Larak Island
{{Short description|Island in the Strait of Hormuz, territory of Iran}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = Larak Island
| native_name = {{Nobold|{{lang|fa|جزیره لارک}}}}
| image_name = Larak fr.jpg
| pushpin_map = Persian Gulf#Iran
| location = Strait of Hormuz
| coordinates = {{coord|26|51|12|N|56|21|20|E}}{{cite web |url=http://www.getamap.net/maps/iran/hormozgan/_larakisland/ |title=Larak Island Map, Weather and Photos|website=GetAMap |access-date=26 May 2013}}
| waterbody = Persian Gulf
| area_km2 = 49
| elevation_m = 81
| country = Iran
| country_admin_divisions_title = Province
| country_admin_divisions = Hormozgan
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = County
| country_admin_divisions_1 = Qeshm County
| country_admin_divisions_title_2 = Rural District
| country_admin_divisions_2 = Larak Rural District
| country_largest_city = Larak Shahri
| country_largest_city_population = 466
| module = {{Infobox lighthouse| embed = yes| qid = Q106097403
| construction = concrete tower
| shape = cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern{{Cite rowlett|irn|accessdate=2016-10-01}}[http://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_st=&_pageLabel=msi_pub_detail&CCD_itemID=112&pubConstant=NGALOL NGA List of Lights – Pub.112] Retrieved 1 October 2016
| marking = unpainted tower
}}}}
Larak Island (also Lark Island) is an island off the coast of Iran, which has been one of Iran's major oil export points since 1987. The narrowest part of the Strait of Hormuz at a distance of {{convert|24|mi}} lies between this Iranian island and Oman's Quoin Island.{{cite book|last=Joyner|first=Christopher C.|title=The Persian Gulf War: Lessons for Strategy, Law, and Diplomacy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZXZIz7M1Bt4C&pg=PA3|date=1 January 1990|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-26710-9|page=3}}
History
During their occupation in the 16th century, the Portuguese built fortresses here, as well as on the nearby Qeshm and Hormuz Islands.{{cite book|title=Near East/South Asia Report|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5iq6AAAAIAAJ|year=1983|publisher=Foreign Broadcast Information Service|page=58}} The island contains an Iranian military base which maintains several Chinese-made Silkworm HY-2 surface-to-surface missiles placed there in 1987.{{cite book|editor-last=Metz |editor-first=Helen Chapin|editor-link=Helen Chapin Metz |title=Iran: A Country Study|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NH4sAAAAYAAJ|year=1989|publisher=Federal Research Division, Library of Congress|page=257}}
A floating terminal was established on Larak Island in June 1986.{{cite book|title=Conflict and Cooperation in the Gulf Region|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3ctDAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA74|date=22 January 2009|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-3-531-91337-7|page=74}} The island was bombed by Iraq in November and December 1986, as part of the Iran–Iraq War. As part of Operation Praying Mantis, the Iranian frigate Sahand was sunk by the United States Navy, 200 meters southwest of Larak Island. On 14 May 1988, the largest ship at the time, the Liberian supertanker, Seawise Giant, whilst carrying crude Iranian oil, was sunk by Iraqi anti-ship missiles off the coast of Larak Island.{{cite book|title=Lloyd's Nautical Year Book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tYMZAQAAIAAJ|year=1988|publisher=Lloyd's|page=147|isbn = 9781850441953}} The ship was later refloated, repaired and used for another few years.
Demographics
Larak Island is located in the Larak Rural District, which is within the Shahab District. Two settlements are on the island: Larak Shahri and Larak Kuhi.{{cite web |url=http://www.tiptopglobe.com/city?i=1117599&n=Larak%20Kuhi |title=Larak Kuhi: map, population, location |website=TipTopGlobe |access-date=26 May 2013 |archive-date=4 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104005407/http://www.tiptopglobe.com/city?i=1117599&n=Larak%20Kuhi |url-status=dead }} Larak Shahri is the largest of the two villages, with a population of 466 people and 98 families.
Species
The waters around Larak Island are one of the most diverse coral reef areas in the environment of the Persian Gulf. There are 37 species of scleractinian corals identified around Larak Island.{{cite journal|author1=J. Vajed Samiei|author2=K. Dab |author3=P. Ghezellou |author4=A. Shirvani|title=Some scleractinian corals (Scleractinia: Anthozoa) of Larak Island, Persian Gulf|journal=Zootaxa|date=3 April 2013|volume=3636|issue=1|pages=101–43 |doi= 10.11646/zootaxa.3636.1.5 |pmid=26042286}}
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|Iran|Engineering}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130402153516/http://www.chtn.ir/WebForms/Fa/News/NewsInfo.aspx?ID=21612 Language of Larak]
- [https://www.ibiblio.org/lighthouse/photos/NearEast/LarakIslandIRN.jpg Picture of Jazīreh-ye Lārak North Lighthouse]
- [https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-iranica-online/larak-COM_11223 Larak, in encyclopaedia Iranica]
{{Hormozgan Province}}
{{Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf}}
{{coord|26|51|N|56|21|E|region:IR_type:isle|display=title}}
{{Authority control | additional=Q106097403}}