- Tiran Island
Tiran ( _ar. جزيرة تيران) is an island belonging to
Saudi Arabia at the entrance of theStraits of Tiran , which separates theRed Sea and theGulf of Aqaba . Its size is about 80 km².The island is leased to
Egypt , to support the presence of an observation post controlled by theMultinational Force and Observers and anEgyptian Coastal Patrol post.It is of strategic significance in the area, as it forms the narrowest section of the
Straits of Tiran , which is an important sea passage to ports inJordan andIsrael :Aqaba andEilat respectively. It is inhabited only by military personnel fromEgypt and theUnited States , and is covered with minefields.Chisholm Point is a cape of Tiran Island.
Some believe that this is the biblical location where the
Red Sea was parted.External links
* [http://www.red-sea-shadow.com/tiran.htm Tiran dive sites]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/tiran-island.htm Observation Post 3-11, Tiran Island] , GlobalSecurity.org
* [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=6202&m=0 BirdLife Factsheet - Tiran Island]
* [http://www.allsinai.info/sites/sites/tiran.htm Tiran Island] , Tourist info
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.