Farasan Islands
The Farasan Islands (Arabic: جزر فرسان; transliterated: Juzur Farasān) are a large coral-island group in the Red Sea, belonging to Saudi Arabia. The islands are located some 40 km offshore from Jizan, in the far southwestern part of the country, at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.. They are a protected area and were home to the extinct Arabian gazelle and, in winter, migratory birds from Europe. The largest island of the archipelago is Farasan Island; others include Sajid Island and Zufaf Island.
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Economy
In 1919, the French discovered petroleum on the islands. For 75 years the Red Sea Oilfields Company maintained a refinery on the islands.[1] As of 1920, the Farasan Islands supported a small fishing industry.[2]
Tourism and fishing also play a role in the economy. Farasan Island is connected to Jezan port by ferry.
See also
References
External links
- Saudi Aramco World: Dreaming of Farasan
- Farasan Island, a diver's paradise, Splendid Arabia: A travel site with photos and routes
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Islands of Saudi Arabia
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| Red Sea's Islands |
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| Persian Gulf's Islands | |
