Laputa

Laputa
Map of Laputa and Balnibarbi (original map, Pt III, Gulliver's Travels)
Gulliver's Travels location
Created by	Jonathan Swift
Genre	Satire
Type	Flying island
Notable characters	King

Laputa is a flying island described in the 1726 book Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. It is about 4.5 miles in diameter, with an adamantine base, which its inhabitants can maneuver in any direction using magnetic levitation.

Laputa was located above the realm of Balnibarbi, which was ruled by its king from the flying island. Gulliver states the island flew by the “magnetick virtue” of certain minerals in the ground of Balnibarbi which did not extend more than four miles above, and six leagues beyond the extent of the kingdom. showing the limit of its range. The position of the island, and the realm below, is some 5 days journey south-south-east of Gulliver's last known position, 46N, 183E (i.e. east of Japan, south of the Aleutian Islands) down a chain of small rocky islands.

Laputa is described as being exactly circular and 4.5 miles (7.2 km) in diameter, giving an area of 10,000 acres (4,000 ha). It was 300 yards (270 m) thick, and comprised a bottom plate of adamant 200 yards thick, above which lay "the several minerals in their usual order", topped with "a coat of rich mould 10 or 12 ft deep".

In shape the upper surface sloped down from circumference to centre, causing all rain to form rivulets into the centre where four large basins half a mile in circuit. These lay 200 yards from the absolute centre. In the centre of the island itself was a chasm 50 yards in diameter continuing at bottom a dome extending 100 yards into the adamantine surface. This dome served as an astronomical observatory, and also contained the lodestone which enabled the island to fly and move above the realm. .

Laputa's population consists mainly of educated people, who are fond of mathematics, astronomy, music and technology, but fail to make practical use of their knowledge. Servants make up the rest of the population.

The Laputans have mastered magnetic levitation and discovered the two moons of Mars (which in reality would not be discovered for another 150 years). However, they are unable to construct well-designed clothing or buildings, because they take measurements with instruments such as quadrants and a compass rather than with tape measures.