Greater and Lesser Tunbs

Greater and Lesser Tunbs

Disputed islands Other names: Persian: تنب بزرگ و تنب کوچک‎‎ (Tonb-e Bozorg or Tonb-e Kuchak) Arabic: طنب الكبرى وطنب الصغرى‎‎ (Tunb el-Kubra and Tunb el-Sughra)
Greater and Lesser Tunbs islands in the Persian Gulf.
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	Greater: 10.3 square kilometres (4.0 sq mi) Lesser:2 square kilometres (0.77 sq mi)
Administered by
Iran
Province	Hormozgan
Claimed by
UAE
Emirate	Ras al-Khaimah
Demographics
Population	around 300

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 from each other and 20 kilometres 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, harbour, and entrenched Iranian military unit.