Socotra Island is part of Yemen situated in the north-western (NW) Indian Ocean and located by 220 miles far from mainland Yemen.   

The island is very isolated and a third of its plant life is found nowhere else on the planet. It has been described as "the most alien-looking place on Earth" because of a panoply of strange plants and animals uniquely adapted to the hot, harsh, windswept island.

Socotra is considered the jewel of biodiversity in the Arabian Sea. Where one of the most striking of Socotra's plants is the dragon's blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari), which is a strange-looking, umbrella-shaped tree. Its red sap was thought to be the dragon's blood of the ancients (Picture below).

The Socotra Archipelago (Yemen) is globally recognized for its outstanding biodiversity and endemism, and was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a world natural heritage site in July 2008.

The island offers a surprising variety of natural beauty: mountains overlooking the sea, plains covered with palm trees and cane-brakes, beaches, limestone and deep ravines. On the island visitors can find unique animal and vegetables species that give Socotra a primordial look.

More than 835 species of plants have been classified the most famous is the Dragon Blood Tree whose name is derived from the fact that by carving its trunk it pours out a red resin, it is said by the ancient belief, to be the blood of the dragon.
Over 210 species of bird have been registered and every year more are added to the list.

The island underwent long geological and political isolation, ensuring preservation of unique ecosystems until the start of the new millennium.

It is in my home country Yemen but I didn't get a chance to visit it and discover the beauty of this forgotten Island, and hopefully I will do that this year.

I won't write more about it, because I am sure that by watching a short video of the Island and some photographs of the life there, You will guys know how beautiful and incredible it is and it deserve more attention and care by the government and the people of Yemen as well as from the policies  makers in the world regarding environmental and biodiversity issues.

Finally Enjoy the Pictures that I upload below as well as I encourage you to watch this video here : " Socotra - The forgotten Island "

And check out these two links for some photos by international know channels and magazine.

1- http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/06/socotra/melford-moffett-photography

2- http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1998881,00.html

Thanks for Reading ^_^