Persian Gulf, an arm of the Indian Ocean in southwestern Asia, between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, where it is known as the Arabian Gulf. It begins at the Strait of Hormuz and curves northwestward for more than 600 miles (about 1,000 km), ending at the delta of the Shatt al Arab. Widths vary from about 50 to more than 200 miles (80 to 320 km). The water is shallow—rarely more than 200 feet (60 m) deep.
Bordering the Persian Gulf, besides Iran, are Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and a tip of Oman.
The gulf region is enormously rich in petroleum. Its reserves, production, and exports are among the largest in the world. During the 1980's, warfare between Iran and Iraq frequently imperiled the shipment of oil out of the gulf region.
