Persian Gulf

The Persian Gulf is a marginal sea of the Indian Ocean between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. It connects to the Gulf of Oman through the Strait of Hormuz.

Strait of Hormuz: A narrow strait linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. This confined outlet is the gulf’s sole ocean passage and a major shipping chokepoint.
Arabian Plate: A tectonic plate carrying the Arabian Peninsula and parts of the surrounding region. Its movement toward Eurasia helped shape the gulf basin and surrounding mountains.
Persian Gulf oil trade: The production and maritime export of petroleum from countries bordering the Persian Gulf. The gulf’s ports and Hormuz route connect major oil producers to world markets.
Tanker war: The 1980s phase of the Iran–Iraq War in which attacks targeted commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf. Attacks on tankers exposed the vulnerability of shipping through the gulf and Hormuz.
Persian Gulf naming dispute: A political dispute over whether the body of water should be called the Persian Gulf or the Arabian Gulf. The gulf’s internationally established name is contested in some Arab states.
Gulf of Oman: A sea between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran that opens into the Arabian Sea. It receives waters and outbound shipping from the Persian Gulf through Hormuz.
Zagros Mountains: A mountain range in Iran and Iraq formed largely by the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates. The range marks the northern tectonic margin of the Persian Gulf region.
Liquefied natural gas: Natural gas cooled into liquid form for storage and transport by specialized vessels. Qatar ships large volumes of liquefied natural gas through the gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
Iran–Iraq War: A war fought between Iran and Iraq from 1980 to 1988. The conflict brought combat, mines, and attacks on shipping into the gulf.
Arabian Sea: A region of the northern Indian Ocean bordered by the Arabian Peninsula, India, Pakistan, and Iran. The Arabian Sea lies beyond the Gulf of Oman, outside the Persian Gulf’s narrow entrance.

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