Umm Al-Maradim is surrounded by deep waters, which enable ships to land directly at its shore, an advantage which is not available on most Kuwaiti islands. It is an oval island with a sand cape.
Pearl oysters breed around the island seabed.
In the past, ships sailed for pearl diving in the morning and returned by night to the island. So the island was crowded with the ships' crew, divers and pearl traders who flocked to purchase the pearl harvest from ships' captains. The island is usually full of migratory and sedentary birds, especially seagulls. During the rainy season, it is covered with green grass, which makes it a beautiful place for those who enjoy outings amidst the splendour of nature. Umm Al-Maradim was the second Kuwaiti land to be liberated from the hands of the Iraqi aggressors in 1991.