Persian Gulf - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Gulf

Persian Gulf

Persian Gulf from space

Location Western Asia

Type Gulf

Primary

inflows

Sea of Oman

Basin countries Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia,

Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab

Emirates and Oman (exclave of

Musandam)

Max. length 989 km (615 mi)

Surface area 251,000 km2(97,000 sq mi)

Average depth 50 m (160 ft)

Max. depth 90 m (300 ft)

Persian GulfFrom Wikipedia,the free encyclopedia

The Persian Gulfis located in Western Asia between Iran

to the northeast and the Arabian Peninsula to the southwest.

The Persian Gulf is an extension of the Indian Ocean (Gulf of

Oman) through the Strait of Hormuz.[1]The Shatt al-Arab

river delta formsthe northwest shoreline.

The Gulf was a battlefield of the 19801988 Iran-Iraq War,

in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers. It is the

namesake of the 1991 Gulf War, the largely air- and land-

based conflict that followed Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

The Persian Gulf has many fishing grounds, extensive coral

reefs, and abundant pearl oysters, but its ecology has been

damaged by industrialization and oil spills.

The body of water is historically and internationally known as

the "Persian Gulf".[2][3][4]Some Arab governments refer to it

as the "Arabian Gulf" or "The Gulf",[5]but neither term is

recognized internationally. The name "Gulf of Iran (Persian

Gulf)" is used by the International Hydrographic

Organization.[6]

Contents

1 Geography

1.1 Extent

2 Oil and gas

3 Etymology

4 Naming dispute

5 History

5.1 Ancient history

5.2 Colonial era

6 Islands

7 Cities and population

7.1 Major cities

8 Wildlife

8.1 Gallery

Coordinates: 26N 52
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Gulf 3

Map of the Persian Gulf. The Gulf of Oman leads t

the Arabian Sea. Detail from larger map of theMiddle East.

Considering the historical background of the name Persian Gulf, Sir Arnold Wilson mentions in a book, published

1928 that:

No water channel has been so significant as Persian Gulf to the geologists, archaeologists,geographers, merchants, politicians, excursionists, and scholars whether in past or in present. Thiswater channel which separates the Iran Plateau from the Arabia Plate, has enjoyed an Iranian

Identity since at least 2200 years ago.[1] During the years 550 to 330 BC, coinciding with the sovereignty of the first Persian Empire over the Middle East

area, especially the whole part of the Persian Gulf and some parts of the Arabian Peninsula, the name of "Pars Seais widely found in the compiled written texts.[1]

In the travel account of Pythagoras, several chapters are related to description of his travels accompanied by Dari

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 Red Sea (also called

"Arabian Gulf" or "Ahmar Sea") and the Nile river and the Rome river (current Mediterranean) which belongs to th

5th century BC where, Darius the Great, the king of the Achaemenid Empire has named the Persian Gulf Water

Channel: Pars Sea(Persian Sea).[1]

Before being given the present name, the Persian Gulf was called many different names. The classical Greekwriters, like Herodotus, called it 'the Red Sea'. In Babylonian texts it was known as 'the sea above Akkad'.

Naming dispute

The name of the gulf, historically and internationally known as the Persian Gulf after the land of Persia (Iran), has

been disputed by some Arab countries since the 1960s.[12]Rivalry between Iran and some Arab states, along with

the emergence of pan-Arabism and Arab nationalism, has seen the nameArabian Gulfbecome predominant in
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A historical map of the Persian Gulf in a Dubai

museum with the wordPersianremoved[10][11]

Picture depicting extent of earlycivilizations around the Persian Gulf,

including Lackhmids, and Sassanids.

Picture depicting the Achaemenid

Persian empire in relation to the

Persian Gulf.

most Arab countries.[13][14]Names beyond these two have also been applied to or proposed for this body of

water.

