Location of the islands on the map. Distance between the Maldives and other countries. Where was it: south of Iceland, at the same longitude

Sandy Island is in all atlases. It is also sometimes called Ile de Sable or “ED” (Existence Doubtful, translated as “Existence is doubtful”). It appears on old whaling maps from the 19th century, the US Defense Mapping Agency 1982, the British Admiralty, National Geographic and in many databases of universities and research institutions around the world. It is even clearly visible on Google Earth is a long narrow island stretching about 24 kilometers from north to south.

Except it doesn't exist.

A team of scientists from the University of Western Australia studied the movement of tectonic plates and the topography of the ocean floor. They went to where Sandy Island was supposed to be... only it wasn't there. What the hell, cartographers?

Sandy Island first appeared in the atlases of a whaling expedition in 1876. It was noted by the crew of the Velocity and placed on the official British Admiralty charts of 1908. According to some sources, the crews of other ships said that there was no island there, but still it remained in the archives. The French removed it from maps in 1974. However, the United States continued to mark it on its defense diagrams until at least 1982. Researchers believe that those maps where the island still exists were based on incorrect data and outdated reports.

Today there is no doubt that this island does not exist. Many people have been there and sailed through exact coordinates the place where he should have been. There are several sources that allegedly reveal the secret of the island, but not all of them coincide.

According to some, the island was just a piece of pumice. Pumice is formed in those areas of the ocean where there is a lot of volcanic activity. When lava cools quickly, the gas that enters makes it into incredibly buoyant “rafts.” Area y east coast Australia, where the island is supposedly located, is a volcanic hotspot, so it is possible that the Velocity crew actually saw a giant floating rock. In our time, there is evidence of this phenomenon - in 2012, a floating piece of pumice measuring 22,000 sq km was discovered.

Others say the new island maps are simply based on data from earlier maps that are incomplete and incorrect. Although it is even in atlases created using Google Earth satellite technology, and this is more than strange. Of course, the resource has now deleted photographs taken with close range, on which his location was marked. Although underwater objects can greatly distort even today's satellite images, this seems like a frightening coincidence.

Another theory claims that the original maps and notes from Velocity were misinterpreted. The sailors did not mark this place as real island, but as dangerous place with high waves and shallows.

Some researchers suggest that the island was placed on old maps as a kind of copyright "trap" to expose those who tried to plagiarize. Although others argue that playing with such things poses a potential danger to sailors, so this is highly unlikely.

The opinions of researchers and scientists who supposedly “solved” the mystery do not seem to coincide with each other. And for some reason it seems to us that this is how it should be.


There are certain islands that were "discovered" and added to maps, but which were subsequently never found. However, their discoverers often claimed to have seen these islands, and some even said that they had set foot on their shores. Expeditions sent to the supposed locations of these islands often ended in nothing. And today we can only guess: was there an island?

1. Sandy Island


between Australia and New Caledonia
In 2012, it was discovered that Sandy Island does not exist. It had previously appeared on several maps, including Google Earth, where it was located between Australia and New Caledonia (ruled by France) in Pacific Ocean. The island was first recorded by the British whaling ship Velocity in 1876, and first appeared on a British map in 1908. Several expeditions failed to find the island and it was removed from a number of maps in the 1970s. However, it remained on other cards. It is curious that the island did not appear at all on French maps, which means that the French either knew that he did not exist or were not aware of his supposed existence.

If the island really existed, it would belong to France, since it was in French waters. The absence of the island was proven by scientists from the University of Sydney, who decided to check its existence after realizing that their maps at the supposed location of the island showed the ocean depth to be 1,400 meters. It is believed that the crew of Velocity saw pumice, which they mistook for an island. "Pumice rafts" are floating rocks formed volcanic activity. They are known to occur periodically in the area where Sandy Island is believed to have been located.

