Kish, Iran
Encyclopedia
Kish is a 91.5 square kilometre resort island in the Persian Gulf
. It is part of the Hormozgān Province
of Iran
. Due to its free trade zone
status it is touted as a consumer's paradise, with numerous malls, shopping centres, tourist attractions, and resort hotels. It has an estimated population of 20,000 residents and about 1 million people visit the island annually. Kish Island was ranked among the world’s 10 most beautiful islands by The New York Times in 2010, and is the fourth most visited vacation destination in the Middle East after Dubai
, U.A.E, and Sharm el-Sheikh
. Foreign nationals wishing to enter Kish Free Zone from legal ports are not required to obtain visas prior to travel. Valid travel permits are stamped for 14 days by airport and Kish port police officials.
to set off an expedition voyage into the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf
.
Nearchus's writings on Arakata is the first known mention of Kish Island in antiquity. When Marco Polo
visited the Imperial court in China, he commented on the Emperor's wife's pearls, he was told that they were from Kish. In the 1970s the last Shah of Iran
turned the island into a luxury resort for the international elite complete with a Grand Casino (now known as the Shayan International Hotel) and an airport designed to handle the Concorde
. After the Islamic Revolution, Kish Island became a duty-free shopping center.
Kish island's strategic position served as a way station and link for the ancient Assyrian and Elamite civilizations when their primitive sailboats navigated from Susa through the Karoun river into the Persian Gulf and along the southern coastline passing Kish, Qeshm and Hormoz islands.
When these civilizations vanished, Kish Island's advantageous position was lost and for a period it was subjected to turmoil and the tyranny of local potentates and other vendors. With the establishment of the Achaemenid dynasty that reached the far corners of the civilized world and contributed much to human advancement, the Persian Gulf was profoundly affected. Kish was, in particular, economically and politically linked with the civilization of the Medes and Persian and Aryan people when they were at the height of their power.
In the shadow of the empire, the islands in the gulf became prosperous and navigation in the Persian Gulf was expanded and better vessels were used to carry passengers and goods. Navigational signs, including lighthouses, were set up to facilitate navigation in the Persian Gulf.
Kish is located in the Persian Gulf 19 km from mainland Iran and has an area of around 91 km² with an outer boundary of 40 km and a nearly elliptical shape. Along Kish's coast are coral reefs and many other small islands. The Island is positioned along the 1359 km long Iranian coastline north of the Persian Gulf, at the first quarter from the Hormuz entrance to the Persian Gulf. Its longitudinal and latitudinal positions are 26.32N and 53.58E degrees. The Island is 15.45 km long from west coast to the east coast (the distance between Mariam Complex and Hoor field). Its maximum width extending from the southern shorelines to the northern shorelines is 7.5 km (the distance between Gomrok Port and the lighthouse). The island's surface is flat, lacking mountains or even high hills. Kish International Airport is built in the center on an elevated area 35-40 meters from the sea level. Its highest surface inclination extends from the airport to the shores near Shayan hotel.
Islands, especially the islands in the Strait of Hormuz
, is located on a narrow strip of tropical vegetation in the Northern Hemisphere, with the Persian plateau to the north and the Arabian Peninsula
to the south. In addition to its special geographic and climatic attributes, Kish Island, like other nearby islands, such as Forur, Hendurabi
, Shatuar and Lavan
and even Qeshm
, is under the sway of the semi-equatorial climate dominating this band of vegetation.
's archives show that the island's temperature varies form very hot to moderately hot, accompanied by relatively high humidity often interspersed by heavy rains of short durations in certain seasons. With the exception of some southeastern coastal areas and a few other islands in the Persian Gulf
, Kish Island has the longest sunny hours in the region which is roughly 3100 hours a year. Based on climatological classification and general weather conditions and nearness to the Tropic of Cancer and exposure to high tropical pressure system and being in the midst of hot and shallow waters, the island tends to be hot and humid most of the year.
One of the spot that draws much visitors is the Greek Ship
stranded near to its shores. To this day, it is not clear how the ship got stranded. It is said by the locals that the sailors who boarded the ship tried many unsuccessful attempts to re-float it, but eventually had to abandon it. They burned down the ship while they left and all what is left is the steel structure.
Another attraction is the underground ancient aqueduct also called the 'Underground City' which is partially open for tourists.The underground aqueduct was built around 1000 years ago for transportation and water supply across the different parts of the island.
