The Persian Gulf is a shallow marginal sea of the Indian Ocean located in West Asia, nestled between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran (formerly Persia). It is an extension of the Arabian Sea and connects to the Gulf of Oman and the larger Indian Ocean through the narrow Strait of Hormuz. The name Persian Gulf has a tradition dating back thousands of years, with the Greek historian Herodotus referring to it as Persicus Sinus in the 5th century BC. The name reflects the historical influence of the Persian empires, such as the Achaemenids and Sassanids, who used the Gulf as a critical conduit for trade and naval operations.
The Gulf's primary mechanism of global importance is its role as the world's most critical energy artery. The eight countries bordering the Gulf—Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman (Musandam exclave)—collectively hold a significant portion of the world's proven crude oil and natural gas reserves. In 2002, these nations produced about 25% of the world's oil. The vast majority of this oil is shipped by tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint only about 55 km (35 miles) wide at its narrowest point.
The concept connects directly to global energy security and geopolitics. Since the 1960s, a naming dispute has emerged, with some Arab states and media using the term "Arabian Gulf" due to rising Arab nationalism, though the name Persian Gulf is historically documented and recognized by international bodies like the United Nations. Recent geopolitical tensions, such as the 2026 Iran War, have highlighted the Gulf's volatility, with attacks on energy infrastructure and the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which would remove close to 20 percent of global oil supplies from the market.