KHARG ISLAND

Kharg Island has peered out of the water as a turtle-shell shaped coral island in the North-West part of the Persian gulf. Situated about 25 km off the coast of Iran, it is considered to be one of the coastal suburbs of Boushehr province.

The Island dates back to 982 AD when it is mentioned in the Hudud al-'alam for its pearl trade. The Dutch established a trading post and a fort on the Island (1753-1766) and it was also briefly occupied by the British in 1838.

Among the regional attractions of Kharg Island, the remains of the Towers of Silence from Sesani dynasty, Mir-Mohammad mausoleum with over 700 years of history, beautiful sand beaches, loose flocks of gazelles, fig trees and Indian crows are significant.

The only city on the Island is Kharg situated in the North, in proximity of the Khark Airport.

Due to exceptional topography and also suitable water depth, Kharg Island is a perfect port for export of oil and petrochemical products and has gained its importance in this respect.

Directly connected to several offshore oil fields , the Island is a major hub for the Iranian oil and petrochemical sector with several export terminals. As of 2015, the Island accunts for 90% of Iran's crude oil exports with a loading capacity of about 5 million barrels per day.

In 2009, Iran exported and swapped 950 MMbbl of crude oil via Southern Kharg oil terminal and, in addition, about 200,000 barrels of crude was refined at Kharg for export as products.

Photo: Imna News Agency, PressTV.ir, Kharg Petrochemical Co.