Qeshm Island:
More than 10 projectiles struck Iran’s Gulf island of Qeshm in the strategic Strait of Hormuz recently, as hostilities resumed between Tehran and Washington.
- Qeshm Island is the largest island in the Persian Gulf near the Straits of Hormoz.
- It belongs to Iran.
- The Arabic name means “long island.”
- It lies parallel to the Iranian coast, across the naval port city of Bandar Abbas, from which it is separated by the Khuran (Khoran) or Clarence Strait.
- It has an irregular outline and a generally rocky coast except for sandy bays and mud flats fringing the northwest.
- Irregular table-topped hills almost cover Qeshm.
- It has a hot and arid climate, typical of the Persian Gulf region.
- It is home to the Hara mangrove forest, a vital breeding ground for migratory birds, and the Qeshm Geopark – the first of its kind in the region to be recognised by UNESCO, an honour it attained in 2006.
- Namakdan Salt Cave: One of the world’s longest salt caves, stretching for more than 6km, is located on the island.
