Abu Musa

About

Abu Musa is a 12.8-square-kilometre (4.9 sq mi) island in the eastern Persian Gulf, near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. The island is currently administered by Iran. Due to the depth of the sea, oil tankers and other large ships have to pass between Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs, which makes these islands one of the most strategic points in the Persian Gulf. The island is under the administration of Iran, as part of Abumusa County, Hormozgan province. It is, however, claimed by the United Arab Emirates as part of its Sharjah emirate. It is a possible US military objective in the 2026 Iran war. Iranian inhabitants of Abu Musa call it "Gap-sabzu" (‌), which in Persian means "the great green place". On old Persian maps, the island is called: "Boum-Ouw" (‌) or "Boum-Ouf" (‌) which in Persian means "Waterland". "Boum-Souz" (‌) or "Boum-Sou"/"Boum-Souw" (‌) or "Gap-Sabzou" (‌) which in Persian means "green land". In recent centuries it, has also been called Bum Musa, Persian for "the land of Musa/Moses", instead of "Boum-Sou". In Arabic sources, "Abu Musa" comes from Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, a companion of Muhammad, who stayed on the island in 643 CE before battling the Persians. Abu Musa island is located 70 kilometres (43 mi) south of Bandar-e Shenas and 59 kilometres (37 mi) north-northwest of Sharjah. Of the 14 islands of Hormozgan, it is the farthest from the Iranian coast. Its highest point is the 110-metre (360 ft) Mount Halva. Abu Musa city is the center of the island. The weather in Abu Musa is warm and humid, a better climate compared to other islands in the Persian Gulf. It has the most diverse ecosystem, but lacks suitable soil and water for farming. Fishing is the main industry for the locals. It is served by the regional Abu Musa Airport.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.