The next attraction are the beautiful beaches that all captivate the eye with their bluish tint and the long shoreline that attracts many tourists during the winter season. The water is so clear that fish can be seen swimming in the sea all year long.
but mainly a big rival to Doha
. Steps taken in order to accomplish this include launching massive construction projects and programs designed to attract foreign investment and trade. Within the area of the Kish Free Zone, as it is known, the standard laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran
are far more relaxed than on the mainland, which has resulted in significant increases in mostly domestic tourist population over the years, as well as in international trade on the island. The population of the island includes significant numbers of both Muslims and Christians. Kish Free Zone total foreign trade stands at around $9.2 billion per annum (2009). Fifteen percent of all imports to Iran are through Kish.
Investment incentives in Kish free trade zone
include:
Besides the existing Iranian Oil Bourse
, a new exchange, the Kish Stock Exchange
was inaugurated in 2010 to facilitate foreign investment
and monetary activities.
, a university founded in 1996; it now has 360 students. The importance of public education from the lowest to the highest levels as a main element in the steady development of Kish is now being paid special attention.
Some of the most important activities include supporting and expanding existing educational centres, creating new educational centres, using new technology in developing educational activities, exploiting creditable educational national and international experiences, creating the foundations for all social classes to benefit from educational possibilities, the development of applied sciences regionally, and the promotion of university education levels through holding courses with creditable universities home and abroad.
Activities carried out in the educational section on general education, basic education, and higher education are presented as follows:
KFZO has made efforts to create educational centres for basic education and provided facilities to promote the quality and quantity of education.
Creating educational spaces by building new schools and giving priority to technical and vocational courses are some of the activities carried out. Kish schools have been located so as to make them easily accessible, especially for the local population. Considering the increased educational facilities, and also the better living conditions of families in Kish, the number of students at each level is on the increase.
The total area of educational space on the island was over 4658 square metres in 2005, which shows a 40% rise as compared to the beginning of 2001. Furthermore, KFZO has set up institutions in parts of the island, which the inhabitants, including many civil servants and members of the general public, use. These include:
- Kish Institute of Arts and Sciences (teaching foreign languages)
- Kish Institute of Graph-Rayaneh (teaching computing)
- Parto Institute (teaching English)
- Sadaf Cultural Centre
- Mir Mohana Cultural Centre
- Sana'ei Cultural Centre
- Kish Institute of Science and Technology
's annual tour, holding the Fajr International Squash Championship.
Kish Island also holds Iran's Traditional and Heroic Games Contests annually attracting over 17 countries worldwide. As part of the Flower of the East
project Kish will have an 18-hole championship golf course based on PGA standards and a 9-hole course for beginners.
Kish is home to a multi-purpose Olympic stadium seating 1200 spectators, it caters for 11 sports including volleyball, basketball, handball, futsal, gymnastics, wrestling, taekwondo, judo, karate and chess. All of these are supervised by professional and international coaches.
It attracts top national football teams and clubs who often use Kish as summer training camp with high quality facilities, good weather and a tranquille environment making it a good location. The Kish Karting Track is one of the largest in the Middle East, and one of the first of its kind in Iran
. A great array of water sports are also on offer in Kish such as snorkeling and scuba diving courses, jet skiing, diving cruises, water skiing, sea skiffs, cruises to other islands around Kish, parasailing, jet boat rides, cruise fishing boats, pedal boating, banana boat rides, and windsurfing.
Maryam Bowling Complex includes 16 bowling lanes, a health club with a fitness suite, and a jacuzzi. Kish Equestrian Club hosts national races and is capable of holding international competitions.
Kish has 3 international standard volleyball courts, Kish held the 2006 Asian Men's Beach Volleyball Championship.
, butterfly garden
, silkworm compound, bird garden, artificial rain forest, volcanic mountain, orchid garden, and cactus garden. The dolphinarium includes the largest man made pool on the island, and exhibits dolphin
s, sea lion
s, and white whales.
The bird Garden in the park is home to more than 57 species of birds and other animals from around the world including pelican
s, ostrich
es, blue-and-yellow macaws
, stork
s, toco toucans
, turaco
s, swan
s, African penguins
s, and marsh crocodiles.
