North Gelög Islands (Qgam)

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North Gelög Islands
Native name: 北韋島諸
Snaam Gluoĝ Eaĝ Tsaĝ
Northgelogislands.png
Geography
LocationGelög Sea
Country

The North Gelög Islands (Qgam Dzwo: (北韋島諸 Snaam Gluoĝ Eaĝ Tsaĝ, IPA: [snɑ:m glʊəŋ eəŋ tsʌŋ]) are a sparsely-populated group of islands located in the northwestern Gelög Sea, south of Ngeyvger and Tomgak. The group comprises three main islands: Kam Di Island (乾源島 Kam Di Sim, IPA: [kʌm di sim]), West Ta Daw Island (西石古島 Sdza Ta Daw Sim, IPA: [sd͡zʌ tʌ dʌw sim]), and East Ta Daw Island (東石古島 Sdzaĝ Ta Daw Sim, IPA: [sd͡zʌŋ tʌ dʌw sim]). The North Gelög islands make up the northernmost extent of Qgam.

Etymology

(乾源 Kam Di literally means "Dry Source", while (石古 Ta Daw means "Old Stone". The specific reasons that these names were given to these islands is unclear.

History

Kam Di Island

Kam Di Island shows evidence of ancient habitation by a Ngeyv population. The remains of ancient settlements, including the foundations of stone enclosures as well as buried refuse, discarded tools, as well as human remains have been found on the island. However, this habitation is thought to have ended some eight hundred years ago, after which the island was uninhabited for a period of approximately 600 years. The Royal Qgamic Navy arrived on the island in 1821 and established a settlement, declaring sovereignty over the island. It has been continuously inhabited since that time, though a large proportion of the population is non-permanent. The hamlet of Miĝgoĝ (頭長) is only current settlement on the island.

In the mid-1900s, the Qgamic government established a military prison on Kam Di to which many political prisoners were sent. Later, a military research laboratory was built on the island. The exact nature of the research conducted at this laboratory is kept secret by the government.

Ta Daw Islands

Though there is evidence that ancient Ngeyv explorers visited the islands, there does not appear to have ever been any permanent settlement on either islands. The Royal Qgamic Navy landed on the islands in 1822 and declared sovereignty over the islands.

There is no permanent population on either island; the Qgamic government maintains a miniscule population to defend the sovereignty of the island and to extract gravel, the islands' only exploitable natural resource.

Geography

Climate

The islands lie along the edge of the Arctic circle. The Ta Daw islands are directly on the Arctic Circle, while Kam Di is slightly north of it. All three islands have a subarctic climate, with short, cool summers and long, very cold winters.

Biodiversity

The vegetation on the islands consists mostly of shrubbery and dwarf trees. The islands themselves are home to birds and small mammals, while the surrounding waters contain plentiful fish.

Politics

The islands represent Qgam's northernmost borders and extend Qgamic Sovereignty far beyond the mainland. Consequently, the Qgamic Government robustly maintains its claim to these islands.

Economy

The Economy of the Ta Daw islands is dominated entirely by gravel extraction, though this is not a major industry. There are no ports or harbours, nor any airstrip on either island; access is by sea only, and all visiting ships must anchor offshore.

The local economy of Kam Di is centred on Kam Di Prison and local fisheries. Kam Di has a small port for smaller ships, and several small fishing ports, as well as a small, paved airfield.

Demographics

The population of all three islands is entirely native Qgam.