Farasan Islands

Native name: جزر فرسان
Farasan Islands seen from the International Space Station
Farasan Islands
Geography
Coordinates	16°48′00″N 41°51′00″E / 16.80000°N 41.85000°E / 16.80000; 41.85000
Type	Coral
Total islands	200
Major islands	Farasan Island Sajid Island Qummah Island
Area	1,050 km2 (410 sq mi)
Administration
Saudi Arabia
Jazan Province
Largest Island	Farasan Island
Demographics
Population	13,529 (2022)
Additional information
Time zone	SAST (UTC+03:00)
Area code	017

The Farasan Islands^[a] are an archipelago of coral islands in the Red Sea, located approximately 40 km off the coast of Jizan. Administratively, the islands form the Farasan Islands Governorate of Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia.^[1][2][3]

The Islands Protected Area was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2021 and is included on Saudi Arabia's tentative list for World Heritage status.^[4][5]

In the 1st century AD, the islands were known as Portus Ferresanus. A Latin inscription dating from 144 AD has been found on the island which attests to the construction of a Roman garrison.

It is believed that the islands may have been attached to the Roman province of Arabia Felix, before being transferred to Aegyptus some time before 144 AD.^[6]

This fact would make the Farasan Islands the farthest Roman outpost (until at least the third century), being nearly 4,000 km (2,500 mi) from Rome itself.^[7]

It remained this way up until the Arab Muslim conquest of the islands and subsequent Islamization.^[8] Furthermore it is noteworthy to pinpoint that recent studies found that in the local language there are some loanwords from Latin.

Al-Najdi Mosque was constructed in 1929. It is one of the oldest worship sites on Farasan Island in the Jazan Province, southwest of Saudi Arabia. The mosque originally took 13 years to build, and features paintings and inscriptions brought from India. The mosque is currently undergoing phase two restoration as part of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques.^[9]

The Farasan Islands consist of nearly 200 islands, most of which are coral islands. Only three islands are inhabited: Farasan Island, Sajid Island, and Qummah Island.^[10]

The remaining islands are uninhabited and include the pairs Saso Islands and Al-Dassan Islands, as well as Kirah, Zifaf, Dumsuk, Salubah, and Dushak, among others.

The climate in the Farasan Islands is characterised by a long hot season (April–October) and a short mild one (November–March). In the long dry period, high temperatures are usually dominant. The mean annual temperature is 30 °C. Furthermore, the mean relative humidity in winter ranges from 70% to 80% and in summer between 65% and 78%. The highest rainfall occurs in April and the precipitation is generally unpredictable in the southern part of Red Sea.^[11]

The Farasan Island Marine Sanctuary is a protected area. It is home to the Arabian gazelle, and, in winter, migratory birds^[12] from Europe.^[13] Oceanic animals include manta rays,^[14] whale sharks,^[15] and several species of sea turtles including endangered and critically endangered green and hawksbill turtles, dugongs,^[14] and several species of dolphins and whales with occasional visits by others such as orcas.^{[16][17][18][19]}

After a French engineer investigated petroleum seeps on the islands in 1912, a 75-year concession was granted to the Red Sea oilfields.^[20] At the time, the Farasan Islands supported a small fishing industry.^[21]

• 
  Al-Rifai House in Farasan Island
• 
  Al-Rifai House From the Inside
• 
  Details of Al-Rifai House
• 
  Al-Rifai House built in traditional Farasani architecture
• 
  Ottoman fort in Farasan Island
• 
  Al-Najdi Mosque in Farasan Island
• 
  Farasan Islands Beach
• 
  Ras Shada in Farasan Islands
• 
  Seagulls in Farasan Islands’ Beaches
• 
  Al-Qandal Forest, Farasan

• Saudi Aramco World: Dreaming of Farasan
• Farasan Island, a diver's paradise Archived 2016-03-02 at the Wayback Machine, Splendid Arabia: A travel site with photos and routes