Hawar Islands

The Hawar Islands are a group of Bahraini islands in the Persian Gulf, near Qatar, noted for their wildlife and protected habitats.

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Hawar Islands Protected Area: A protected area encompassing the Hawar Islands and surrounding marine habitats in Bahrain. It gives formal protection to the archipelago’s land and surrounding waters.
Bahrain: An island country in the Persian Gulf consisting of Bahrain Island and smaller islands. The Hawar Islands are part of Bahrain’s territory.
Ramsar Convention: An international treaty for conserving wetlands and promoting their wise use. The Hawar Islands are recognized as a wetland of international importance under the convention.
Habitat Fragmentation: The breaking of continuous habitat into smaller, more isolated patches. Development can divide or degrade the islands’ nesting and feeding habitats.
Socotra Cormorant: A seabird of the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea that nests in large colonies on islands. Its breeding colonies are among the wildlife features associated with Hawar.
Qatar: A peninsula country projecting into the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar’s coast lies close to the Hawar Islands.
Ramsar Site: A wetland designated by a country for inclusion on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. This designation places Hawar’s wetlands within a global conservation framework.
Coastal Erosion: The loss of shoreline land through waves, currents, storms, or human activity. Erosion can alter beaches and shore habitats on low-lying islands.
Dugong: A marine mammal that feeds on seagrass in warm coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific. Seagrass beds around the islands support dugongs.
Bahrain–Qatar Border Dispute: A territorial dispute between Bahrain and Qatar resolved by the International Court of Justice in 2001. The islands’ sovereignty was a central issue in the dispute.