| an arm of the Arabian Sea, between SW Iran and Arabia. 600 mi. (965 km) long. |
| Arabian Gulf See Persian Gulf. |
| Persian Gulf also Arabian Gulf An arm of the Arabian Sea between the Arabian Peninsula and southwest Iran. It has been an important trade route since ancient times and gained added strategic significance after the discovery of oil in the Gulf States in the 1930s. |
Arm of the Indian Ocean between Arabia and Iran.
Note: The Persian Gulf oil fields are among the most productive in the world.
Note: The Persian Gulf region was dominated by Britain for most of the twentieth century. After Britain's withdrawal in the late 1960s, the United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence in the region. (See Persian Gulf War.)