El Nabatat Island
Template:Short description Template:Clear
El Nabatat Island or Kitchener's Island<ref name="sis.gov.eg">State Information Service of Egypt - Elnabatat's Island Template:Webarchive</ref><ref name="جزيرة النباتات">aswan.gov.eg - جزيرة النباتات Template:Webarchive</ref> (Template:Lang Geziret En Nabatat (Plant Island) or the Botanical Island)<ref name="Ownedby" /><ref name="Gezireten-Nabatat">Template:Cite book</ref> is a small, oval-shaped island in the Nile at Aswan, Egypt. It is less than a kilometer long and its width is less than ½ a kilometer. The Aswan Botanical Garden is located on the island.<ref name="AfterWar" />
Geography
El Nabatat Island is one of two major islands on the Nile in the vicinity of Aswan, the other one being Elephantine. Elephantine is the larger one, and is located between El Nabatat Island and the city of Aswan (east bank). Therefore, it can be hard to see the smaller El Nabatat Island from Aswan: "Aswan disappears behind Elephantine Island".<ref name="Felluca" /><ref name="Kitcheners">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Map">Template:Cite book</ref>
History
The island was previously known as Kitchener's Island, named after Lord Kitchener who owned it.<ref name="Ownedby">Template:Cite book</ref> He was gifted the island when he served as Consul-General in Egypt<ref name="Felluca" /> from 29 September 1911 to June 1914.<ref>Template:Cite ODNB</ref>
With the aid of the Ministry of Irrigation, Kitchener rapidly transformed the small Template:Convert long island into a paradise of exotic trees, many from India,<ref name="Ownedby" /> and plants in gardens with view walkways.<ref name="AfterWar">Template:Cite book</ref> It later passed into the property of the Egyptian government and was used as a research station called the Botanical Research Institute, Aswân Botanic Island.<ref name="Institute">Template:Cite web</ref>
Aswan Botanical Garden
The island, as a whole, constitutes the Aswan Botanical Garden. One can view the many types of subtropical, exotic, and rare plantings and trees such as the royal palm tree and the sabal palm tree.<ref name="TypesofTrees">Template:Cite web</ref> The collection was begun by Lord Kitchener and has been cared for since.<ref name="Ownedby" /> The gardens are popular among the local people and tourists as a place to go for a quiet afternoon away from the noise of the city, and for weekend picnics.<ref name="AfterWar" /> The island and gardens can be reached by felucca that reach the southeastern side of the small island.<ref name="Felluca">Template:Cite bookTemplate:Dead link</ref>
Gallery
-
A view to the inbound felucca wharf on El Nabatat Island -
Palm trees at Aswan Botanical Garden -
An outbound felucca wharf on El Nabatat Island -
A view to the Nile's west bank from El Nabatat Island
