Greater And Lesser Tunbs
Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb (Persian: تنب بزرگ و تنب کوچک , Tonb-e Bozorg and Tonb-e Kuchak; are two small islands in the eastern Persian Gulf, close to the Strait of Hormuz. They lie at 26°15′N 55°16′E / 26.25°N 55.267°E / 26.25; 55.267 and 26°14′N 55°08′E / 26.233°N 55.133°E / 26.233; 55.133 respectively, some 12 kilometers from each other and 20 kilometers south of the Iranian island of Qeshm. The islands are administered by Iran as part of its province of Hormozgan, but are also claimed by UAE as a territory of the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah.
Greater Tunb has a surface of 10.3 km². It is known for its red soil. There are conflicting descriptions about its population: While some sources state there are between a few dozen and a few hundred inhabitants, others describe the island as having no native civilian population. There is reported to be an Iranian garrison and naval station, a fish storage facility and a red-soil mine. Lesser Tunb has a surface of 2 km² and is uninhabited with the exception of a small airfield, harbor, and entrenched Iranian military unit.
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