, United Arab Emirates
(since 2002) Langkawi
, Malaysia (since 2009)
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. It is part of the Hormozgān Province
Hormozgan Province
Hormozgan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the south of the country, facing Oman. Its area is , and its provincial capital is Bandar Abbas...
of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. Due to its free trade zone
Free trade zone
A free trade zone or export processing zone , also called foreign-trade zone, formerly free port is an area within which goods may be landed, handled, manufactured or reconfigured, and reexported without the intervention of the customs authorities...
status it is touted as a consumer's paradise, with numerous malls, shopping centres, tourist attractions, and resort hotels. It has an estimated population of 20,000 residents and about 1 million people visit the island annually. Kish Island was ranked among the world’s 10 most beautiful islands by The New York Times in 2010, and is the fourth most visited vacation destination in the Middle East after Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, U.A.E, and Sharm el-Sheikh
Sharm el-Sheikh
Sharm el-Sheikh is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in South Sinai Governorate, Egypt, on the coastal strip along the Red Sea. Its population is approximately 35,000...
. Foreign nationals wishing to enter Kish Free Zone from legal ports are not required to obtain visas prior to travel. Valid travel permits are stamped for 14 days by airport and Kish port police officials.
History
Kish Island has been mentioned in history variously as Kamtina, Arakia, Arakata, and Ghiss. In 325 BC, Alexander the Great commissioned NearchusNearchus
Nearchus was one of the officers, a navarch, in the army of Alexander the Great. His celebrated voyage from India to Susa after Alexander's expedition in India is preserved in Arrian's account, the Indica....
to set off an expedition voyage into the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
.
Nearchus's writings on Arakata is the first known mention of Kish Island in antiquity. When Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
visited the Imperial court in China, he commented on the Emperor's wife's pearls, he was told that they were from Kish. In the 1970s the last Shah of Iran
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
turned the island into a luxury resort for the international elite complete with a Grand Casino (now known as the Shayan International Hotel) and an airport designed to handle the Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
. After the Islamic Revolution, Kish Island became a duty-free shopping center.
Kish island's strategic position served as a way station and link for the ancient Assyrian and Elamite civilizations when their primitive sailboats navigated from Susa through the Karoun river into the Persian Gulf and along the southern coastline passing Kish, Qeshm and Hormoz islands.
When these civilizations vanished, Kish Island's advantageous position was lost and for a period it was subjected to turmoil and the tyranny of local potentates and other vendors. With the establishment of the Achaemenid dynasty that reached the far corners of the civilized world and contributed much to human advancement, the Persian Gulf was profoundly affected. Kish was, in particular, economically and politically linked with the civilization of the Medes and Persian and Aryan people when they were at the height of their power.
In the shadow of the empire, the islands in the gulf became prosperous and navigation in the Persian Gulf was expanded and better vessels were used to carry passengers and goods. Navigational signs, including lighthouses, were set up to facilitate navigation in the Persian Gulf.
Geography
Climate, nature, and geobotany
Kish, like the other Persian GulfPersian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
Islands, especially the islands in the Strait of Hormuz
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important waterway between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf. On the north coast is Iran and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman....
, is located on a narrow strip of tropical vegetation in the Northern Hemisphere, with the Persian plateau to the north and the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
to the south. In addition to its special geographic and climatic attributes, Kish Island, like other nearby islands, such as Forur, Hendurabi
Hendurabi
Hendurabi or Hendorabi in an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf. Its name is derived from the Persian word اندرآبی Andar-abi meaning "Inside the waters". It is located in Hormozgan Province, to the west of Kish Island and due south of Bastak.-See also:*Kookherd*Bastak*Bandar Lengeh*Hormozgān...
, Shatuar and Lavan
Lavan Island
Lavan Island is an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf. It has an area of 76 km². The island has one of the four major terminals for export of crude oil in Iran. The largest one is in Kharg Island.-See also:*Kookherd*Bastak*Bandar Lengeh...
and even Qeshm
Qeshm
Qeshm Qeshm Qeshm (Persian: قشم - pronounced kē´shm is an Iranian island situated in the Strait of Hormuz, and separated from the mainland by the Clarence Strait/Khuran in the Persian Gulf .-Geography:...
, is under the sway of the semi-equatorial climate dominating this band of vegetation.
