or Hormuz formerly Ormuz
Island and town, Iran.
Situated in the Strait of Hormuz , the island is 5 mi (8 km) off the coast of Iran. Hormoz village is its only permanent settlement. After the Arab conquest, it was an important market that by AD 1200 monopolized trade with India and China. Marco Polo twice visited there. Taken by the Portuguese in 1514, it was retaken by Persia in 1622. The town declined with the growth of the port of Bandar 02BD; Abb 0101; s on the mainland.