The Remote Islands (International Territory)

Remote Islands seen from orbit

It's a pair of two islands located further east, being the most distant land mass from the main continent. It was first discovered in 244 AC after an Israelite expedition launched from Bet Abib on board the ship "Abihayil". The crew was looking for new lands and continents to be settled, but this island was the only new place they found. The expedition sailed westwards and, due to winds at that particular lattitude, and the ocean currents, they took only a few months to go around the planet and reach the island from its eastern side. They mapped and documented the island, took provisions, and kept sailing.

Since the island was relatively small, the Israelites showed little interest in settling there. Also, other expeditions launched by other countries also reached the island. One Ekronean expedition, Beni Deganas, launched in 624 AC tried to settle a small colony on the coast of the island. However a powerful tsunami hit the settlement only a few weeks later. The region showed too much suscetible to tsunamis and extreme weather, which then resulted in no one taking interest in the island.

In 1240 AC, the Council of Nations declared the islands as international territory.

Since then, several weather stations are placed on the island, both for weather prediction and weather studies. Since the majority of storm cells that hit the main continent or reach the Kina'an Strait pass over or near these islands first, the countries who rushed to place weather stations there were Ekronas, Confederation of Aha'im and K.U.C. The Canaanite City-States usually become partners with the K.U.C stations.

GEOGRAPHY

The island is mainly comprised of two relevant islands, and several tiny islands between both. These islands are the result of a presumed dead hotspot that generated a shield volcano, having 8 chalderas who frequently erupted. According to geologists, the islands were formed around 4.3 million Geloan years (8.5 million Earth years) ago in a series of eruptions. The islands have been inactive for at least 50 thousand (Earth) years - and to this day gases are usually emitted at the top of the mountain, and it is believed that there is no longer sufficient eruptible magma in the magma chamber to sustain future eruptions.

The first one, called "Remote North", is the bigger of both, stretching for nearly 167,450 cubits (~85 km) on its longest axis. Its highest point is 591 m above the sea level, with other six peaks reaching elavations between 512 m and 587 m. Seven of the 8 volcanic peaks that formed the islands are located in this island.

The second one, "Remote South", is a ot smaller, being only 21 km wide in its longest axis. Here the highest peak is located at only 264 m above sea level. It is the newest chaldera, and since it is also inactive, it is believed this peak formed from the last remnants of eruptible magma that remained in the chamber.

Between the main islands, there is a small sequence of tiny islands that peak above the water, barely reaching 15 m above sea level. Both islands were originally connected above sea level, but the gradual subsidence of the ancient volcanic edifice, combined with marine erosion, led to the submergence of the isthmus that once connected both islands. The biggest one is barely 2.5 km wide in its longest axis, and reach 14 m above sea level.

Remote South island

Both islands were "terraformed" by the Captors, meaning they planted the first trees. Also, several wild animals originated from Earth were placed there, and since humans barely settle there (except for scientific stations), its biome has kept balance since then. At least two snake species that went extinct on the main continent can still be found in these islands. The lower areas of these islands, mainly those below 50 m of elevation, only grow small plants, since frequent tsunamis don't allow for bigger vegetation to develop on the coastal areas.

The sea area around the islands are rich in fish, plancton and other sea species, all brought from Earth by the Captors, who tried to replicate Earth's rich biosphere on Gelo. Also, this is the only island where monkeys can be found - they usually survive extreme weather by hiding in caves that exist throughout the island.