Kharg Island is located in the northern part of the Persian Gulf, off the southwestern coast of Iran, roughly 25–30 km (about 16–19 miles) from the Iranian mainland in Bushehr Province and northwest of the port city of Bushehr.

Quick Scoop: Where Is Kharg Island Located?

Kharg Island (also spelled Khark) is part of Iran and sits in the northern Persian Gulf. It lies about 25–30 km off Iran’s coast and roughly 55 km northwest of the major port city of Bushehr, within Bushehr Province.

Geographically, it is a small coral island of about 20 km² in area, surrounded by deep waters that can accommodate large oil tankers. This position has turned it into a key export terminal for Iran’s oil, handling a large share of the country’s crude shipments.

Why Kharg Island Shows Up in the News

In recent years and into 2026, Kharg Island has often been mentioned in discussions of regional tension and energy security, because it serves as Iran’s principal oil export terminal. Its location in the northern Gulf, relatively near the Strait of Hormuz but not inside its narrowest choke point, makes it strategically important for global oil flows.

Think of it as a compact, heavily industrialized hub: pipelines, loading facilities, and storage tanks concentrated on a small coral outcrop, all positioned just off Iran’s coast in the Persian Gulf.

Fast Facts (At a Glance)

  • Country: Iran.
  • Body of water: Northern Persian Gulf.
  • Province: Bushehr Province, southwest Iran.
  • Distance from mainland: About 25–30 km off Iran’s coast.
  • Distance from Bushehr city: Roughly 55–70 km northwest, depending on the specific reference point.
  • Type of island: Coral/continental island, about 20 km² in area.
  • Role: Major oil export terminal for Iran.

Simple Map-Style Description

If you look at a map of the Persian Gulf:

  1. Find Iran’s southern coastline.
  2. Locate the port city of Bushehr on that coast.
  3. Move northwest and slightly offshore into the Gulf: Kharg Island sits there as a small, isolated island used heavily for oil export.

TL;DR: Kharg Island is a small but strategic Iranian island in the northern Persian Gulf, about 25–30 km off the coast of Bushehr Province, northwest of the port of Bushehr.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.