Greater and Lesser Tunbs

Greater and Lesser Tunbs

Disputed islands
Greater and Lesser Tunbs islands in the Persian Gulf
Other names	Persian: تنب بزرگ و تنب کوچک (Tonb-e Bozorg and Tonb-e Kuchak) Arabic: طنب الكبرى وطنب الصغرى (Tunb el-Kubra and Tunb el-Sughra)
Geography
Location	Persian Gulf
Coordinates	Greater: 26°15′N 55°16′E / 26.250°N 55.267°E / 26.250; 55.267 Lesser: 26°14′N 55°08′E / 26.233°N 55.133°E / 26.233; 55.133
Total islands	2
Area	10.3 km2 (4.0 sq mi) (Greater) 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi) (Lesser)
Administration
Iran
Province	Hormozgan Province
Claimed by
United Arab Emirates
Emirate	Ras al-Khaimah
Demographics
Population	around 300[1]

Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb (Persian: تنب بزرگ و تنب کوچک, Tonb-e Bozorg and Tonb-e Kuchak, Arabic: طنب الكبرى و طنب الصغرى, Tunb el-Kubra and Tunb el-Sughra) are two small islands in the eastern Persian Gulf, close to the Strait of Hormuz. They lie at 26°15′N 55°16′E / 26.250°N 55.267°E / 26.250; 55.267 and 26°14′N 55°08′E / 26.233°N 55.133°E / 26.233; 55.133, respectively, some 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from each other and 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of the Iranian island of Qeshm. The islands are administered by Iran as part of its Hormozgan Province.^[2]

Greater Tunb has a surface area of 10.3 km² (4.0 sq mi). 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,^[3] others describe the island as having no native civilian population.^[4] There is reported to be an Iranian garrison and naval station, an aircraft runway, a fish storage facility and a red-soil mine. Lesser Tunb has a surface of 2 km² (0.77 sq mi) and is uninhabited with the exception of a small airfield, harbour, and entrenched Iranian military unit.