Persian Gulf

Description

About three times as long (northwest to southeast) as wide, the Persian Gulf¹ is shallow, averaging only 100 meters. Its outlet is the Strait of Hormuz and its head is at the mouth of the Tigris²-Euphrates³ river system⁴. It separates Iran from the Arabian Peninsula. It is part of the Arabian Sea,, and thus part of the Indian Ocean.

Oil and gas fields

The nations bordering the gulf are major oil and natural gas producers. Large oil fields are Zakum off the Abu Dhabi shore; Faroozan-Marjan to the east of Safanijay-Khafji in the center of the Gulf; Manifa near the Saudi short south of Safanijah-Khafji; Berri, also near the same shore and yet further south; and Efandiar in the middle of the north end of the gulf. Large gas fields are North and South Pars/ North Dome Field north of Qatar; Kish near the island with the same name; Golshan northwest of South Pars; and Ferdowsi to its west. A field with both resources is Safanijah-Khafji just off the al-Kuwait/ Saudi Arabian border.

Around the gulf

north
northeast
northeast, from the south
south
southwest
northwest

Footnotes

1. Also called the Arabian Gulf.
2. Djila in Arabic.
3. al-Furat in Arabic.
4. Shatt al Arab is the name of the lower course, where the two systems are merged.