Editing Hawar Islands (section)

==Geography==
Despite their proximity to Qatar (they are only about {{convert|1|nmi|km}} from the Qatari mainland whilst being about {{convert|10|nmi|km|0|abbr=out}} from the main islands of Bahrain),<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4EOcBE6VIikC |title=International Maritime Boundaries : vol. IV |work=[[American Society of International Law]] |date=2002 |isbn=978-9041119544 |page=2844|last1=Charney |first1=Jonathan I. |last2=Alexander |first2=Lewis M. |last3=Smith |first3=Dr. Robert W. |last4=Law |first4=American Society of International |publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers }}</ref> most of the islands belong to [[Bahrain]], having been a part of a dispute between Bahrain and Qatar which was resolved in 2001.<ref name=icj81>{{cite web |url=https://www.icj-cij.org/en/case/87 |title=Case concerning Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Questions between Qatar and Bahrain |work=[[International Court of Justice|ICJ]] |date=16 March 2001 |page=81}}</ref> The islands were formerly coincident with the district or ''Minṭaqat'' Juzur Ḥawār (مِنْطَقَة جُزُر حَوَار) and are now administered as part of the [[Southern Governorate]] of Bahrain. The land area of the islands is approximately {{convert|52|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name=iucn>{{cite web |url=http://www.hawar-islands.com/iucn_evaluation.html |title=IUCN Evaluation of Nominations of Natural and Mixed Properties to the World Heritage List |work=Hawar-Islands.com |date=2004}}</ref>

Although there are 36 islands in the group,<ref name=manplan /> many of the smaller islands are little more than sand or shingle accumulations on areas of exposed bedrock molded by the ongoing processes of sedimentation and accretion. The World Heritage Site application{{clarify|date=July 2020}} named 8 major islands, which conforms to{{clarify|date=July 2020}} the description of the islands when first surveyed as consisting of 8 or 9 islands.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/87/5483.pdf |title=Case concerning Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Questions between Qatar and Bahrain |work=ICJ |date=13 June 2000 |page=12 |access-date=14 June 2013 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303210421/http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/87/5483.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> It has often been described as an archipelago of 16 islands.<ref name=icj28>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524213208/http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/87/5479.pdf|archive-date=2015-05-24|url-status=dead|url=http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/87/5479.pdf |title=Case concerning Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Questions between Qatar and Bahrain |work=ICJ |date=9 June 2000 |page=28}}</ref> Janan Island, to the south of Hawar island, is not legally considered to be a part of the group and is owned by Qatar.<ref name=icj54>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605005458/www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/87/7027.pdf|archive-date=2011-06-05|url-status=dead|url=http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/87/7027.pdf |title=Case concerning Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Questions between Qatar and Bahrain |work=ICJ |date=16 March 2001 |page=54}}</ref>

[[File:Socotra Cormorant.jpg|thumb|left|Socotra cormorant]]