{{Short description|River island in Belgrade, Serbia}} {{Infobox islands | name = Paradajz | caption = Paradajz river island, Serbia | image = Парадајз_острво.jpg | native_name = Парадајз | native_name_link = | image_name = | image_caption = | image_size = | map = Serbia | nickname = | location = Višnjica | coordinates = {{coord|44.827800|N|20.540045|E|type:island|display=inline|name=Paradajz}} | archipelago = Ada Huja | total_islands = | major_islands = | area_ha = 2 | area_footnotes = <ref>as the island is still being formed and developed, data may change</ref> | rank = | highest_mount = | elevation_m= | country = {{flag|Serbia}} | country_admin_divisions_title = City of Belgrade | country_admin_divisions = Municipality of Palila | population = no resident population | population_as_of = | density_km2 = | ethnic_groups = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 14 }}
'''Paradajz''' ({{langx|sr|Парадајз}}) is an ''ada'', a river island in the Danube, in Belgrade, Serbia. It is located east of Ada Huja, an erstwhile island turned into the peninsula, making its natural extension. It is located in the municipality of Palilula.
==Location==
The Paradajz is located across the easternmost tip of Ada Huja and right in front of the banks of the neighborhood of Višnjica, approximately at the Danube's {{convert|1163|km|abbr=on}}.<ref name="plovidba">{{cite web|url=http://www.plovidba.info/forum/saveti-i-uputstva/ono-sto-znamo-i-ne-znamo-o-dunavu/|title=Ono što znamo i ne znamo o Dunavu|date=20 August 2009|language=sr|access-date=6 May 2017|archive-date=13 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213161315/http://www.plovidba.info/forum/saveti-i-uputstva/ono-sto-znamo-i-ne-znamo-o-dunavu/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Geography==
The island began to form around 1986, due to the alluvial silt brought by the Danube. By 2011, it grew to an area of {{convert|2|ha|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Politika">{{cite web|url= http://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/193290/Oaza-na-ostrvu-samoniklog-paradajza|author=Dimitrije Bukvić|title= Oaza na ostrvu samoniklog paradajza|date=4 October 2011|publisher= Politika|language=sr}}</ref> As the island expanded, it formed a canal in front of Višnjica. The canal is named "Karlica" and is today considered the better access path to Ada Huja's bay of Rukavac where the Višnjica Marina is located.<ref name="plovidba"/> The island was originally round but by 2017 it got elongated and grew into the almost perfectly symmetrical eye shape.
Name of the island, Paradajz, means tomato in Serbian language. One theory is that it got the name thanks to its original round shape. Another one claims that the name originates from the tomatoes which began to grow wild on the island.<ref name="Politika"/>
==Wildlife==
Paradajz is heavily forested. In 2012, planting of the common osier began on the island in order to clean and filter the waters on the shore.<ref>{{Citation | author = Dimitrije Bukvić | title = Odmor u prirodi za 50 dinara| newspaper = Politika | language = sr | date = 10 March 2012 }}</ref>
==Human interaction==
Belgraders began to visit the island from 2006. First major work on Paradajz was done in 2011, when in the period of six months the island was cleaned from the waste brought constantly to the shores by the Danube. The overgrowth was partially cleared and small green zones are created. Using only wooden material from the island, wooden amphitheater and a futsal court were built. Dry and cleared wood was ground into the sawdust which was used for the creation of a {{convert|2|km|abbr=on}} long trim trail which circles around the island.<ref name="Politika"/><ref>{{Citation | author = Dimitrije Bukvić | title = Niče ostrvo Paradajz| newspaper = Politika | language = sr | date = 1 September 2011 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Geography of Belgrade Category:River islands of Serbia Category:Islands of the Danube Category:Palilula, Belgrade