Qeshm

Qeschm (Persian قشم, Middle Persian: Abarkāvān; Arabic also الجزيرة الطويلة, DMG al - ǧazīra aṭ - Tawila, long island ') is the largest island in the Strait of Hormuz at the eastern end of the Persian Gulf and part of Iran.

Geography

By Khouran Street Qeschm is separated from the Iranian mainland. This has a minimum width of 2.4 km at Cape Ra's -e laft. Here the places of Bandar -e laft on the island and Pahel are opposite on the mainland.

With an area of ​​almost 1500 square kilometers and about 136 kilometers in length Qeschm is both the largest island in the Persian Gulf and the State of Iran. The surface of the island is mostly rocky and barren.

Qeschm part of the Hormozgan province and together with the smaller islands 1730 km ² large district ( Shah Restan ) Qeschm, one of eight districts of the province.

History

In antiquity, the island was known under the name of Alexandria. Due to its strategic location later many kingdoms fought for control over Qeschm, such as the kingdom of Elam, the Umayyads, Abbasids, British and Portuguese. The English explorer William Baffin was mortally wounded in 1622 on Qeschm in a fight against the Portuguese armed forces.

In 1645 the Dutch occupied the island, but they left after a short time. Today the island is a free trade zone whereby she gained international trade importance.