Robben Island lies in Table Bay, off the coast of Western Cape, South Africa. The island is only 2 miles (3 kilometers) long and 0.9 miles (1.5 kilometers) wide.
Originally a haven for seals and seabirds, Robben Island became the site of a maximum security prison. Jan van Riebeeck, commander of the first European settlement at the Cape, first sent convicts there in 1658. African National Congress leaders Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu were among the island’s most famous political prisoners in the 1960’s.
In 1995, Robben Island ceased to function as a prison and the island became a nature reserve. It is especially noted for its arum lilies. The name Robben is a Dutch word meaning seals.