Weather
Since vital climates are influenced by the combined effects of rainfalls and humidity and are measured by the ratio of the size of annual rainfalls in millimeters to the degree of temperatures is less than 2 to 1. According to this measure, Kish's climate is considered to be a very dry semi equatorial climate. For an 8 years span of time, the median annual rainfall in Kish has been 145 mm (54% in winter, 28% autumn and 14% in summer) and the annual temperature 26.6 °C. The relative atmospheric humidity in Kish makes it like a sea island except in cold seasons. The humidity is about 60% most of the year. In the months of October to April, Kish's weather is mild, ranging between 18 to 25 °C. The statistical data in the Kish free zoneFree Zone
Free Zone may refer to:*A free economic zone or free port, an area with relaxed customs, immigration, visa, and/or taxation jurisdiction with respect to the country of location...
's archives show that the island's temperature varies form very hot to moderately hot, accompanied by relatively high humidity often interspersed by heavy rains of short durations in certain seasons. With the exception of some southeastern coastal areas and a few other islands in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, Kish Island has the longest sunny hours in the region which is roughly 3100 hours a year. Based on climatological classification and general weather conditions and nearness to the Tropic of Cancer and exposure to high tropical pressure system and being in the midst of hot and shallow waters, the island tends to be hot and humid most of the year.
Tourist Attractions
Though being a very small island, there are many attractions around the island that make it a tourist-oriented place.One of the spot that draws much visitors is the Greek Ship
Greek Ship
The Greek Ship is an old decayed ship landed at southwest coast of Kish Island, Iran.-History:On July 26, 1966, Kish Island residents saw a huge ship beached on the western coral coast of the island....
stranded near to its shores. To this day, it is not clear how the ship got stranded. It is said by the locals that the sailors who boarded the ship tried many unsuccessful attempts to re-float it, but eventually had to abandon it. They burned down the ship while they left and all what is left is the steel structure.
Another attraction is the underground ancient aqueduct also called the 'Underground City' which is partially open for tourists.The underground aqueduct was built around 1000 years ago for transportation and water supply across the different parts of the island.
The next attraction are the beautiful beaches that all captivate the eye with their bluish tint and the long shoreline that attracts many tourists during the winter season. The water is so clear that fish can be seen swimming in the sea all year long.
Economy
Since the mid-1990s the Iranian government has embarked on an aggressive promotional and developmental campaign to tailor Kish as a rival to DubaiDubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
but mainly a big rival to Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
. Steps taken in order to accomplish this include launching massive construction projects and programs designed to attract foreign investment and trade. Within the area of the Kish Free Zone, as it is known, the standard laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
are far more relaxed than on the mainland, which has resulted in significant increases in mostly domestic tourist population over the years, as well as in international trade on the island. The population of the island includes significant numbers of both Muslims and Christians. Kish Free Zone total foreign trade stands at around $9.2 billion per annum (2009). Fifteen percent of all imports to Iran are through Kish.
Investment incentives in Kish free trade zone
Free trade zone
A free trade zone or export processing zone , also called foreign-trade zone, formerly free port is an area within which goods may be landed, handled, manufactured or reconfigured, and reexported without the intervention of the customs authorities...
include:
- 15 years tax-exemption;
- no entry visa requirement;
- 100% foreign ownership possible;
- flexible monetary & banking services;
- extended legal guarantees & protection.
Besides the existing Iranian Oil Bourse
Iranian oil bourse
The Iranian Oil Bourse International Oil Bourse, Iran Petroleum Exchange Kish Exchange or Oil Bourse in Kish is a commodity exchange which opened on February 17, 2008. It was created by cooperation between Iranian ministries, the Iran Mercantile Exchange and other state and private institutions...
, a new exchange, the Kish Stock Exchange
Kish Stock Exchange
Kish Stock Exchange was launched in 2010. It is a stock exchange located in the Iranian island of Kish. Kish island is a free trade zone....
was inaugurated in 2010 to facilitate foreign investment
Foreign Direct Investment in Iran
Foreign direct investment in Iran has been hindered by unfavorable or complex operating requirements and by international sanctions, although in the early 2000s the Iranian government liberalized investment regulations. Iran ranks 62nd in the World Economic Forum's 2011 analysis of the global...
and monetary activities.
Education
Kish is home to Kish UniversityKish University
Sharif University of Technology International Campus was established in 2003 on the buildings previously used for Kish University on the Iranian island of Kish in the Hormozgan Province of Iran in the Persian Gulf....
, a university founded in 1996; it now has 360 students. The importance of public education from the lowest to the highest levels as a main element in the steady development of Kish is now being paid special attention.
