Socotra is an island belonging to what country?

Socotra is an island belonging to Yemen. It is the largest island in the Socotra Archipelago, which lies in the Arabian Sea near the Gulf of Aden, far from Yemen’s mainland and relatively close to the Horn of Africa.

Socotra’s unusual geography helps explain why the answer can be surprising. The island is a continental fragment that separated from the ancient landmass of Gondwana and is geologically associated with the Somali Plate. Geographically it is often discussed alongside Africa, but administratively and politically it is part of Yemen. The archipelago forms Yemen’s Socotra Governorate.

Socotra is famous for its exceptional endemism. About 37 percent of its plant species, 90 percent of its reptile species, and 95 percent of its land-snail species are found nowhere else. The dragon’s blood tree, with its umbrella-shaped crown and red resin, is one of its best-known natural symbols. The island should not be mistaken for part of Somalia or Oman, despite its position near both regions.