Persian Gulf

Persian Gulf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region, is an extension of the Indian ... Various small islands lie within the Persian Gulf, some of which are subject to ...
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Persian Gulf: Definition from Answers.com
Persian Gulf also Arabian Gulf An arm of the Arabian Sea between the Arabian Peninsula and southwest Iran ... The Persian Gulf is mostly shallow and has many ...
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Persian Gulf Online
Seeks to defend the term 'Persian Gulf' and its usage. ... UNESCO apologizes for distortion of Persian Gulf's name - Tehran Times ...
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Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf from the most comprehensive global news network on the internet. ... Persian Headlines. Iran proposes joint N-plants with Gulf states. Pakistan ...
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leads to the Arabian Sea. Detail from :Image:MiddleEast.png.The Persian Gulf, in the Middle East region, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Working Paper No. 61, UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES, dated March 28, April 4, 2006 (); accessed February 09, 2007

The Persian Gulf was the focus of the Iraq-Iran War that lasted from 1980 to 1988, with each side attacking the other's oil tankers. In 1991, the Persian Gulf again was the background for what was called the Persian Gulf War or the "Gulf War" when Iraq invaded Kuwait and was subsequently pushed back, despite the fact that this conflict was primarily a land conflict.

The natural environment of the Persian Gulf is very rich with good fishing grounds, extensive coral reefs, and abundant pearl oysters, but its ecology has become increasingly under pressure from the heavy industrialisation and in particular the repeated major petroleum spillages associated with recent wars fought in the region.

Geography This inland sea of some 233,000 km² is connected to the Gulf of Oman in the east by the Strait of Hormuz; and its western end is marked by the major river delta of the Shatt al-Arab, which carries the waters of the Euphrates and the Tigris. Its length is 989 kilometres, separating mainly Iran from Saudi Arabia with the shortest divide of about 56 kilometres in the Strait of Hormuz. The waters are overall very shallow and have a maximum depth of 90 metres and an average depth of 50 metres.

Countries with a coastline on the Persian Gulf are (clockwise, from the north): Iran, Oman (exclave of Musandam), United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar on a peninsula off the Saudi coast, Bahrain on an island, Kuwait and Iraq in the northwest. List of islands in the Persian Gulf lie within the Persian Gulf.

Oil and gas The Persian Gulf and its coastal areas are the world's largest single source of crude oil and related industries dominate the region. Al-Safaniya, the world's largest offshore oilfield, is located in the Persian gulf. Large gas finds have also been made with Qatar and Iran sharing a giant field across the territorial median line (North Field in the Qatari sector; South Pars Field in the Iranian sector). Using this gas, Qatar has built up a substantial liquified natural gas (LNG) and petrochemical industry.

The oil-rich countries (excluding Iraq) that have a coastline on the Persian Gulf are referred to as the Persian Gulf States. Iraq's egress to the gulf is narrow and easily blockaded consisting of the marshy river delta of the Shatt al-Arab, which carries the waters of the Euphrates River and the Tigris Rivers, where the left (East) bank is held by Iran.

Etymology The experts, who have worked on the name of Persian Gulf, became unanimous considering the name of Persian Gulf as the correct term. For at least during the past 2500 years, i.e. from the rise of the Achaemenids (550-330 B.C.) there has never been seen such a consensus in the Middle East among writers and historians on one name during the past twenty-five centuries. The rise of the Achaemenid dynasty, and center of power which was from the province of Pars (Persis, or modern Fars) in the southwestern region of the Iranian plateau. Consequently in the Greek sources, the body of water that bordered this province came to be known as the Persian Gulf.Touraj Daryaee, The Persian Gulf Trade in Late Antiquity, Journal of World History, Vol. 14, No. 1., March 2003, ( LINK); accessed Fenruary 09, 2007

Considering the historical background of the name Persian Gulf, A. T. Wilson mentions in a book, published in 1928 that:

No written deed has remained since the era before the Persian Empire, but in the oral history and culture, the Iranians have called the southern waters: "Jam Sea", "Iran Sea", "Pars Sea".

During the years: 550 to 330 B.C. coinciding with sovereignty of the first Persian Empire on the Middle East area, especially the whole part of Persian Gulf and some parts of the Arabian Peninsula, the name of "Pars Sea" has been widely written in the compiled texts.Working Paper No. 61, UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES, dated March 28, April 4, 2006 (); accessed February 09, 2007

In the travel account of Pythagoras, several chapters are related to description of his travels accompanied by Darius the Great, to Susa and Persepolis, and the area is described. From among the writings of others in the same period, there is the inscription and engraving of Darius the great, installed at junction of waters of Arabian Gulf (Ahmar Sea = Red sea) and Nile river and Rome river (current Mediterranean) which belongs to the 5th century BC where, Darius, the king of Achaemenid Empire has named the Persian Gulf Water Channel: Pars Sea.Working Paper No. 61, UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES, dated March 28, April 4, 2006 (); accessed February 09, 2007

