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Pedra Branca, Singapore facts for kids

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Pedra Branca
Batu Puteh
白礁
பெட்ரா பிராங்கா
Hessel Gerritsz, Map of Sumatra showing Pedra Branca (1620).jpg
Detail of a 1620 "Map of Sumatra" by Hessel Gerritz, a cartographer with the Hydrographic Service of the Dutch East India Company. The location of the island of "Pedrablanca" (Pedra Branca) is marked.
Geography
Location South China Sea
Coordinates 1°19′49″N 104°24′21″E / 1.330368°N 104.405883°E / 1.330368; 104.405883
Area 8,560 m2 (92,100 sq ft)
Length 137 m (449 ft)
Width 60 m (200 ft) (average)
Administration
Hessel Gerritsz, Map of Sumatra showing Pedra Branca (1620)
Map of Sumatra showing island of Pedra Branca", c. 1620

Pedra Branca is a tiny island located at the western edge of the South China Sea. It's also known as Pulau Batu Puteh or Batu Puteh. This small island sits at the eastern entrance of the Straits of Singapore and is the easternmost point of Singapore.

History of Pedra Branca

Building Horsburgh Lighthouse

A very important building on Pedra Branca is the Horsburgh Lighthouse. This lighthouse was built between 1847 and 1851. Lighthouses help ships find their way safely at sea, especially at night or in bad weather.

A Long-Standing Island Dispute

For many years, Pedra Branca was the subject of a disagreement. Both Malaysia and Singapore believed the island belonged to them. This kind of disagreement between countries is called a territorial dispute.

The International Court of Justice's Decision

To solve the dispute, Malaysia and Singapore took their case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ is the main court of the United Nations. It helps countries settle their legal disagreements peacefully. In 2008, the ICJ made a final decision. The court ruled that Pedra Branca is part of Singapore. This decision helped to resolve the long-standing issue between the two nations.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Pedra Branca para niños

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