Alcatraz Island (/ˈælkəˌtræz/, Latin-American Spanish pronunciation: [alkaˈtɾas], European Spanish pronunciation: [alkaˈtɾaθ] from Arabic: غطاس‎, romanized: al-ġaţţās, lit. 'gannet ("the diver")') is located in San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles (2.01 km) offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison, and a federal prison, the latter operated from August 11, 1934 until March 21, 1963. The strong currents around the island and cold water temperatures made escape all but impossible. Since the late 20th century, it has become a major tourist attraction.