Some of the most important activities include supporting and expanding existing educational centres, creating new educational centres, using new technology in developing educational activities, exploiting creditable educational national and international experiences, creating the foundations for all social classes to benefit from educational possibilities, the development of applied sciences regionally, and the promotion of university education levels through holding courses with creditable universities home and abroad.
Activities carried out in the educational section on general education, basic education, and higher education are presented as follows:
KFZO has made efforts to create educational centres for basic education and provided facilities to promote the quality and quantity of education.
Creating educational spaces by building new schools and giving priority to technical and vocational courses are some of the activities carried out. Kish schools have been located so as to make them easily accessible, especially for the local population. Considering the increased educational facilities, and also the better living conditions of families in Kish, the number of students at each level is on the increase.
The total area of educational space on the island was over 4658 square metres in 2005, which shows a 40% rise as compared to the beginning of 2001. Furthermore, KFZO has set up institutions in parts of the island, which the inhabitants, including many civil servants and members of the general public, use. These include:
- Kish Institute of Arts and Sciences (teaching foreign languages)
- Kish Institute of Graph-Rayaneh (teaching computing)
- Parto Institute (teaching English)
- Sadaf Cultural Centre
- Mir Mohana Cultural Centre
- Sana'ei Cultural Centre
- Kish Institute of Science and Technology
Kish Institute of Science and Technology
Kish Institute of Science and Technology is the affiliated of Kish Free Zone Organization. It is responsible for the trainings courses of that organization.-History:...
Sports
Kish acts as the location for numerous international sporting events. Kish Island is part of the Professional Squash AssociationProfessional Squash Association
The Professional Squash Association is the governing body for the men's professional squash circuit. The body operates in a similar fashion to the ATP for tennis. The PSA World Tour involves over 100 tournaments annually all over the globe...
's annual tour, holding the Fajr International Squash Championship.
Kish Island also holds Iran's Traditional and Heroic Games Contests annually attracting over 17 countries worldwide. As part of the Flower of the East
Flower of the East
The Flower of the East complex was a 1.7 billion euro, tourism attraction project, begun in 2004 in Kish Island and was expected to be finished by 2010. The complex was to accommodate a self-rated 7-star hotel.-About the Project:...
project Kish will have an 18-hole championship golf course based on PGA standards and a 9-hole course for beginners.
Kish is home to a multi-purpose Olympic stadium seating 1200 spectators, it caters for 11 sports including volleyball, basketball, handball, futsal, gymnastics, wrestling, taekwondo, judo, karate and chess. All of these are supervised by professional and international coaches.
It attracts top national football teams and clubs who often use Kish as summer training camp with high quality facilities, good weather and a tranquille environment making it a good location. The Kish Karting Track is one of the largest in the Middle East, and one of the first of its kind in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. A great array of water sports are also on offer in Kish such as snorkeling and scuba diving courses, jet skiing, diving cruises, water skiing, sea skiffs, cruises to other islands around Kish, parasailing, jet boat rides, cruise fishing boats, pedal boating, banana boat rides, and windsurfing.
Maryam Bowling Complex includes 16 bowling lanes, a health club with a fitness suite, and a jacuzzi. Kish Equestrian Club hosts national races and is capable of holding international competitions.
Kish has 3 international standard volleyball courts, Kish held the 2006 Asian Men's Beach Volleyball Championship.
International oil bourse
The International Oil Bourse is a commodity exchange which opened on February 17, 2008Kish Hidden Pearl
In 1999, a project to build an underground complex was begun by 300 artists and excavation workers. After deep excavations rigid coral ceilings were discovered, and this was included in the final design. Once completed, the city will include restaurants, tourist resorts and underground therapeutic mud pools.Kish Dolphin Park
The Dolphin Park is a 70 hectares (173 acre) park located at the south east corner of Kish Island. It is surrounded by over 22,000 palm trees, and includes a dolphinariumDolphinarium
A dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins. The dolphins are usually kept in a large pool, though occasionally they may be kept in pens in the open sea, either for research or for public performances...
, butterfly garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden is a life simulation game by independent developer Autonomous Productions, revolving around the raising and collecting of butterflies. Initially for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade, the developers have promised there will be a PC version and WiiWare version...
, silkworm compound, bird garden, artificial rain forest, volcanic mountain, orchid garden, and cactus garden. The dolphinarium includes the largest man made pool on the island, and exhibits dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s, sea lion
Sea Lion
Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear-flaps, long fore-flippers, the ability to walk on all fours, and short thick hair. Together with the fur seal, they comprise the family Otariidae, or eared seals. There are six extant and one extinct species in five genera...
s, and white whales.
