Gulf, the

Large shallow inlet of the Arabian Sea; area 233,000 sq km/90,000 sq mi. It divides the Arabian peninsula from Iran and is linked by the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman to the Arabian Sea. Oilfields producing about one-third of the world's oil surround it in the Gulf States of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

It has an average depth of 26 m/85 ft, with high water temperatures, from 24-36°C at the Straits of Hormuz and 18-36°C at its head, where the rivers Tigris, Euphrates, and Karun flow into it. High evaporation and low rainfall contribute to high levels of salinity. Tides are considerable, especially at its head and in the Strait of Hormuz.

Pearl fishing has declined with the rise of the Japanese cultivated pearl industry, but large fishing industries have been established in Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain, and there is a substantial export trade, especially in prawns.