Native name: قشم | |
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 Qeshm from space, August 2000 | |
 Map of Qeshm Island and surroundings, in French | |
  Qeshm Location of Qeshm Island in Iran Show map of Iran Qeshm Location of Queshm Island in the Persian Gulf Show map of Persian Gulf | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Strait of Hormuz |
| Coordinates | 26°41′43″N55°37′06″E / 26.69528°N 55.61833°E /26.69528; 55.61833 |
| Area | 1,491 km2 (576 sq mi) |
| Length | 135 km (83.9 mi) |
| Width | 40 km (25 mi) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Hormozgān |
| County | Qeshm |
| Bakhsh | Central |
| Largest settlement | Qeshm (pop. 40,678) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 148,993 (2016) |
| Pop. density | 67.07/km2 (173.71/sq mi) |
Qeshm (Persian language: قشم) is an arrow-shapedIranian island in theStrait of Hormuz of thePersian Gulf (26°50′N56°0′E / 26.833°N 56.000°E /26.833; 56.000), measuring roughly 1,500 square kilometres (576 square miles) in surface area. Separated from theIranian mainland by theClarence Strait (Khuran), Qeshm is the largest island in thePersian Gulf.
Qeshm Island is located a few kilometers off of the southern Iranian shoreline, in the Persian Gulf, opposite the port cities ofBandar Abbas (بندرعباس) andBandar Khamir (بندر خمیر). The island, which hosts a 300-square-kilometre (116-square-mile) free zone jurisdiction, is 135 km long and lies strategically in the Strait of Hormuz, just 60 kilometres (37 miles) from theOmani port ofKhasab and about 180 kilometres (112 miles) from theUAE'sMina Rashid. At its widest point, near its centre, the island spans 40 kilometres (25 miles); at its narrowest point, it measures approximately 9.4 kilometres (5.8 miles). The island has asurface area of 1,491 square kilometres (576 square miles) and is almost twice the size ofBahrain. The city ofQeshm, located at the easternmost point of the island, is 22 kilometres (14 miles) from Bandar Abbas, while the closest point of the island is but two kilometres (1 mile) from the mainland.
The average temperature on the island is approximately 27 °C (81 °F). The warmest months are June through August, and the coldest from October to January. The averagerainfall is 183.2 mm (7+3⁄16 in).[citation needed]
The island, comprising 59 towns and villages, had a population of 117,774 at the time of the 2011 Census. The local population is engaged in fishing,dhow construction, trade and services. An additional 30,000 are administrative or industrial workers, or students.[citation needed]
Plans have also been made to build abridge to connect Qeshm with mainland Iran.[1][2]
Qeshm Island has multiple attractions to attract more domestic and foreign tourists.[3]
At 6.58 km long, Namakdan Salt Cave is the longest knownsalt cave in the world. Bothsalt andsulphur were mined here, traditionally ('namak' is aFarsi, word for salt); it now forms the keygeosite within the Qeshm IslandUNESCO Global Geopark. Thecave formed within a largesalt diapir (dome) from a succession ofstrata which dates from the lateProterozoic. It is also a candidate site for inscription on the list ofWorld Heritage Sites.[4] The locality was included within a list of the "First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites" (published in October 2022) on account of its significance to human understanding oftectonics and activegeological processes.[5]
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The earliest evidence of human presence at Qeshm dates back to thePaleolithic Period, from when stone tools have been found at Bam-e Qeshm.[6] Historical records concerning Qeshm date far back into the pre-Islamic era. Names such asQeshm,Keshm (کشم),Kish (کیش) andTunb (تنب) mark the lengthy stay ofIlamids in the area, spanning several centuries BC. It is, apparently, the island called Alexandria or Aracia byPtolemy (Book 6, Chap. IV), in the 2nd centuryCE and Alexandria byAmmianus 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 andAbbasids, as well as thePortuguese,English andDutch. UnderSasanian rule (between CE 224-651), the island was calledAbarkawan, and was part of theArdashir-Khwarrah administrative division.[7] According to historical records, Qeshm Island has been famous as a trade and navigation center. Its economy flourished during theDailamite andBuyid eras, as trade vessels sailed past and stopped on Qeshm Island from places includingChina,India andEastern Africa.
ExplorerWilliam Baffin was mortally wounded on Qeshm in 1622 during theAnglo-Persian capture of Qeshm.
Qeshm is also a supposed site of theGarden of Eden, according toCassell's Bible.[8]
For more information about the island's history through local lore, seeSpeak the Wind (Mack, 2021; photographs byHoda Afshar; essay byMichael Taussig[9]) This work documents the landscapes and people of the islands ofHormuz, Qeshm, andHengam, in thePersian Gulf off the south coast of Iran.[10][11] Afshar got to know some of the people there, travelling there frequently over the years, and they told her about the history of the place. She said that "their narrations led the project", and she explores "the idea of being possessed by history, and in this context, the history of slavery and cruelty".[12]
On 3 July 1988, a civilianIran AirAirbus A300 (Iran Air Flight 655) was shot down by aUnited States Navyguided missilecruiserUSSVincennes just south of the island, killing all 290 people aboard.[13] The wreckage crashed 2.5 kilometers off Qeshm's southern coast.
Fishing is a leading occupation practiced by the inhabitants of the island. On what little cultivated land there is,dates andmelons are grown.Salt is mined on the southeastern coast. Qeshm is famous for its wide range ofecotourist attractions such as theHara 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 in Iran. Anearly modern-eraPortuguese fort, historic mosques, theSeyyed Mozaffar andBibi Maryam shrines, and various ponds andmangrove forests are among the tourism attractions in the island, which lays across the azure waters of thePersian Gulf. Several domes, salty caves, the preserved area inShibderaz Village whereHawksbill turtles hatch, as well as numerous docks and wharfs are among the tourist potentials of the island. TheNazz Islands are located at the south wing of Qeshm Island. Oysters, corals, colorful fishes and sea birds in these islands attract many tourists. It is possible to walk toward the island on soft and wet gravel through a gravel connection way between these islands and Qeshm at the time of theebb.[citation needed]
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In the 1st ten-year plan, in note 19, the law provided for the creation offree trade zones and three locations were identified as such in the year 1991. They wereKish Island, Qeshm Island and Chabahar. In the year 1369 in the IranianSolar Hijri calendar, 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.[14] 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.[citation needed]
On 20 January 2012, OSGEOINT[clarification needed] established the completion of an underground military facility at Qeshm island which accordingly could house Iran'sGhadir-Nahang class submarines.[15]
Holders of normal passports travelling as tourists can enter Qeshm without a visa with maximum stay of 30 days (extendable), as of December 2017.[16][17]
Holders of normal passports travelling as tourists can enter Qeshm without a visa with maximum stay of 30 days (extendable), as of December 2017.[18][19]
Admission is refused to holders of passports or travel documents containing anIsraeli visa or stamp or any data showing that visitor has been to Israel or indication of any connection with the state of Israel during the last 12 months.[20]
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