Socotra
| Socotra | |
|---|---|
| سُقُطْرَىٰ | |
| Special Administrative Region of Yemen | |
 The City Hall building in Hadibu, Socotra | |
| Information | |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Capital | Hadibu |
| Administrator | Zakir Hussein Al-Amri |
| Status | Leased to Caliphate Holdings |
| Area | 3,796 sq km |
| Population | 159,226 (2033 census) |
| Demographics | 29% Soqotri 22% Yemeni 19% European 11% South Asian 10% Other African 6% Other Arab 3% East Asian (2033 census) |
Socotra (/səˈkoʊtrə, soʊ-, ˈsɒkətrə/; Arabic: سُقُطْرَىٰ Suquṭrā) or Saqatri (Soqotri: ساقطْري Saqaṭri) is a privately-administered island in the Indian Ocean part of Yemen, off the Horn of Africa. Situated between the Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Sea and near major shipping routes, Socotra is the largest of the six islands in the Socotra archipelago. The island is located 380 kilometers south of mainland Yemen, 270 kilometers east of Somalia and 1,176 kilometers east of Djibouti.
On 19 September 2025, the island of Socotra was designated as a Special Administrative Region of Yemen by Emir Ayyub Fahad Al-Ansari, with broad powers to legislate its own laws and regulations, and with the township of Hadibu as its capital.
On 6 January 2026, it was announced that the Socotra would be leased to Dominion Holdings Limited, a private company registered in Nevis, for a period of 100 years. Dominion appointed Yemeni businessman Zakir Hussein Al-Amri as Administrator of Socotra.
"Initially a destination of choice for ultra-wealthy Arabs, Persians and Africans, Socotra is now a magnet for some of the world's most prominent and connected people. It offers a world-class tourism landscape, with plenty of scenic rugged cliffs as well as unspoiled white sand beaches.
It is also a haven for every kind of pleasure imaginable - one where the authorities are charged with making sure that the indulgence can continue without interference from the outside world."
Daniel MoncanuAssociate Editor, The Robb Report
16 January 2033
A significant part of Socotra's economy is build around tourism and "vice" industries including adult entertainment and gambling. It has been identified by human rights organizations as being the center of Yemen's "flourishing" human trafficking activities, serving as both a transit hub and a destination. Separately, Socotra has also been described as a "major hub for money laundering" by the US Department of State. However, the Socotra authorities have denied that any human trafficking or money laundering is taking place in the territory, and that local law enforcement will act against anyone suspected of breaking the law.