2. St. Brendan's Island


south of the Azores
If ancient maps were correct, St Brendan's Island (or St Brendan's Land) should have been located to the west of Canary Islands and south of the Azores in the North Atlantic. The island is named after Saint Brendan, the Irish monk who claimed to have found it in 512 AD. St. Brendan didn't just find the island. He, along with 14 monks, landed on it and even lived there for two weeks. A monk named Barino described this island, saying that it abounded in mountains, forests, birds and flowers. Other expeditions tried to find the island to no avail, and by the 13th century it became obvious that it did not exist.

Marcus Martinez, a Spanish historian, even called it " lost island, discovered by Saint Brendan, which no one has since been able to find." However, another sailor claimed to have found it in the 1400s but was unable to go ashore due to a storm. This created a new surge of interest in the island, and the king of Portugal sent several ships, but they did not return. St Brendan's Island continued to appear on maps and ships continued to search for it until the 18th century, when everyone finally agreed that the island did not exist. Some scientists suggest that St. Brendan's Island actually existed. However, it was flooded and now lies below the surface of the ocean.

3. Hy-Brazil


northwest of Ireland
Hy Brasil is a non-existent island that was said to be 320 kilometers away. west coast Ireland. On some maps it was even represented as two islands, although they had the same name. Hy-Brasil first appeared on maps in 1325 and remained on maps until the 1800s, when its supposed existence was declared a hoax. There are many myths associated with this island. The Europeans believed that it was home to an advanced civilization, while the Irish said that Hy-Brasil was always hidden in an impenetrable fog and was visible only once every seven years.

The name, shape and location of the island changed frequently on maps, although it always remained in the same region. England sent three expeditions between 1480 and 1481, but none found the island. However, in 1497, a Spanish diplomat announced that one of the English expeditions had discovered Hy-Brasil. In 1674, a Scottish sea captain named John Nisbet claimed to have spotted the island as he sailed from France to Ireland. He claimed that four of his men went ashore and stayed on the island the whole day.

The veracity of Nisbet's testimony remains in question, since he also claimed that there lived an old man on the island who gave gold and silver to the sailors, as well as a wizard who lived in the castle. Captain Alexander Johnson set out on the next expedition, and on his return claimed to have landed on the island, although he made no mention of any old man with the gold. In 1872, Robert O'Flaherty and T. J. Westrop also claimed to have seen Hy-Brasil. Westropp even claimed that he visited it three times, including once seeing the island appear and disappear.

4. Friesland


south of Greenland
In 1558, Nicolo Zeno of Venice claimed that two of his ancestors, Antonio and Nicolo, discovered the island of Friesland in the 1380s. Zeno claimed that the island was located south of Iceland, west of Norway and east of Estethiland. Scholars speculate that Estotiland was either Newfoundland or Labrador in North America. If this is true, then this means that Zeno's ancestors arrived in America before Columbus. It is believed that Zeno faked Friesland's existence because he wanted to be popular. And the Venetians supported his lodges because they wanted their fleet to be worthy competitor against the background of the powerful fleets of Spain, France and England.

Friesland appeared on several maps until it was declared a fraud in the 19th century, despite the fact that some sailors had previously claimed to have seen it. In 1576, the Englishman Martin Frobisher mistook Greenland for Friesland, and John Dee even claimed the island for England in 1580. Then, in 1989, philologist Giorgio Padoan (who studies historical works) argued that Zeno was telling the truth and that the Italians reached the New World before Columbus.

5. Buss


between Ireland and Friesland
Buss is a defunct island that was supposedly located between Ireland and the defunct Friesland. It was discovered by Martin Frobisher, who, as mentioned above, mistook Greenland for Friesland. In 1578 he probably mistook another island for an undiscovered island, which he named Buss. Captain Thomas Shepard claimed to have visited and charted Buss Island in 1671, leading England to send an expedition to the "new land".

