Population and Infrastructure
About 100 inhabitants live on the island, mostly frontier guard servicemen with their families and technical personnel. Since 2003 from the initiative of the Odessa National University of I. I. Mechnikov on the island, the marine research station "Zmiiniy island" was established in which scientists and students from the University every year conduct research on local fauna, flora, geology, meteorology, atmospheric chemistry, hydrobiology, etc.
The island is currently demilitarized and under rapid development. In accordance with a 1997 Treaty between Romania and Ukraine, the Ukrainian authorities withdrew an army radio division, demolished a military radar, and transferred all other infrastructure to civilians. Eventually the Romania-Ukraine international relationships have soured (see "Maritime delimitation" section) when Romania tried to convince that the island is no more than a rock in the sea. In February 2007, the Verkhovna Rada has approved establishing a rural settlement as part of Vylkove city which is located some distance away at the mouth of Danube. However, the island has been continually populated even before although not officially.
In addition to a helicopter platform, in 2002 a pier has been built for ships with up to 8 meter draught, and construction of a harbor is underway. The island is supplied with navigation equipment, including a 150-year old lighthouse. Electric power is provided by a dual solar/diesel power station. The island also has an adequately developed civil infrastructure such as the marine research station, a post office, a bank (branch of the Ukrainian bank "Aval"), the first-aid station, a satellite television provider, a phone network, a cell phone tower, and an Internet link.
The island lacks a fresh water source. Its border guard contingent is regularly resupplied by air.
Read more about this topic: Snake Island (Black Sea)
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