Hormuz Island

Hormuz (Persian هرمز ), also Hormuz, Iran is one belonging to the bare rocky island in the Persian Gulf and is situated 18 kilometers east of the island Qeschm in the Strait of Hormuz.

Geography

Hormuz located 16 kilometers south of the Iranian coast (near Bandar Abbas ) and is almost circular. The surface of the island is about 42 square kilometers and consists mainly of sedimentary rocks. Its highest point is 186 meters above sea level. Hormuz has to have neither freshwater nor significant vegetation.

History

The island was known in ancient times as Organa and in the Islamic period as Dscharun. Hormuz, however, was originally the name of the major port city on the mainland north-east of the island ( near present-day Minab ), which formed the center of a principality and was visited in the years 1272 and 1293 by Marco Polo. Shortly thereafter ( 1315 ) decided Hormuz ' ruler to move the Emir Baha ad-Din Ayaz due to Mongol military campaigns on the coast, his residence on the safe island. A new city was founded, which was for a long time as a new Hormuz in contrast to Old Hormuz on the mainland known until it fell into disrepair. Over time, as was also the name of the old town to the name for the entire island.

As the center of the Principality of the New Hormuz on the island was a difficult site since all supplies, including water had to be brought forth from the mainland. In the repeatedly affected by many wars around the Strait, however, its safe location proved to be favorable, so an important transhipment point was who could flourish for several centuries due to the recurring destruction of its competitors.

Under the rule of the Portuguese (with interruptions between 1515-1622 ) was the city of Hormuz on the north coast of the island one of the most important trading centers on the Arabian Sea and one of the richest commercial cities of the earth. At that time, lived up to 40,000 people on Hormuz. After the island was conquered by the Persian Shah Abbas the Great, fell into the trade center and the importance of Hormuz fell significantly. There were still rock salt and iron ore mined ( as ballast rock for the sailing ships). Apart from the fishermen pulled it most of its inhabitants but seasonal to the fields and groves on the coast of the former ancient city Hormuz.

Today about 3,000 people live on Hormuz.

Attractions

From the period of Portuguese rule comes an old fort of the Portuguese, the only remaining monument of the island.

Economy and infrastructure

Hormuz is supplied in almost all respects from the mainland, there exist on the island no drinking water resources. Important sources of income are the cigarette smuggling in the United Arab Emirates and the degradation of occurring on the island Roteisensteins, which is of importance for the pharmaceutical industry.

• Pictures

Portuguese Fort

Hara Forests