History

Ancient history

The world's oldest known civilization (Sumer) developed

along the Persian Gulf. The shallow basin that now underlies

the Gulf was an extensive region of river valley and

wetlands during the transition between the end of the Last

Glacial Maximum and the start of the Holocene, which,

according to University of Birmingham archaeologist Jeffrey

Rose, served as an environmental refuge for early humans

during periodic hyperarid climate oscillations, laying the

foundations for the legend of Dilmun[15]For most of the

early history of the settlements in the Persian Gulf, thesouthern shores were ruled by a series of nomadic tribes.

During the end of the fourth millennium BC, the southern part of the

Persian Gulf was dominated by the Dilmun civilization. For a long time

the most important settlement on the southern coast of the Persian Gulf

was Gerrha. In the 2nd century the Lakhum tribe, who lived in what is

now Yemen, migrated north and founded the Lakhmid Kingdom along

the southern coast. Occasional ancient battles took place along the

Persian Gulf coastlines, between the Sassanid Persian empire and the

Lakhmid Kingdom, the most prominent of which was the invasion led by

Shapur II against the Lakhmids, leading to Lakhmids' defeat, andadvancement into Arabia, along the southern shore lines.[16]During the

7th century the Sassanid Persian empire conquered the whole of the

Persian Gulf, including southern and northern shores.

Between 625 BC and 226 AD, the northern side was dominated by a

succession of Persian empires including the Median, Achaemenid,

Seleucid and Parthian empires. Under the leadership of the Achaemenid

king Darius the Great (Darius I), Persian ships found their way to the

Persian Gulf.[17]Persian naval forces laid the foundation for a strong

Persian maritime presence in Persian Gulf, that started with Darius I andexisted until the arrival of the British East India Company, and the Royal

Navy by mid-19th century AD. Persians were not only stationed on

islands of the Persian Gulf, but also had ships often of 100 to 200

capacity patrolling empire's various rivers including Shatt-al-Arab, Tigris,

and the Nile in the west, as well as Sind waterway, in India.[17]

The Achaemenid high naval command had established major naval bases located along Shatt al-Arab river,

Bahrain, Oman, and Yemen. The Persian fleet would soon not only be used for peacekeeping purposes along the

Shatt al-Arab but would also open the door to trade with India via Persian Gulf.[17][18]
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Picture depicting "Persian Corridor"

through which the Allies provided

supplies to USSR.

Following the fall of Achaemenid Empire, and after the fall of the Parthian Empire, the Sassanid empire ruled the

northern half and at times the southern half of the Persian Gulf. The Persian Gulf, along with the Silk Road, were

important trade routes in the Sassanid empire. Many of the trading ports of the Persian empires were located in or

around Persian Gulf. Siraf, an ancient Sassanid port that was located on the northern shore of the gulf, located in

what is now the Iranian province of Bushehr, is an example of such commercial port. Siraf, was also significant in

that it had a flourishing commercial trade with China by the 4th century,

having first established connection with the far east in 185 AD.[19]

Colonial era

Portuguese expansion into the Indian Ocean in the early 16th century

following Vasco da Gama's voyages of exploration saw them battle the

Ottomans up the coast of the Persian Gulf. In 1521, a Portuguese force

led by commander Antonio Correia invaded Bahrain to take control of

the wealth created by its pearl industry. On April 29, 1602, Shh Abbs,

the Persian emperor of the Safavid Persian Empire expelled the

Portuguese from Bahrain,[20]and that date is commemorated as National

Persian Gulf day in Iran.[21]With the support of the British fleet, in 1622

'Abbs took the island of Hormuz from the Portuguese; much of the

trade was diverted to the town of Bandar 'Abbs, which he had taken

from the Portuguese in 1615 and had named after himself. The Persian

Gulf was therefore opened by Persians to a flourishing commerce with

the Portuguese, Dutch, French, Spanish and the British merchants, who

were granted particular privileges.

