The Habibas islands ( ar, جزر حبيبة) are located about 12 km off the

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

n coast, northwest of

Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...

. The islands consist of a principal island 1.3 km long surrounded by an

archipelago An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands. Examples of archipelagos include: the Indonesian Archi ...

covering a total area of about 40 ha. The highest point on the Habibas islands reaches 105 m. The islands are of

volcanic A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates a ...

origin. The Habibas islands fall under the Bou Zedjar municipality in the

Aïn Témouchent Province Aïn Témouchent ( ar, ولاية عين تموشنت) is a province (''wilaya'') in northwestern Algeria, named after its capital: Aïn Témouchent. History The province was created from Sidi Bel Abbès Province in 1984. Administrative divisio ...

, Algeria. There are no permanent population centres, but there is a small

jetty A jetty is a structure that projects from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French word ', "thrown", signifying somet ...

, a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

(built in 1879) and a few small buildings. The islands make up the Iles Habibas Marine Nature Reserve. By the end of 2006, a project to rehabilitate and maintain the island was to commence, backed by Algerian and

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

funding. The stated objective was to support the local

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...

References

Islands of Africa Islands of Algeria Lighthouses in Algeria {{island-stub

See also

References