The British were unable to find the legendary island, so several more expeditions were sent, all of which were failures. In 1776, it was reported that a sandbar had been found at the supposed location of Buss Island, leading some to believe that the island had simply been flooded. It was even renamed the Submerged Buss Island. However, the expedition of John Ross in 1818 showed that there was no sandbank at the supposed location of the island. However, Busse continued to appear on maps until the 19th century.

6. Crocker Land


northwest of Cape Hubbard (Northern Canada)
Like Friesland, Crocker Land is another island that was completely made up. This time Robert Peary tried to raise funds for an expedition to the Arctic. In 1907, Peary stated that during an earlier expedition in 1906 he had discovered new island near Greenland, 209 kilometers northwest of Cape Thomas Hubbard (Northern Canada). He named the island Crocker Land after George Crocker, who co-founded the 1906 expedition, financed Peary with $50,000. Peary wanted to get another $50,000 from Crocker, so he came up with a fake island. He even wrote a book called “The Nearest Pole,” in which he talked about his fictitious island.

Everyone believed him, and several explorers even began searching for Crocker Land. But the island remained elusive, leading some to call it the "Lost Atlantis of the North." However, Crocker Land appeared on Arctic maps created between 1910 and 1913. This new land, which some scientists even called a continent, aroused widespread interest, especially in the United States, until it was recognized as a fabrication by Peary.

7. Dougherty


south of New Zealand
Some people call it Dougherty Island, but that doesn't matter because it doesn't exist. Dougherty Island was named after Captain Daniel Dougherty, who "discovered" it far south in the Pacific Ocean during a voyage from New Zealand to Canada in 1841. Several other sailors also confirmed its existence, but Captain Scott was unable to find the island when he sailed past its supposed location in 1904.

On 11 August 1931, the Sydney Morning Herald of Australia reported that a joint British, Australian and New Zealand expedition to Antarctica passed right by the supposed location of Dougherty Island and failed to find it. The weather was clear, and no islands were observed within a radius of 19 kilometers. Dougherty Island was eventually removed from British maps in 1937.

8. Emerald


south of Macquarie Island (near Antarctica)
In 1821, Captain Norkells discovered an island south of Macquarie Island and near Antarctica. He named it after his ship, the Emerald. It seemed as if the Emerald Isle itself determined who should see it and who should not, since it supposedly appeared and disappeared at its discretion. Some expeditions claimed to have seen the island, while others reported that they were unable to find it. Some even claimed that the island is moving, so people can't find it in its supposed location. Others said that the island actually existed, but sank to the bottom of the ocean due to seismic activity.

There were also disagreements regarding the appearance of the island among those who allegedly saw it. Some said Emerald was mountainous with steep cliffs, while others said it was hilly with green forests. In 1890, one captain even said that it was small and so rocky that there was no suitable place where you can land. In 1840, two ships under the command of Commodore Wilkes of the United States sailed over the supposed location of Emerald Island and found nothing. This was the end of the search for Captain Soule in 1877, as well as for Shackleton and Amundsen in 1909 and 1910.

However, two interesting incidents occurred in the area of ​​the island's supposed location in 1894 and 1949. In 1894, a Norwegian expedition to the South Pole spotted what scientists believed to be an island. However, it turned out to be an iceberg. The Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Pukaki also discovered the island in April 1949. As they got closer, the crew discovered that the supposed island was actually a group of clouds that had descended onto the water.

9. "Island of Demons"


northeast of Newfoundland
In 1542, Jean-François de Roberval, lieutenant general of New France (now Canada), sailed three ships from France to New France. He landed his cousin Marguerite de la Roque, her sailor lover and her maid on the "Isle of Demons", believed to be Quirpon Island in modern Newfoundland. Legend said that the island was inhabited by demons and wild animals that attacked anyone who dared to set foot on its shores. Why Roberval dropped off his cousin remains unknown.

