Coordinates: 26°41′43″N 55°37′06″E / 26.69528°N 55.61833°E / 26.69528; 55.61833

Qeshm island

Native name: قشم
Map of Qeshm island and surroundings, in French
Qeshm (Iran)
Geography
Location	Strait of Hormuz
Coordinates	26°41′43″N 55°37′06″E / 26.69528°N 55.61833°E / 26.69528; 55.61833
Area	1,491 km2 (575.7 sq mi)
Length	135 km (83.9 mi)
Width	40 km (25 mi)
Country
Iran
Province	Hormozgān
County	Qeshm
Largest city	Qeshm, Iran (pop. 26 807)
Demographics
Population	113,846 (as of 2010)
Density	67.07 /km2 (173.71 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Primarily Qeshmi, Minabi, Kumzari and Bandari Persian speaking Iranians and Iranian Arabs

Qeshm (Persian: قشم - pronounced kē´shm) is an Iranian island situated in the Strait of Hormuz, and separated from the mainland by the Clarence Strait/Khuran in the Persian Gulf (26°50′N 56°0′E / 26.833°N 56°E / 26.833; 56).

Geography[link]

Qeshm from space, February 1996

Qeshm Island is located a few kilometers off the southern coast of Iran (Persian Gulf), opposite the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Bandar Khamir. The island, which hosts a 300 square kilometer free zone jurisdiction, is 135 km long, and lies strategically in the Strait of Hormuz, just 60 kilometers from the Omani port of Khasab, and about 180 kilometers from the UAE Port Rashid. The island, at its widest point, located near the center of the island, spans 40 kilometers. Similarly, at it narrowest point, the island spans 9.4 kilometers. The island has a surface area of 1491 square kilometers and is 2.5 times the size of Bahrain. Qeshm city, located at the easternmost point of the island, is 22 kilometers from Bandar Abbas while the closest point of the island is but two kilometers from the mainland.

The average temperature on the island is approximately 27 °C. The warmest months are June through August, and the coldest from October to January. The average rainfall is 183.2 mm.

The island comprises 59 towns and villages and the population is approximately 100,000. The local population is involved in fishing, dhow construction, trade and services. An additional 30,000 are involved in administrative and industrial workforce and students.

Explorer William Baffin was mortally wounded on Qeshm in 1622 during a battle against Portuguese forces.

Plans have also been made to build a bridge to connect Qeshm with the rest of Iran.^[1][2]

History[link]

Tomb stone in Portuguese castle, Qeshm

Historical records concerning the Qeshm island date far back into the pre-Islamic era. Names as Qeshm, Keshm, Kish and Tunb mark the lengthy stay of Ilamids in the area, several centuries BC. It is, apparently, the island called Alexandria or Aracia by Ptolemy (Book 6, Chap. IV), in the 2nd century CE and as Alexandria by Ammianus Marcellinus (xxiii.6.42) in the 4th century. On account of its strategic geopolitical situation, near the mouth of the Persian Gulf, it has been frequently attacked by invaders including Ilamids (Elamites), Umayyads, Abbasids as well as the Portuguese and British, whose ravages are still evident. During Sassanian Empire administration the island was called Abarkawan.^[3] According to historical records, Qeshm Island has been famous as a trade and navigation center. Its economy flourished during the Dailamites and Buyid eras, as trade vessels sailed between it and China, India and Africa.

Economy[link]

Fishing is a leading occupation practiced by the inhabitants of the island. On what little cultivated land there is, dates and melons are grown. Salt is mined on the southeastern coast. Qeshm is famous for its wide range of ecotourist attractions such as the Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5% of the world birds and 25% of Iran's native birds annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park. An ancient Portuguese castle, historic mosques, Seyyed Mozaffar and Bibi Maryam shrines, various ponds and mangrove forests are among the tourism attractions in the island, which sits across the azure waters of the Persian Gulf. Several domes, salty caves, the preserved area in Shibderaz Village where Hawksbill turtles hatch, as well as numerous ports and wharfs are among the tourist potentials of the island.Nazz Islands are located at south wing of Qeshm Island.Oysters, corals ,colorful fishes and sea birds in this Islands attracts many tourists.It is possible to wall toward the island on soft and wet gravels through gravel connection way between these islands and Qeshm at the time of the ebb.

• 

  Naaz Islands, sea bed in the time of the ebb

• 

  Sea bed at Naaz Islands

• 

  Oysters in the holes of the Sea bed , Naaz Islands

• 

  Dolphins in the water Strait between Qeshm and Hengam Islands.

Qeshm is also a supposed site of the Garden of Eden according to Cassells Bible.^{[citation needed]} In the 1st ten year plan, in note 19, the law provided for the creation of free trade zones and three locations were identified as such in the year 1991. They were Kish Island, Qeshm Island and Chabahar. In the Iranian year 1369, equivalent to 1991 in the Gregorian calendar, the island was transformed into a "Trade and Industrial Free Area" with the goal of creating the largest Free Area between Europe and the Far East.^[4] To that end, Qeshm Island was granted considerable leeway to set its own policies, independent of the central government, which had often been seen as an impediment to growth in many sectors of the economy. However, the Island retains the advantages associated with its connection to the mainland, including the rights to explore and develop oil and gas opportunities.