In World War II, the Western Allies used Iran as a conduit to transport

military and industrial supply to Russia (USSR), through a pathway

known historically as the "Persian Corridor". This path would utilize theTrans-Iranian Railway, but in order for the supply to be transported to

Iran, Britain utitlized the Persian Gulf as the entry point for the supply chain.[22]Persian Gulf therefore became a

critical maritime path through which the Allies transported equipment, to Russia against the Nazi invasion.[23]

From 1763 until 1971, the British Empire maintained varying degrees of political control over some of the Persian

Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates (originally called the Trucial States)[24][25]and at various times

Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar through the British Residency of the Persian Gulf. United Kingdom maintains a

high profile in the region to date; in 2006 alone, over 1 million British nationals visited Dubai.[26]

Islands

Persian Gulf is home to many small islands. Bahrain an island in the Persian Gulf, is itself a Persian Gulf Arab state

Geographically the biggest island in the Persian Gulf is Qeshm island located in the Strait of Hormuz and belonging

to Iran. Other significant islands in the Persian Gulf include Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Kish administered by

Iran, Bubiyan administered by Kuwait, Tarout administered by Saudi Arabia, and Dalma administered by UAE. In

recent years, there has also been addition of artificial islands, often created by Arab states such as UAE for

commercial reasons or as tourist resorts. Although very small, these artificial islands have had a negative impact on
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Abu Dhabi, United Arab

Emirates

Kuwait City, Kuwait Manama, Bahrain

Dubai, United Arab Emirates Doha, Qatar

the mangrove habitats upon which they are built, often causing unpredicted environmental issues. Persian Gulf

islands are often also historically significant having been used in the past by colonial powers such as the Portuguese

and the British in their trade or as acquisitions for their empires.[27]

Cities and population

Eight nations have coasts along the gulf: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United

Arab Emirates. The gulf's strategic location has made it an ideal place for human development over time. Today,many major cities of the Middle East are located in this region.

Major cities

Wildlife

The wildlife of the Persian Gulf is diverse, and entirely unique due to the gulf's geographic distribution and its

isolation from the international waters only breached by the narrow Strait of Hormuz. The Persian Gulf has hosted

some of the most magnificent marine fauna and flora, some of which are near extinction or at serious environmenta
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risk. From corals, to dugongs, Persian Gulf is a diverse cradle for many species who depend on each other for

survival.

A great example of this symbiosis are the mangroves in the gulf, which require tidal flow and a combination of fres

and salt water for growth, and act as nurseries for many crabs, small fish, and insects; these fish and insects are the

source of food for many of the marine birds that feed on them. [28]Mangroves are a diverse group of shrubs and

trees belonging to the genusAvicenniaorRhizophorathat flourish in the salt water shallows of the gulf, and are th

most important habitats for small crustaceans that dwell in them. They are as crucial an indicator of biological healt

on the surface of the water, as the corals are to biological health of the gulf in deeper waters. Mangroves' ability to

survive the salt water through intricate molecular mechanisms, their unique reproductive cycle, and their ability to

grow in the most oxygen-deprived waters have allowed them extensive growth in hostile areas of the gulf. [29][30]

Unfortunately, however, with the advent of artificial island development, most of their habitat is destroyed, or

occupied by man-made structures. This has had a negative impact on the crustaceans that rely on the mangrove,

and in turn on the species that feed on them.

One of the more unusual marine mammals living in the Persian Gulf isDugong dugon, commonly referred to as th

dugong. Called "sea cows" for their grazing habits, their mild manner and resemblance to the livestock, dugongs

have a life expectancy similar to that of humans and can reach lengths of up to 3 meters. These gentle mammals

feed on the sea grass and genetically resemble the land mammals more than the dolphins and the whales. [31]

Despite the simplicity of their grass diet, new developments along the Persian Gulf coastline, particularly artificial

island development in Arab states, pollution particularly by oil spills caused during the "Persian Gulf war" and also

due to occasional oil spills, and uncontrolled hunting has had a negative impact on the survival of the dugongs.[31]

After Australian waters with some 80,000 dugong inhabitants, the waters off Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, and Saudi

Arabia have some 7,500 dugongs remaining, making the Persian Gulf the second most important habitat for the

species. Dugong's current number is dwindling and it is not clear how many are currently alive or what their

reproductive trend is.[31][32]Unfortunately, ambitious and uncalculated construction schemes, political unrest and a

ever present international conflict, and presence of the most lucrative world supply of oil, along with lack of

cooperation between Arab states and Iran, has had a negative impact on the survival of many marine species,

including dugongs.