Some say he did this because Margarita became pregnant by her lover, while others claim he wanted to take over her fortune. Soon the maid and lover Rokk died on the island, but the girl survived and even gave birth to a child. The child then died, leaving her alone on the island until she was rescued by fishermen in 1544. The authenticity of this story remains in question, as "Demon Island" was removed from maps in the mid-17th century because it was never found again.

10. Saxemberg


near the Tristan da Cunha archipelago (South Atlantic)
Saxemberg Island was discovered by John Lindes Lindeman in 1670. According to Lindemann, the island, supposedly located in South Atlantic, was flat with a mountain in its center. Several subsequent expeditions did not find the island, although, for example, the Australian captain Matthew Flinders searched for it very carefully in 1801. In 1804, Captain Galloway claimed to have sighted the island and even its central mountain. Captain Gowar confirmed his claims in 1816. Other sailors also began to claim that they had seen the island, and some even said that they had landed on it.

Major General Alexander Beatson even spoke in detail about the flora of the island in 1816. Moreover, he developed his theory by arguing that the island of Saxemberg, along with the islands of Ascension and Gough (which do exist) once formed a single ancient continent. The island of Saxemberg itself continued to appear on maps until it finally disappeared from them in the 19th century.

Maps are not only useful for travelers. They also give inspiration for creativity. It's worth seeing to understand that this is really the case.

Based on materials from listverse.com

Last edition of the material: July 2017

Many people believe that a holiday on the islands is heavenly holiday. And they are not wrong. Probably, heaven was in some such place, and not in heaven at all. Our list of wonderful islands of the world, of course, is not exhaustive, since for a description of all, all, all beautiful and interesting places Life wouldn't be enough. We have made a selection of the most popular islands among tourists, which are definitely worth your attention.

Madeira

Country: Portugal

This is an entire archipelago with extremely beautiful nature: endemic birds chirping in dense forests, rocks on which sea waves crash... And all this borders on stunningly cozy European buildings and European tourist services.

Majorca

Country: Spain

This is one of the most environmentally friendly clean resorts Mediterranean Sea. In addition, it is always very affordable. The mild maritime climate allows you to relax here all year round. Mallorca's history and beautiful architecture intertwined with interesting forests for tourists, and the coast offers breathtaking views and excellent beaches.

Canaries
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Country: Spain

The Canary archipelago is a place where the maximum number of attractions is concentrated in relatively small spaces. And what kind! The symbol of the archipelago is the Teide volcano with its eternally snow-capped peak, which looks almost the same in both winter and summer. And what about the Maspalomas dunes, which border the ocean! And tourists also love the Canaries because they are islands eternal spring: It's never too cold or hot here.

Cape Verde
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Country: Cape Verde

Experienced tourists believe that the good thing about the Cape Verde Islands is that the tourism industry here has not yet been put into operation, and therefore the attitude towards tourists is very reverent. In addition, these islands are somewhat reminiscent of the Canary Islands. Here you can also visit uninhabited islands, and see black dunes and volcanic craters, on the slopes of which grapes are grown.

Zanzibar
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Tanzania

Zanzibar is a real African island exotic, complete peace and unity with nature in the middle of snow-white sandy beaches, as if created from powdered sugar, snorkeling to coral reefs, a trip to giant tame turtles, flying dogs and baobab trees.

Madagascar
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Republic of Madagascar

When talking about traveling to Madagascar, it is worth mentioning the exceptionally exotic nature. This piece of land once broke away from a huge continent - and as a result, evolution took its own path here. Local animals are completely different from others; they are mostly endemic. Also tourist business card The islands are made up of giant baobab trees, shrouded in the typical fog of these places. A truly spectacle for true travel connoisseurs.

Maldives
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Maldives

The Maldives is luxurious bliss, complete relaxation, music playing everywhere and no alcohol. All this condition is complemented by houses for tourists, unusually standing in the crystal clear turquoise waters of the ocean.