The bird Garden in the park is home to more than 57 species of birds and other animals from around the world including pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
s, ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
es, blue-and-yellow macaws
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
The Blue-and-Yellow Macaw , also known as the Blue-and-Gold Macaw, is a member of the group of large Neotropical parrots known as macaws. It breeds in forest and woodland of tropical South America from Trinidad and Venezuela south to Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay...
, stork
Stork
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
s, toco toucans
Toco Toucan
The Toco Toucan is the largest and probably the best known species in the toucan family. It is found in semi-open habitats throughout a large part of central and eastern South America...
, turaco
Turaco
The turacos make up the bird family Musophagidae , which includes plantain-eaters and go-away-birds. In southern Africa both turacos and go-away-birds are commonly known as louries. They are semi-zygodactylous - the fourth toe can be switched back and forth...
s, swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s, African penguins
African Penguin
The African Penguin , also known as the Black-footed Penguin is a species of penguin, confined to southern African waters. It is known as Brilpikkewyn in Afrikaans, Inguza or Unombombiya in Xhosa, Manchot Du Cap in French and Pingüino Del Cabo in Spanish...
s, and marsh crocodiles.
Kish Aquarium
The Art Center on the island includes an aquarium that displays marine species unique to the Persian Gulf.Sister cities
DubaiDubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
(since 2002) Langkawi
Langkawi
Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border...
, Malaysia (since 2009)
See also
- Kish AirKish AirKish Air is an airline based in Tehran, Iran. It operates international, domestic and charter services as a scheduled carrier. Its main base is Mehrabad Airport, Tehran.-History:...
, a domestic airline servicing Kish Island - Iran airshowIran airshowThe Iran Airshow is an aviation airshow held in Kish, Iran. Its first airshow was in 2002 on Kish island, where 11 foreign companies participated from France, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Britain, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Italy, Pakistan, Slovakia and Switzerland. Its second airshow was...
, a semi-regular international airshow held on Kish Island - Kish International Airport, the main airport on Kish Island
- Flower of the EastFlower of the EastThe Flower of the East complex was a 1.7 billion euro, tourism attraction project, begun in 2004 in Kish Island and was expected to be finished by 2010. The complex was to accommodate a self-rated 7-star hotel.-About the Project:...
, a 7 starStar (classification)Stars are often used as symbols for classification purposes. They are used by reviewers for ranking things such as movies, TV shows, restaurants, and hotels. For example, one to five stars is commonly employed to categorize hotels.-Restaurant ratings:...
hotel development on Kish Island - Tourism in IranTourism in IranTourism attracted 2.3 million people to Iran in 2009. Iran plans to have 20 million tourists annually by 2015 ....
- Economy of IranEconomy of IranThe economy of Iran is the eighteenth largest in the world by purchasing power parity and according to Iranian officials' claims is going to become the 12th largest by 2015. The economy of Iran is a mixed and transition economy with a large public sector and some 50% of the economy centrally planned...
- Foreign Direct Investment in IranForeign Direct Investment in IranForeign direct investment in Iran has been hindered by unfavorable or complex operating requirements and by international sanctions, although in the early 2000s the Iranian government liberalized investment regulations. Iran ranks 62nd in the World Economic Forum's 2011 analysis of the global...
- Chabahar free trade-industrial zoneChabahar Free Trade-Industrial ZoneChabahar Free Trade–Industrial Zone is an Iranian free trade zone formed according to the law on the establishment and administration of free trade–industrial zones ....
, another free trade zoneFree trade zoneA free trade zone or export processing zone , also called foreign-trade zone, formerly free port is an area within which goods may be landed, handled, manufactured or reconfigured, and reexported without the intervention of the customs authorities...
in Iran. - KookherdKookherdKukherd is a city in and the capital of Kukherd District, in Bastak County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 3,144, in 637 families....
- BastakBastakBastak is a city in and the capital of Bastak County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 8,376, in 1,765 families....
- Bandar LengehBandar LengehBandar Lengeh is a harbor city in, and capital of Bandar-Lengeh County, in Hormozgan province of Iran on the coast of the Persian Gulf. The harbor is 280 km from Lar, 192 km from Bandar Abbas, and 420 km from Bushehr. The weather in Bandar Lengeh is hot and humid, typical of coastal...