• 

  Girl wearing "Bandari", a traditional local dress of Hormozgān Province

• 

  Portuguese castle at Qeshm Island

• 

  Chahkouh Valley at Qeshm Island

• Starvalley.jpg

  Stars Valley at Qeshm Island

• 

  Chah Kooh valley in Qeshm is made of Marl Sandstone which creates holes due to the water flow of raining

• 

  Portuguese Castle of the Qeshm town (outside view)

• 

  Portuguese Castle of the Qeshm town (Inside view)

• 

  One of the canons of Qeshm Portuguese castle

Iran Air Flight 655[link]

On July 3, 1988, an Iran Air Airbus A300 (Iran Air Flight 655) was shot down by a United States Navy guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes just south of the island, resulting in 290 civilian fatalities. The wreckage crashed 2.5 kilometers off Qeshm's southern coast.

Qeshm Island Underground Military Facility[link]

On 20 January 2012, OSGEOINT established the completion of an underground military facility at Qeshm island which accordingly could house Iran's Ghadir-Nahang class submarines. ^[5]

Economy, Culture, and Education[link]

• Qeshm Institute of Higher Education

See also[link]

• 2005 Iran earthquake
• Bandar Lengeh
• Bastak
• Hormozgān
• Kookherd
• Qeshm Air

References[link]

• . الكوخردى ، محمد ، بن يوسف، (كُوخِرد حَاضِرَة اِسلامِيةَ عَلي ضِفافِ نَهر مِهران) الطبعة الثالثة ،دبى: سنة 199۷ للميلاد Mohammed Kookherdi (1997) Kookherd, an Islamic civil at Mehran river, third edition: Dubai
• . کامله،القاسمی، بنت شیخ عبدالله، (تاریخ لنجة) مکتبة دبي للتوزیع، الامارات: الطبعة الثانية عام ۱۹۹۳ للمیلاد
• . الوحیدی الخنجی، حسین بن علی بن احمد، «تاریخ لنجه» ، الطبعة الثانية دبی: دار الأمة للنشر والتوزیع، ۱۹۸۸ للمیلاد
• . اطلس گیتاشناسی استان‌های ایران [Atlas Gitashenasi Ostanhai Iran] (Gitashenasi Province Atlas of Iran)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Qeshm Island

• Qeshmicty.ir
• qeshm tourist
• Qeshm Photos
• Qeshm Panaroma
• Qeshm PressTV documentary on YouTube
• Image
• Qeshm Island entry in the Iranica.com
• Qeshm Island from space, 1996
• Satellite photos of Qeshm Island
• Qeshm Island photos by Masoud Soheili
• Hormoz and Qeshm
• Qeshm history from Hormozgan university website
• Hormozgan's townships
• Qeshm Island's attractions
• Laft, Mangrove Forest and Geopark photo gallery 2009 (German)
• Photos of Qeshm by S Forouzan-sepehr
• Old Portuguese Castle at Wikimapia

v t e Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf Abbasak Abu Musa Island Buneh Island Dara Island Farsi Island Forur Bozorg Island Forur Koochak Island Forurgan Island Germ Island Greater and Lesser Tunbs Hendurabi Island Hengam Island Hormuz Island Jonobi Island Kharg Island Kish Island Larak Island Lavan Island Omolkarm Island Qabre Nakhoda Island Qeshm Island Rostam Island Shif Island Shidvar Island Sirri Island Shomali Island Smaller Bent Island

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v t e Hormozgan Province Capital Bandar-Abbas Counties and Cities Abumusa County Abumusa Bandar-Abbas County Bandar-Abbas Fin Bandar-Lengeh County Bandar Lengeh Kish Bandar Charak Kong Bastak County Bastak Jenah Kukherd Hajjiabad County Hajjiabad Fareghan Jask County Jask Khamir County Bandar Khamir Ruydar Minab County Minab Senderk Sirik Hasht Bandi Parsian County Parsian Qeshm County Qeshm Dargahan Suza Hormuz Rudan County Rudan Ziarat-e Ali Sights Fort of Our Lady of the Conception in Hormoz island Hara forests of Qeshm Caravanserai of Bastak Kolah Farangi building, Bandar-Abbas Hindus Temple ,Bandar-Abbas Geno natural biosphere reserve,Bandar-Abbas Water museum, Bandar-Abbas Dugonbadan, Bastak Hormozgan caravanseras Thursday's market, Minab Buz dam,Kokhord of Bastak Cibeh castle , Kokhord of Bastak The Historic Bath of Siba, Kokhord of Bastak Bazzar of Bastak Tappeh maru, Rudan Kish Island Portuguese castle, Qeshm Island Lashtan castle, Bandar Lengeh Geledari traditional Bath (museum), Bandar-Abbas Traditional ship building, Bandar Kang Soro neighborhood, Bandar-Abbas Greek Ship, Kish Island Dariush Grand Hotel See also Greater and Lesser Tunbs Hendurabi Hengam Island Hormuz Island Larak Island Lavan Island Shidvar Island Sirri Island Strait of Hormuz