Qeshm Island

Iranian etymologist and linguist Dr. Zana Salehrad proposes that the toponym Qeshm reflects a layered history of linguistic adaptation in the Persian Gulf region. Salehrad argues that the name originates from a pre-Islamic Iranian root, Kašm or Kaš, meaning “fortified place” or “enclosed land,” reflecting the island’s strategic position along ancient maritime trade routes. ==Geography==

Qeshm Island is located a few kilometers off of the southern Iranian shoreline, in the Persian Gulf, opposite the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Bandar Khamir. The island, which hosts a free zone jurisdiction, is 135 km long and lies strategically in the Strait of Hormuz, from the Omani port of Khasab and about from the United Arab Emirates's Mina Rashid. At its widest point, near its centre, the island spans . At its narrowest point, it measures approximately . The island has a surface area of and is almost twice the size of Bahrain. The main population center of Qeshm, located at the easternmost point of the island, is from Bandar Abbas. The closest point of the island is from the mainland. Namakdan Salt Cave At 6.6 km long, Namakdan Salt Cave is one of the longest known salt caves in the world. Both salt and sulphur were traditionally mined here ('namak' is salt in Farsi). It now forms the key geosite within the Qeshm Island UNESCO Global Geopark. The cave formed within a large salt dome from a succession of strata which dates from the late Proterozoic. It is a candidate site for inscription on the list of World Heritage Sites. In October 2022, it was included in a list of the "First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites", on account of its significance to human understanding of tectonics and active geological processes. == Weather ==

The average temperature on the island is approximately . The warmest months are June to August. October to January are the coldest months. The average rainfall is . ==History==

'', 27 November 1809 during the Persian Gulf campaign of 1809 The earliest evidence of human presence at Qeshm dates back to the Paleolithic Period, from when stone tools have been found at Bam-e Qeshm. Historical records concerning Qeshm date far back into the pre-Islamic era. Names such as Qeshm, Keshm (کشم), Kish (کیش) and Tunb (تنب) mark the lengthy stay of Elamites in the area, spanning several centuries BC. It is, apparently, the island called Alexandria or Aracia by Ptolemy (Book 6, Chap. IV), in the 2nd century CE and 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 and Abbasids, and the Portuguese, English and Dutch. Under Sasanian rule, between CE 224–651, the island was called Abarkawan, and was part of the Ardashir-Khwarrah administrative division. Modern era On 3 July 1988, during the Iran–Iraq War, a civilian Iran Air Airbus A300 (Iran Air Flight 655) was shot down by the United States Navy cruiser USS Vincennes (CG-49) just south of the island, killing all 290 people on board. The wreckage fell into the sea approximately 2.5 kilometres off the southern coast of Qeshm Island. According to Iran International, during the 2025–2026 Iranian protests, protesters chanted "Death to the dictator" on Qeshm Island. 2026 Iran war On 7 March 2026, the government of Iran claimed that the water desalination plant in Qeshm Island was bombed by the United States military in the opening days of the 2026 Iran war, which it said had disrupted the water supply to 30 villages. Various sources including Al Jazeera reported that tunnels were built in the island to protect Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps weapons to include antiship missiles, mines, Nasir underwater drones, and small attack craft. On 31 March 2026, The Wall Street Journal reported that the US or Israel forces conducted an airstrike on the island. According to Bloomberg News, Iran was forcing ships wishing to transit the Strait of Hormuz to pass through the narrow strait of Khuran between Qeshm and the mainland. ==Economy==

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 geopark in Iran. An early modern-era Portuguese fort, historic mosques, the Seyyed Mozaffar and Bibi Maryam shrines, and ponds and mangrove forests are some of the tourism attractions. Salt caves, the preserved area in Shibderaz village where Hawksbill turtles hatch, as well as numerous docks and wharfs are other tourist attractions. To that end, the 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. The island retains the advantages associated with its connection to the mainland, including the rights to explore and develop the oil and gas reserves. == Demographics ==

The island, comprising 59 towns and villages, had a population of 117,774 in the 2011 census. The main population center is Qeshm. The local population is engaged in fishing, dhow vessel construction, trade and services. An additional 30,000 are administrative or industrial workers, or students. ==Gallery==

File:Qeshm Portuguese Castle.jpg|Portuguese castle, Qeshm File:QeshmIsland.jpg|Chahkouh Valley at Qeshm Island File:Starvalley.jpg|Stars Valley at Qeshm Island File:Chah Kooh Valley (Qeshm) 003.jpg|ChahKouh valley, made of Marl Sandstone File:Laft 20170422 17.jpg|View of the historic fabric of Laft village File:روستای لافت.jpg|Laft village (Bandar-e Laft) on Qeshm Island File:Qeshm International Airport 2.jpg|Qeshm International Airport – 2019 File:Shahid Zakari Wharf.jpg|Shahid Zakeri Wharf File:جزیره قشم - panoramio (6).jpg|Aftab or Zeytun beach on the southeastern coast of Qeshm Island File:Qeshm City Center 1.jpg|Qeshm City Center File:941116-IGC-Qeshm-pan1.jpg|F-18 Jacket File:941115-IGC-Qeshm-IMG 1551.jpg|F-18 Platform File:941115-IGC-Qeshm-IMG 1821 2 3 tonemapped.jpg|F-18 Deck == See also ==