Sri Lanka
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (old name - Ceylon)

It is here that you can go on a river safari in the middle of huge mangroves from which snakes hang, and also climb Adam's Peak - a huge sacred mountain. And be sure to try for yourself what real Ayurvedic practices are.

Samui
Location: Gulf of Thailand
Country: Thailand

This is an island for those who love bliss and exoticism South-East Asia. Here you can ride elephants and see Buddhist temples, swim in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Thailand, bask on the hot sand, watch snake shows and try delicious exotic food.

Phuket
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Thailand

Phuket is a resort for the wealthy. Here along coastline numerous bungalows lined up. And the symbol of this island are huge rocks growing directly from the ocean waters. All the same exotics that Koh Samui offers are also available here.

Ko Chang
Location: Gulf of Thailand
Country: Thailand

Koh Chang (Elephant Island) is located off the coast of Thailand and is one of its most accessible islands for travelers - both in price and in terms of transport. On Ko Chang you will see stunningly beautiful sunsets, and you will also be able to climb mountains covered with dense jungle. In addition, there is an absolutely stunning elephant nursery, where you can ride elephants among banana thickets, and also order a swim with baby elephants in the sea.

Samet
Location: Gulf of Thailand
Country: Thailand

In terms of accessibility, it is even easier than Koh Chang; the island offers quite budget holiday. It is very small, but there are secluded places here, which is why Samet was chosen by Europeans. Hotels offer accommodation mainly in bungalows located directly on the beach.

Bali
Location: Indian Ocean, Bali Sea, Pacific Ocean
Country: Indonesia

Bali is a very exotic place, saturated with humid fogs, stormy sea waters, Buddhist symbolism with elements of animism. Bali also has very tasty cuisine and interesting traditions. A true traveler should visit Bali at least once in his life.

Borneo
Location: South China Sea and other seas
Country: Malaysia, Indonesia

The highlight of Borneo is its virginity and endemic plants and animals. So, for example, here you will meet proboscis monkeys or see a corpse lily in the jungle, which emits a terrible smell, but is very beautiful, and you can also get acquainted with predatory flowers that can slam their “mouths” shut.

Komodo Islands
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Indonesia

The symbol of the Komodo Islands is the monitor lizard, which is one of the most ancient animals on Earth. They look very touching, but don’t put your finger in their mouth - the monitor lizard is very predatory, and is not averse to feasting on even a person.

Djerba
Location: Mediterranean Sea
Country: Tunisia

The island of Djerba is one of the most expensive resorts Tunisia, but Tunisia itself is inexpensive, so you won’t spend too much money on Djerba. There is a lagoon here where pink flamingos live: when there are a lot of them, the spectacle is simply amazing.

Fiji
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: Republic of Fiji

Fiji is famous for its wet... rainforests, swim in the clearest waters of the ocean, watch the life of geckos and iguanas, and plunge into the unique ethnic flavor of this island forgotten by our people.

Bora Bora
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: French Polynesia

If we talk about the most beautiful sea and beach holidays, it is simply impossible not to remember Bora Bora. Here is one of the most interesting underwater worlds on the Planet that are accessible to snorkelers. Walking in the thickets of orchids and ferns, swimming in grottoes and lagoons, exploring stingrays - all this will give you the island of Bora Bora.

Dominican Republic

Country: Dominican Republic

Palm trees bent over secluded beaches, the clearest Caribbean Sea, the colonial capital of Santo Domingo, luxurious Punta Cana and Puerto Plata. For recent years Dominican Republic, thanks to its mild warm climate, rich cultural and historical heritage and excellent hotel infrastructure, is gradually gaining the title of a world-famous tourist center.

Vanuatu
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: Republic of Vanuatu

The islands of Vanuatu are pristine places in the volcanic mountains, where local tribes live who know no civilization. If you want something truly unusual, then this is the place for you. It is after such a trip that you can brag about your trip even among experienced travelers!

