Karan Island

Karan Island is an uninhabited coral island in the Arabian Gulf. It lies in Saudi waters off the coast of the Eastern Province, north-east of the city of Jubail. It is the largest of the group of small Saudi coral islands in the Gulf, a group that also includes Jana, Kurayn, Jurayd, Harqus and Al-Arabiyah.

The island was formed by the accumulation of sand and coral debris on top of a shallow reef. It is low and flat, rising only slightly above sea level. Parts of it are covered by short salt-tolerant plants, and it is surrounded on all sides by coral reef.

The island's importance comes from its role as a major nesting site for sea turtles in the Arabian Gulf. Green turtles and hawksbill turtles come to its sandy beaches to lay their eggs during the breeding season. Large colonies of seabirds, especially several species of tern, also nest there in summer. For these reasons the island has environmental protection, and studies are carried out there to monitor turtle and bird numbers. It is normally visited only by researchers.