Coral is another important inhabitant of the Persian Gulf waters. Corals are vital ecosystems that support multitude

of marine species, and whose health directly reflects the health of the gulf. Recent years have seen a drastic decline

in the coral population in the gulf, partially owing to global warming but majorly due to irresponsible dumping by

Arab states like UAE and Bahrain.[33]Construction garbage such as tires, cement, and chemical by products have

found their way to the Persian Gulf in recent years. Aside from direct damage to the coral, the construction waste

creates "traps" for marine life in which they are trapped and die.[33]The end result has been a dwindling population

of the coral, and as a result a decrease in number of species that rely on the corals for their survival.

The Persian Gulf is also home to many migratory and local birds. There is great variation in color, size, and type of

the bird species that call the gulf home. One bird in particular, the kalbaensis, a sub-species of the kingfishers is at

the brink of extinction due to real state development by cities such as Dubai and countries such as Oman.[28]

Estimates from 2006 showed that only three viable nesting sites were available for this ancient bird, one located 80

miles (129 km) from Dubai, and two smaller sites in Oman, all of which are in the process of becoming real estate

developments.[28]Such expansion would prove devastating and could cause this species to become extinct.

Unfortunately for the kingfisher, a U.N. plan to protect the mangroves as a biological reserve was blatantly ignored

by the emirate of Sharjah, which allowed the dredging of a channel that bisects the wetland and construction of an
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Dugong mother and its

offspring in shallow water.

A healthy coral is an

indication of a viable aquatic

One variant of the kingfisher

bird group.

adjacent concrete walkway.[28]Environmental watchdogs in Arabia are few, and those that do advocate the

wildlife are often silenced or ignored by developers of real estate, most of whom have royal family connections and

huge energy profits to invest.[28]The end result has been sacrifice of a beautiful yet delicate ecology that has been

harmony for hundreds of years, for structures that are erected only a few years, yet will have a lasting detrimental

effect.

Almost no species in the Persian Gulf is spared from the real estate development of UAE and Oman, including the

hawksbill turtle, the flamingo, and the booted warblers, mainly due to destruction of the mangrove habitats to makway for towers, hotels, and luxury resorts.[28][34]Even dolphins that frequent the gulf in northern waters, around

Iran are at serious risk. Recent statistics and observations show that dolphins are at danger of entrapment in purse

seine fishing nets and exposure to chemical pollutants; perhaps the most alarming sign is the "mass suicides"

committed by dolphins off Iran's Hormozgan province, which are not well understood, but are suspected to be

linked with a deteriorating marine environment from water pollution from oil, sewage, and industrial run offs.[35][36

The Persian Gulf is also home to over 700 species of fish, most of which are native to the gulf. [37]Of these 700

species, more than 80% are coral reef associated, and directly or indirectly depend on the coral reef for their

survival.

[37]

Overall, the wild life of the Persian Gulf is endangered from both global factors, and regional, localnegligence. Most pollution is from ships; land generated pollution counts as the second most common source of

pollution,[38]ranging from mercury, to acidic or basic toxins.

Gallery
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Dolphinsoff the southern

shore ofIran, around

Palm and sunset in Minoo

Island (Persian Gulf).

The gulf is the location of

many of the region's primary

See also

Arabcuisine of the Persian Gulf

Cradle of civilization

Deluge (prehistoric)

Gulf of Aden

References

1. ^ abcdUnited Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names Working Paper No. 61

(http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/ungegn/docs/23-gegn/wp/gegn23wp61.pdf), 23rd Session, Vienna, 28 March

4 April 2006. accessed October 9, 2010

2. ^Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). "The World Fact Book" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world

factbook/geos/ir.html). Retrieved 2010-12-04.