Hawaii
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: USA

If you really want to give yourself the greatest joy in life - a vacation in a real paradise, where the beach, tropics and sea allow you to forget from the daily bustle, then you should definitely go to Hawaii. The entire chain of islands is made up of volcanoes. This is Diamond Head on the island of Oahu, fire-breathing Kilauea in national park Hawaiian volcanoes (Big Island Hawaii), where you may see hot lava for the first time in your life. The island of Maui is famous for the beauty of the inactive crater of the Haleakala volcano.

Bahamas
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Country: Bahamas

George Washington called them the Islands of Eternal June. And if you tell someone that you are going to the Bahamas, you will definitely see an envious reaction, because this vacation is not for everyone, but only for the elite. For those who truly appreciate natural attractions and believe in mysticism. What is the Bimini Road worth? American soothsayer Edgar Cayce called it the lost Atlantis. And after that, 700 meters of neatly laid out limestone blocks, which are called the Bimini Road, were discovered in the sea, off the coast of Paradise Point in North Bimini. Obviously, this is not a natural, but a man-made monument. But who built it?

Marieta Island
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: Mexico

The highlight of Marieta Island is its unusual beach, which is called hidden. It is located inside a huge rock cavity into which sea water is poured.

Seychelles
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Republic of Seychelles

Seychelles is a resort for the very rich. In addition to first-class recreation, the islands also offer an opportunity to meet Seychelles turtles, explore the famous sloping rocks falling into the ocean, and be sure to buy the world-famous huge coconuts.

Mauritius
Location: Indian Ocean
Country: Republic of Mauritius

Mauritius is a civilized exotic and the best hotels Indian Ocean. These are magnificent beaches framed by palm trees. This glamorous holiday for the chosen ones. If you are in Mauritius, you don't need to prove anything to anyone. The very fact of your being there speaks for itself.

Cuba
Location: Caribbean
Country: Republic of Cuba

This Island state with incredible beautiful scenery, beaches and attractions! However, of course, tourists are interested in the special culture of this country, which seems to be stuck in the last century, as well as the world-famous Cuban cigars, Cuban dances and Cuban rum.

Jamaica
Location: Caribbean
Country: Jamaica

Few tourists know, but Jamaica is famous for its nudist and swing hotels. Jamaica also gave the world such a direction of music and art, as well as a philosophy of life, like reggae. Jamaica is literally imbued with the spirit of regularity and freedom. It is also famous for its brilliant carnivals and other fun holidays.

Malta
Location: Mediterranean Sea
Country: Republic of Malta

Malta is one of the very beautiful archipelagos and at the same time financially accessible to the majority of tourists. This is an island offering European service, an island with rich history. Beach holiday It’s good here, and among the excursions it’s preferable to go on foot, as the places are very beautiful.

Cyprus
Location: Mediterranean Sea
Country: Republic of Cyprus

Cyprus - wonderful island sea ​​and sun. Cyprus is the birthplace of Aphrodite. Cyprus is a tasty morsel that has changed hands throughout its history, remaining on the periphery of various empires. Cyprus is a place where you can fall in love at first sight...

Sardinia
Location: Mediterranean Sea
Country: Italy

E that Italian island offers tourists a mild climate, interesting story and amazingly delicious Mediterranean cuisine. Here you will plunge into the blue sea waters, dive to sunken ships, visit Neptune's cave and taste excellent Muscat wine.

Crete
Location: Mediterranean Sea
Country: Greece

Crete is rightfully considered one of paradise islands peace. Beautiful landscapes and ancient history, and rich cultural traditions. In addition, Crete is located at a relatively short distance from us, which means that in terms of money it is much more affordable than other paradise places.

