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The dolphin shaped
Qeshem Island, by far the largest of all islands in
this part of middle east ( With more than 75000
inhabitants and more than twice the size of Bahrain
or Singapore), is situated about 22 km far from
Bandar Abbas at the entrance of the Azure waters of
Persian Gulf in the strait of Hormoze. It occupies
an area of 1500sq km (136km long and 12.5km as
average width). From the Geology point of view,
Qeshm Island is on the wrinkled region containing
the Zagros mountain range most of whose hills and
heights are of the calcareous type with sharp cuts.
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Chah
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It contains plain
and coastal lands with low-lying mountains spread
over the whole surface. The Island southern coasts
are of the coral type. The highest point in the
island is 397m above the sea level- the peack of
Namakdan Mount- in the south west, its average
height, on the other hand, is 10m. Qeshm is included
among the hot and dry lands, while the relative
humidity rate in Qeshm is high: the temperature is
always higher than 0°C and its average varies from
minimum of 22°C to maximum of 31°C. The temperature
in Qeshm during summer reaches to 50°C.
From the flora and fauna point of view, the first
and the most important plant community in the island
is Harra sea forest, which includes a species of
Mangroves, called Avicenna Marina (named after
Avicenna, the famous Iranian scientist of 11AD) and
covers 200sq km of the island’s total area. The
island is also blessed with the possession of an
assortment of plants and trees native to tropical
regions along with palm groves. There are fruit
trees grown in island’s northern villages.
Various insects, reptiles, birds and mammals live in
Qeshm. Among the mammals, Gazelle and fox and among
birds one can name the white falcos and various
species of migratory birds (such as pelican and
crane). The number of the migratory bird’s species
in the Island reaches to 70. More than 50 species of
bivalve mollusks, gastropods, cephalopods,
echinoids, crabs and corals can be found on Qeshm’s
coasts.
The variety of fish in the water surrounding the
island is very wide so, different kind of commercial
decorative fish as well as sharks, dolphins and
whale can be seen there.
Qeshm also is the place for laying egg of the rare
hawk bills turtle.
There are a lot to see in Qeshm Island and one can
spend a whole week to discover the Island leisurely.
In addition to Harra mangrove forest which is the
safe place of different kind of tropical and
migratory birds and other creatures, The Island
contains many natural and historical attractions
such as Bengal Fig Tree, Salt Dome and cave with it
salt stream: due to the accumulation and
sedimentation of salt and sea water in deep fault,
Gold wells, Valley of stars, Chahkooh, Khorbes caves
which date backs to prehistory period ( about 700
BC), ruins of the Fort of Portuguese (1507 AD)and
etc. |
