
Chafarinas Islands viewed from Morocco

Location	Mediterranean sea
Total islands	3
Major islands	Isla del Congreso Isla Isabel II Isla del Rey
Area	52.5 ha (130 acres)
Administration
Spain
Morocco

Plazas de soberanía. The Islas Chafarinas are on the right.

The Chafarinas Islands are a group of three small Spanish islands. You can find them in the Alboran Sea, which is part of the Mediterranean Sea. They are located off the coast of Morocco.

These islands are quite small, covering a total area of about 0.525 square kilometers. They are about 45 kilometers (28 miles) east of a city called Nador. They are also just 3.3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Moroccan town of Ras Kebdana.

The Chafarinas Islands are part of a group of Spanish territories in North Africa. These areas are known as plazas de soberanía, which means "places of sovereignty."

History of the Chafarinas Islands
Geography of the Chafarinas Islands
Wildlife and Nature on the Islands
Gallery
See also

History of the Chafarinas Islands

These islands might have been known by different names long ago. The Romans possibly called them Tres Insulae, meaning "Three Islands." Later, Arab people might have referred to them as Zafrān.

For a long time, the islands were empty and no country claimed them. But in 1848, the French government became interested in them. France wanted to use the islands to keep an eye on the local tribes near the border of Morocco and French Algeria.

Spain also wanted the Chafarinas Islands. When Spain learned about France's plans, it quickly sent a warship from Malaga. The Spanish ship arrived just before the French. Spain took control of the islands in the name of their Queen, Isabel II.

Geography of the Chafarinas Islands

The Chafarinas Islands are made up of three main islands. They are listed here from west to east:

Isla del Congreso: This is the largest island, covering about 25.6 hectares.
Isla de Isabel II: This island is about 15.3 hectares. It is the only island with people living on it.
Isla del Rey: This is the smallest island, about 11.6 hectares.

Spain has controlled these islands since 1847. Today, about 30 soldiers live on Isla Isabel II. This military group is the only permanent population on the islands. In the past, many more people lived there, but the number has decreased over time. Sometimes, scientists, police, and other authorized people visit, bringing the total number of people to around 50.

Wildlife and Nature on the Islands

The Chafarinas Islands are very important for nature. In the 1980s and 1990s, they were home to the last Mediterranean monk seal in Spanish territory. Sadly, this seal disappeared in the 1990s.

Many marine invertebrates (animals without backbones that live in the sea) on the islands are in danger. Nine out of eleven types are considered endangered species. The islands are also home to the second largest group of Audouin's gulls in the world. This type of gull is also endangered.

Because of their importance for birds, the islands are recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. Besides the Audouin's gulls, a large group of Scopoli's shearwaters also nests here. Experts estimated that about 800 to 1,000 pairs of these birds were breeding on the islands between 2001 and 2004.