Easter Island
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: Chile

The symbol of Easter Island are the statues that settled here hundreds of years ago and were created by people from a vanished civilization. We don’t know why this civilization died out. But Easter Island is still imbued with its spirit. And the tourist will find here, in addition to the historical part of the trip, many purely physical pleasures, such as taking a natural bath among the stones with warm water from a natural spring - with a view of the ocean in front of your eyes and a glass of champagne in your hand.

Galapagos Islands
Location: Pacific Ocean
Country: Ecuador

The Galapagos Islands are the pinnacle of a traveler's dreams. They are located very far away, so once you are here, you can say with confidence that you have seen the end of the world. And at the end of the world, at the same time, people live a rather measured life, sharing islands with fur seals, which are the goal of absolutely all tourists arriving here.

Ostrov city on the map of Russia. Map of the Island with streets and house numbers. Satellite map of the Island with city attractions. Explore detailed maps from the satellite services "Yandex Maps" and "Google Maps" online. Find the desired address, street or house on the map of the city of Ostrov. Zoom in or out on the map using mouse scroll or touchpad gestures. Switch between schematic and satellite map Islands. You might be interested in detailed satellite information.

Satellite map of Ostrov

Switching between the satellite map of the city of Ostrov and the schematic one is done in the lower left corner of the interactive map.

City Island - Wikipedia

Population of the city of Ostrov: 20,568 people
Founding date of the city of Ostrov: 1341.
Ostrov telephone code:+7 81152
Ostrov city code: 60
Ostrov postal code: 181350

Island(founded in 1341) - city, center of the Ostrovsky district of the Pskov region Russian Federation(North-Western District). Island located in the west of the East European Plain in the Pskov-Chudskaya depression, in the western part of the Pskov region, on the Velikaya River (basin of Lake Pskov), 55 km south from the regional center - the city of Pskov and 80 km from the border with Latvia.

Transport connection: knot highways- highway P-23 Nevel-Pskov-St. Petersburg, A-119 Ostrov-Porokhov, highway Ostrov-Rezekne (Latvia), there is a bus station; by rail - railway station on the Pskov–Pytalovo line. 5 km in the southeast there is a military airfield in the village. Veretye.

The settlement was formed on the site of a fortress, which in the XIV-XVI centuries. was one of the border outposts on the Pskov land, and was repeatedly ravaged by Livonian and Polish troops. In 1582 the city was returned to Russia according to the Peace of Yam-Zapolsky. At the beginning of the 18th century, after the end of the Northern War, Island loses its defensive significance and in 1719 becomes a district town of the Pskov province, crafts and trade develop.

Currently in Island 20.5 thousand people live. (2010) is a beautiful and cozy town with many historical and architectural monuments. Economic potential: enterprises of the agricultural complex, electrical, electronic and food industries, abrasive plant, clothing factory.

Sights of the Island: local history museum(1965), remains of a fortress (XV century), chain bridge on the river. Great (1853), St. Nicholas Church (1542), Trinity Cathedral (1790), Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (1542), Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity (1787) and many others.

Trying to leave as few blank spots on the map as possible during the Great geographical discoveries, sailors sometimes painted imaginary islands on it. Behind new land an iceberg or a mirage could be mistakenly taken. One of these ghost islands - Sandy - was exposed by scientists just two years ago. Having sailed to the supposed location of the island, the researchers discovered that the piece of land marked on most maps of the planet did not actually exist. Having studied in detail the geography of ancient maps, we counted a dozen more phantom islands, which for a long time were considered real.

  • Thule

    Where was it: in northern Europe

    The island was described by the Greek traveler Pytheas in his essay “On the Ocean”. In the 6th century, he set out from Hades to the shores of Britain, from there he reached Scotland, after which he reached Thule. Many scientists believe that he could have mistaken for Thule the Orkney Islands, Greenland, Shetland, Scandinavia, or the Farroe Islands, but none of these hypotheses have been proven. Thule could be found on geographical maps up to the 17th century.


