Torim Lehnatë
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.26 km2 (0.10 sq mi) |
| Length | 0.9 km (0.56 mi) |
| Width | 0.3 km (0.19 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 2.4 m (7.9 ft) |
| Administration | |
Trellin | |
Torim Lehnatë (Trellinese translated as Sandtree Island) is a coral cay in the Sea of Velar. The lightly-forested islet lies atop a coral reef east of the Jajexan Peninsula and is administered as part of the province of Jajich.
Archaeological evidence on the cay attests to its occasional, temporary habitation since 600 AD. The island was also used by smugglers between the 15th and eighteenth centuries. A weapons-testing facility was established on the island in 1972 and used primarily to test missile systems; it was blamed for the crash of a coastguard helicopter in 1975. The facility was decommissioned in 1979 after a sustained protest campaign by locals and members of the Comital Council.
The island was briefly occupied in 1986 by Kur'malan separatists, who declared independence as the Coral Principality. They were removed the following year by the SCS Varla. A research station is currently maintained on the island for monitoring the surrounding reefs.