Persian << PUR zhuhn >> Gulf is a kidney-shaped body of water in southwestern Asia between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Arabs call it the Arabian Gulf. The Strait of Hormuz links the gulf to the Gulf of Oman, an arm of the Indian Ocean. The Persian Gulf is about 500 miles (800 kilometers) long and averages 125 miles (201 kilometers) in width. It covers about 100,000 square miles (260,000 square kilometers) and is about 300 feet (91 meters) deep at the deepest point. Such sea animals as oysters and shrimp thrive in the gulf.
The gulf is bordered by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. The leading ports include Bandar-e Abbas, Bushehr, and Abadan in Iran; Basra in Iraq; and Kuwait, Dhahran, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai on the Arabian coast.
The gulf region has more than half the world’s proved reserves of petroleum and natural gas. Oil and gas from the region power much of the world’s industry and earn the gulf states billions of dollars each year.
In ancient times, most towns along the Persian Gulf were self-governing city-states that thrived as ports and trading centers. During the 1800’s, the United Kingdom gained influence over much of the region. Some gulf states gained independence in the early 1900’s. But the United Kingdom kept control over the defense and foreign affairs of the rest. By 1971, all of the gulf states were independent, and the United Kingdom withdrew completely from the area.
During the 1980’s, the Persian Gulf was the center of much fighting in a war between Iran and Iraq. It was also the center of fighting in the Persian Gulf War of 1991 and the Iraq War (2003-2011). During the 1991 war, Iraqi troops poured well over 200 million gallons (760 million liters) of crude oil into the gulf, causing harm to the body of water.
See also Bu Tinah Shoals; Iraq War; Persian Gulf War of 1991.