3. ^nationsonline.org. "Political Map of Iran" (http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/iran_map.htm). Retrieve

2010-12-04.

4. Ûnited Nations. "United Nations Cartographic Section (Middle East Map)"

(http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/english/htmain.htm).

5. ^Niusha Boghrati, Omission of 'Persian Gulf' Name Angers Iran(http://www.worldpress.org/Mideast/2616.cfm

WorldPress.com, December 28, 2006

6. ^ ab"Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition" (http://www.iho-ohi.net/iho_pubs/standard/S-23/S23_1953.pdf).

International Hydrographic Organization. 1953. Retrieved 7 February 2010.

7. ^Persian Gulf Online. "Persian Gulf Oil and Gas Exports Fact Sheet (U.S. Department of Energy)"

(http://www.persiangulfonline.org/interestgroups/oilfacts.htm). Retrieved March 4, 2011.

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(http://www.eia.doe.gov/cabs/pgulf2.html). EIA/DOE (Energey Information Administration/Department of

Energy).

9. ^Touraj Daryaee (2003). "The Persian Gulf Trade in Late Antiquity"

(http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/jwh/14.1/daryaee.html). Journal of World History14(1).

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(http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/IJ27Ak01.html). Asia Times. Retrieved 2010-11-30.

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(http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FL09Ak03.html). Asia Times. Retrieved 2010-11-30.

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14. ^Bosworth, C. Edmund (1980). "The Nomenclature of the Persian Gulf". In Cottrell, Alvin J. (ed.). The Persian

Gulf States: A General Survey. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. xviixxxvi. "Not until th

early1960s does a major new development occur with the adoption by the Arab states bordering on the Gulf of th

expression al-Khalij al-Arabias weapon in the psychological war with Iran for political influence in the Gulf; but

the story of these events belongs to a subsequent chapter on modern political and diplomatic history of the Gulf.

(p.xxxiii.)"

15. ^Jeffrey Rose, "New light on human prehistory in the Arabo-Persian Gulf oasis"

(http://birmingham.academia.edu/JeffreyRose/Papers/359690/New_Light_on_Human_Prehistory_in_the_Arabo-

Persian_Gulf_Oasis) Current Anthropology51.6 (December 2010)

16. ^M. Th. Houtsma (1993).E.J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam 19131936(http://books.google.com/books?

id=sP_hVmik-QYC&pg=PA179). ISBN 978-90-04-09796-4. Retrieved 2010-11-26.

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id=p7kltwf9yrwC&pg=PA68). Osprey Publishing. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-84603-108-3.

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(http://books.google.com/books?id=lxQ9W6F1oSYC&pg=PA761). Eisenbrauns. p. 761. ISBN 978-1-57506-120-

19. ^British Institute of Persian Studies. "Siraf" (http://www.bips.ac.uk/sites/siraf). Retrieved 2010-11-24.20. ^Juan R. I. Cole (1987). "Rival Empires of Trade and Imami Shiism in Eastern Arabia, 13001800".Internationa

Journal of Middle East Studies19(2): 177203 [186]. doi:10.1017/s0020743800031834

(http://dx.doi.org/10.1017%2Fs0020743800031834). JSTOR 163353 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/163353).

21. ^[1] (http://english.irib.ir/news/political/item/60225-persian-gulf-national-day-in-foreign-ministry), IRIB,

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Luttichau, Martin Blumenson, Robert W. Coakley, Stetson Conn, Byron Fairchild, Richard M. Leighton, Charles

V.P. von Luttichau, Charles B. MacDonald, Sidney T. Mathews, Maurice Matloff, Ralph S. Mavrogordato, Leo J

Meyer, John Miller, Jr., Louis Morton, Forrest C. Pogue, Roland G. Ruppenthal, Robert Ross Smith, Earl F.

Ziemke. Command Decisions (http://books.google.com/books?id=XIxWWhu9ARoC&pg=PA225). Government

Printing Office. p. 225.