Naming dispute , United Arab Emirates.Since the 1960s with the rise of Arab nationalism (Pan-Arabism), starting with Gamal Abdel Nasser's Arab Republic of Egypt, some Arab countries, including the ones bordering the Persian Gulf, have adopted the term "Arabian Gulf" (in Arabic language: الخلیج العربي al-khalīj al-ʿarabī) to refer to the waterway.Niusha Boghrati, Omission of 'Persian Gulf' Name Angers Iran, World Press.com, dated December 28, 2006 ( LINK) This is controversial and not commonly used outside of the Arab world, nor is it recognized by the United NationsUN Map ( LINK)UN Map of Iran()UN Map Map of Western Asia, () and other international organizations. The United Nations on many occasions has requested that only "Persian Gulf" be used as the official and standard geographical designation for the body of water.() "Arabian Gulf" is also an ancient name for the Red Sea.Working Paper No. 61, UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES, dated March 28, April 4, 2006, p.2 () Hecataeus (472 to 509 B.C.) can be stated where Persian Gulf and Red Sea (Red Sea) have been clearly shown. Also a map has remained from Herodotus, the great Greek historian (425-484 B.C.) which introduces Red Sea as the Arabian Gulf.Working Paper No. 61, UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES, dated March 28, April 4, 2006 (); accessed February 09, 2007

In the world map of Diseark (285-347 B.C.) too, Persian Gulf and Arabian Gulf have been clearly distinct. At the same time, many maps and deeds prepared up to the 8th century by the historians such as ArrianArriann, "Alexander Fleet in the Persian Gulf", in Anabasis Alexandri: Book VIII (INDICA) Hecataeus, Herodotus, Hiparek, Claudius Batlamious, Krats Malous,…… and in the Islamic period, Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī, Abou Yousef Eshagh Kandi, Ibn Khordadbeh, Al-Battani, Ali al-Masudi, Ahmed ibn Sahl al-Balkhi, Istakhri, Ibn Houghal, al-Biruni and others, mention that there is a wide sea at south of Iran named “Pars Sea”, “Pars Gulf”, “Fars Sea”, “Fars Gulf”, “Bahre Fars”, “Sinus Persicus” and “Mare Persicum” and so on. In a book, named “Persilus Aryateria”, the Greek traveller of the 1st century A.D. has called the Red Sea as Arabian gulf; the Indian ocean has been named Aryateria Sea; the waters at Oman Coast is called Pars Sea; Barbarus region (between Oman and Yemen coast are called belonging to Pars, and the Gulf located at south side of Iran is named: Persian Gulf. By describing the water body, the life of Persians living at both sides have also been confirmed.Working Paper No. 61, UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES, dated March 28, April 4, 2006 (); accessed February 09, 2007

Most recently, at the Twenty-third session of United Nation in March-April 2006, the name 'Persian Gulf' was confirmed again as the legitimate and the official term to be used by members of United Nation.Working Paper No. 61, UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES, dated March 28, April 4, 2006, p.2 ()

British residency From 1763 until 1971, the United Kingdom maintained varying degrees of political control over some Persian Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates (originally called the "Trucial Coast States") and at various times Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar.

Britain still keeps a high profile in the region even today. In 2006, for example, over 1 million Britons visited Dubai alone.Peter Beaumont, Blair was dangerously off target in his condemnation of Iran, The Guardian dated December 24, 2006, ( LINK)

References See also

External links

Persian Gulf Studies website
The Persian Gulf, Information, history and resources of the Persian Gulf
The Portuguese in the Arabian peninsula and in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf Region
Publication of Historical Maps of the Persian Gulf in Tehran
Persian Gulf maps
Factsheet on the Legal and Historical Usage of the "Persian Gulf" - ISG MIT
The Persian Gulf: The Politics of Geographic Renaming
UN GEGN – Historical, Geographical and Legal Validity of the Name: Persian Gulf

Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf from the most comprehensive global news network on the internet. International News and analysis on current events, business, finance, economy, sports and more.

Persian Gulf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. [1] Historically and commonly known as the ...

Persian Gulf -Times Online
The abrupt dismissal of 40 Iranian ambassadors, almost half of those posted, reveals the extent of the power struggle in Tehran.

Persian Gulf -Times Online
Five years after the invasion of Iraq, there is still no certainty as to the outcome of the fluctuating, complex struggle to determine the destiny of Iraq, a struggle with huge ...

Persian Gulf Online
Seeks to defend the term 'Persian Gulf' and its usage. Site includes maps and pictures, related articles, area history, and project mission.

Persian Gulf War Insignia For Sale: Kelly Militaria
Catalogue of Gulf War Insignia. Kuwait & Iraq 1990-1991 - Ian Kelly Militaria. Original British and Commonwealth Military and Police insignia bought and sold worldwide by mail ...

Persian Gulf War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Persian Gulf War may refer to: Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), also known as the Persian Gulf War or the First Gulf War. (Before the 1991 war, this was also known simply as the "Gulf ...

Persian Gulf
Gulf ... Gulf bordering Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman, with an area of 240,000 km², a maximum depth of 90 metres, and an average ...

The Persian Gulf in Prehistory and History
An International Workshop sponsored by the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Organisation, the British Institute of Persian Studies, and Durham University