The Sa'ad ad-Din Islands (Somali: Jasiiradda Sacadaddiin, Arabic: جزر سعد الدين), also Romanized as Sa'ad-ed-din[2] and known as the Zeila Archipelago,[3] are a group of islands off the northwestern coast of Somaliland. They are situated near the ancient city of Zeila.[4]
The Zeila Archipelago is made of six small islands all of which are low-lying and have sandy beaches.[5][6] The largest of these islands are Sacadin and Aibat,[7] which are six and nine miles off the coast of Zeila, respectively.[8] There is also a lighthouse at Aibat.[8]
Etymology & History
The name for the archipelago comes from the SultanSa'ad ad-Din II who was killed by the Emperor of Abyssinia on the main island in 1403.[9][10] Along with his name, there are many different spellings for the island such as Sa'ad ed Din,[4]Sa'ad-ed-din,[2] and Sa'ad-ad-Din.[11] The archpeligo is also known as the Zeila Archipelago[3] and the Sa'ad ad-Din group.[5]
The Sa'ad ad-Din Islands are well known for their splendid coral reefs similar to those found on the southern coast of Oman.[4] These reefs are the most diverse and well formed coral reefs on the coast of the Gulf of Aden[14] and possibly the largest in the region.[15] From provincial counts, ninety-nine different species of coral from forty-three different genera have been found on the islands.[4]
There are also a hundred and thirty-two different species of coral fish found around the archipelago. Many of these species include those also found in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean.[16]
The island of Sa'ad ad-Din and Aibat (called Ceebaad in Somali)[17] both are sites of major bird colonies.[18] On the island of Sa'ad ad-Din alone, there were more than 100,000 breeding pairs recorded.[7]
The archipelago currently has no permanent residents and is uninhabited, though it is still occasionally visited by tourists, local fishermen, and those who wish to honor Sa'ad ad-Din II.[1]