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(http://books.google.com/books?id=t3QGAQAAIAAJ). Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army

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p. 172. ISBN 978-0-04-953005-8. Retrieved 2010-11-19.

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(http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,1978458,00.html), The Guardian, December 24, 2006.

27. ^Marco Ramerini. "Portuguese in the Arabia and the Persian Gulf"

(http://www.colonialvoyage.com/eng/asia/persian_gulf/index.html). Retrieved 2010-11-27.

28. ^ abcdefJim Krane (2006-07-03). "Development in Persian Gulf Threatens Wildlife"

(http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/07/03/gulfwildlife_pla.html?category=earth&guid=20060703160030).

Discovery Channel. Retrieved 30 June 2008.

29. ^SunySB. "Mangals" (http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/marinebio/mangal.html). Retrieved 2010-11-23.

30. ^Akiyo Yamada, Takeo Saitoh, Tetsuro Mimura and Yoshihiro Ozeki (2002-04-30). Expression of Mangrove

AlleneOxide Cyclase Enhances Salt Tolerance in Escherichia coli, Yeast, and Tobacco Cells.
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32. ^"Persian Gulf Mermaids Face Environmental Threats" (http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/03/dugong-mermai

persian-gulf/). Maurice Picow. 2010-03-04. Retrieved 2010-11-19.

33. ^ ab"Dumping by Construction Crews Killing Bahrain Coral" (http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/06/coral-

bahrain-construction/). Maurice Picow. 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2010-11-19.

34. ^TimThomas and Ian Robinson (2001). "Turtles Rehabilitated After Persian Gulf Oil Spills"

(http://www.seaturtle.org/mtn/archives/mtn55/mtn55p26.shtml). Retrieved 2010-11-23.

35. ^Mandana Javidinejad (2007). "Dolphins of Persian Gulf are in danger"

(http://www.payvand.com/news/07/sep/1339.html). Payvand News Agency. Retrieved December 25, 2010.

36. ^Vahid Sepehri (October 3, 2007). "Iran: Spill, Dolphin Deaths Spark Alarm At Persian Gulf Pollution"

(http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1078857.html). Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty. Retrieved December 25,

2010.

37. ^ abJen/fishbase.org (2003-06-30). "Fish Species in Persian Gulf"

(http://fish.mongabay.com/data/ecosystems/Saltwater_Persian_Gulf.htm). Retrieved 2010-11-24.

38. ^Morteza Aminmansour/Pars Times. "Pollution in Persian Gulf"

(http://www.parstimes.com/environment/pg_pollution.html). Retrieved 2010-11-24.
http://www.parstimes.com/environment/pg_pollution.htmlhttp://fish.mongabay.com/data/ecosystems/Saltwater_Persian_Gulf.htmhttp://www.rferl.org/content/article/1078857.htmlhttp://www.payvand.com/news/07/sep/1339.htmlhttp://www.seaturtle.org/mtn/archives/mtn55/mtn55p26.shtmlhttp://www.greenprophet.com/2010/06/coral-bahrain-construction/http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/03/dugong-mermaid-persian-gulf/http://www.american.edu/TED/persian.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_3.0_Unported_Licensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Categoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Persian_Gulf&oldid=625934851http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PressTVhttp://presstv.com/Program/241509.htmlhttp://www.wdl.org/en/item/11771/http://www.flickr.com/photos/54272266@N06/6863021370/in/photostream/http://www.colonialvoyage.com/hormuz.htmlhttp://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/persian-gulf-i-in-antiquityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Seas_of_the_Indian_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Saudi_Arabia%E2%80%93United_Arab_Emirates_borderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Qatar%E2%80%93Saudi_Arabia_borderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Kuwait%E2%80%93Saudi_Arabia_borderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Iraq%E2%80%93Kuwait_borderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_borderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Bahrain%E2%80%93Qatar_borderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Bahrain%E2%80%93Saudi_Arabia_borderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Persian_Gulfhttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Persian_Gulfhttp://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Special:Search/persian_gulf


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