    • St Brendan's Island

    Location: west of the Canary Archipelago

    According to legend, Saint Brendan landed on the island together with monks in 512. They lived on an island with rich nature and a mild climate for 7 years. It is believed that the island of St. Brendan is the eighth island of the Canary archipelago that does not exist in reality. The island was mentioned in many medieval works. The hypothetical land was marked on the maps of Mercator, Ortelius and Delisle.


    Friesland Island

    Where was: south of Iceland, at the same longitude

    In 1558, Nicolo Zeno published a map and letters from his seafaring ancestors, which he accidentally found at home. According to records, the Zeno brothers crossed the North Atlantic in the 1390s. During the expedition they discovered the island of Friesland. The landmass appeared on maps of the North Atlantic from the 1560s to the 1660s. According to one of the hypotheses, they incorrectly determined the position of one of the Faroe Islands and they called one of them Friesland, the other - all this was a hoax made by the young Zeno to ensure Venice priority in the discovery of the New World before Christopher Columbus.


    Buss Island

    Location: between Ireland and Friesland Island

    The island was discovered by the English navigator Martin Frobisher during his third expedition to the shores North America. It got its name from the type of ship on which the sailors arrived. It is believed that the new land was actually Greenland and the supposed discovery was made in poor visibility conditions. According to another version, the island existed, but sank. The island or its supposed location appeared on maps of the 19th century.


    Antilia Island

    Location: West of the Iberian Peninsula.

    Large rectangular island in Atlantic Ocean depicted on maps of the 15th century. First mysterious land appeared on the portolan of the Venetian cartographer Giovanni Pizzigano. In total, 23 cartographic images of Antilia are known, the last of them dates back to 1508. After the discovery of America and the creation of the Earth's Apple globe, the island appeared on maps less and less often. In the 16th century, the island began to be identified with the Azorean island of São Miguel.


    Demon Island

    Location: Near Newfoundland

    The existence of the island has been believed since the beginning of the 16th century. The ghost land supposedly consisted of two islands and were inhabited by wild animals and demons. According to legend, the inhabitants of the island attacked ships passing close to it, so they were afraid to approach it, much less set foot on the shore. By the mid-17th century, Demon Island was no longer depicted on maps.


    Brazil Island

    Location: West of Ireland/Azores area

    The island appears on maps made between the 14th and 17th centuries. It was believed that the island was surrounded by fog and haze, which cleared only once every 7 years. Because of this feature, the exact location of the island was unknown, so cartographers alternately shifted the island to the Azores, then to the west of Ireland. In the 18th century, the island disappeared from maps, despite the fact that some sailors continued to claim that they were on a mysterious land.


    Pontchartrain Islands

    Location: Lake Superior

    Two islands were discovered in the middle of the world's largest island fresh lake. They appeared on maps in 1783, when the United States and Great Britain were about to sign the Treaty of Paris. Among other things, it spelled out the boundaries - both lands came into the possession of America. In the early 1800s, it was determined that the islands did not actually exist.


    Emerald Island

    Location: South Pacific

    Sailors plowing the seas in December 1821 between Australia and Antarctica south of Macquarie Island discovered the island. They named it the same as the name of the ship - Emerald. In 1840, the US Navy organized an exploration expedition to the island, but they did not find it. Although no one ever set foot on the island, the mysterious landmass has appeared on many maps, including the Soviet Atlas of Antarctica and a 1987 map in a diary published by American Express.


    Crocker Land

    Where was it: in the Arctic Ocean

    The island was discovered by American explorer Robert Peary during an expedition to Ellesmere Island in 1906. Looking around through binoculars, Robert saw the snowy peaks of an unknown island. In 1913, an expedition that included Piri set off to explore the new land. However, they did not find the island. It is believed that Piri mistook one of the varieties of mirage - Fata Morgana - for the island. Despite the failure, the search for the island continued in 1914 and 1915. The Crocker Land theory was finally disproved by MacGregor's Arctic Expedition in 1937-38.

 

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