View source for Arab states of the Persian Gulf

{{redirect|Arab gulf countries|the political union colloquially known as Arab Gulf States|Gulf Cooperation Council}}
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[[File:Arab Gulf States english.png|thumb|upright=1.6|Map of the [[Persian Gulf]]: {{legend|#FF0000|the seven Arab states}}]]

The '''Arab states of the Persian Gulf''' refers to a group of [[Member states of the Arab League|Arab states]] which border the [[Persian Gulf]]. There are seven member states of the [[Arab League]] in the region: [[Bahrain]], [[Kuwait]], [[Iraq]], [[Oman]], [[Qatar]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and the [[United Arab Emirates]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Mary Ann Tétreault|url=https://www.rienner.com/title/Political_Change_in_the_Arab_Gulf_States_Stuck_in_Transition|title=Political Change in the Arab Gulf States: Stuck in Transition|author2=Gwenn Okruhlik|author3=Andrzej Kapiszewski|year=2011|quote=The authors first focus on the politics of seven Gulf states: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.|access-date=2013-08-25|archive-date=2021-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211222091050/https://www.rienner.com/title/Political_Change_in_the_Arab_Gulf_States_Stuck_in_Transition|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xIJBiLdNJm4C&pg=PP55|title=World Migration 2005 Costs and Benefits of International Migration|publisher=International Organization for Migration|year=2005|page=53|isbn=9788171885503|access-date=2019-01-25|archive-date=2023-04-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425143258/https://books.google.com/books?id=xIJBiLdNJm4C&pg=PP55|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|year=1987|title=U.S. Official to Tour Persian Gulf Arab Lands|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/05/world/us-official-to-tour-persian-gulf-arab-lands.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|quote=A leading American diplomat will start a trip to Iraq and six other Arab countries of the Persian Gulf region this week to discuss the Iran-Iraq war, Administration officials said today.|access-date=2017-02-05|archive-date=2021-12-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213233503/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/05/world/us-official-to-tour-persian-gulf-arab-lands.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Yemen]] is bound to the six countries of the [[Gulf Cooperation Council]], based on [[History of Arabia|history]] and [[Arab culture|culture]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=A History of Missed Opportunities: Yemen and the GCC|url=https://carnegie-mec.org/diwan/62405|access-date=2022-02-12|website=Carnegie Middle East Center|language=en|archive-date=2018-10-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012130309/http://carnegie-mec.org/diwan/62405|url-status=live}}</ref>

The term has been used in different contexts to refer to a number of Arab states in the Persian Gulf region. The prominent regional political union [[Gulf Cooperation Council]] includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hertog |first1=Steffen |title=Arab Gulf States : an assessment of nationalisation policies |date=2014 |url=http://diana-n.iue.it:8080/handle/1814/32156 |access-date=12 May 2021 |archive-date=18 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018043245/http://diana-n.iue.it:8080/handle/1814/32156 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Peterson |first1=J. E. |title=Life after Oil: Economic Alternatives for the Arab Gulf States |date=2009 |publisher=Duke University Press |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/317557/summary |access-date=13 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gulf countries |url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/trade/agricultural-international-trade/bilateral-agreements/middle-east-gulf-countries_en |website=European Commission |access-date=13 May 2021 |quote=The Gulf Cooperation Council countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – are important markets for EU agricultural exports. |archive-date=21 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121225808/https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/trade/agricultural-international-trade/bilateral-agreements/middle-east-gulf-countries_en |url-status=live }}</ref> In modern history, various [[British Empire]] [[Persian Gulf Residency|protectorates]],<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Onley |first1=James |title=Britain and the Gulf Shaikhdoms, 1820-1971: The Politics of Protection |journal=CIRS Occasional Papers |date=2009 |url=https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=501005104009101082103019014125100095100069023042044044077006005127071083101092012100124100057006057063050084123003081087017086033035092028083007004079000087124027119022054020004078088127099021114079080112094022078025030067102094013029114122101013066031&EXT=pdf&INDEX=TRUE |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Watt |first1=D. C. |title=Britain and the Future of the Persian Gulf States |journal=The World Today |date=1964 |volume=20 |issue=11 |pages=488–496 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40393560 |access-date=16 May 2021 |publisher=Royal Institute of International Affairs |jstor=40393560 |archive-date=31 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331112853/https://www.jstor.org/stable/40393560 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Albaharna |first1=Husain |title=The Legal Status of the Arabian Gulf States. A Study of their Treaty Relations and their International Problems |journal=International & Comparative Law Quarterly |date=April 1969 |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=518–519 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-and-comparative-law-quarterly/article/abs/legal-status-of-the-arabian-gulf-states-a-study-of-their-treaty-relations-and-their-international-problems-by-husain-m-albaharna-manchester-manchester-university-press-usa-oceana-publications-inc1968-xv-and-351-pp-60s/B9D652FF80419CD459C0FD7FB4E937B2 |access-date=12 May 2021 |publisher=Manchester University Press |archive-date=21 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121225919/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-and-comparative-law-quarterly/article/abs/legal-status-of-the-arabian-gulf-states-a-study-of-their-treaty-relations-and-their-international-problems-by-husain-m-albaharna-manchester-manchester-university-press-usa-oceana-publications-inc1968-xv-and-351-pp-60s/B9D652FF80419CD459C0FD7FB4E937B2 |url-status=live }}</ref> including the [[Trucial States]] were Arab states along the Persian Gulf.<ref>{{cite book|title=From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates|last=Bey|first=Frauke|publisher=Longman|year=1996|isbn=978-0-582-27728-1|location=UK|pages=296–297}}</ref><ref>Balfour-Paul, G., ''The End of Empire in the Middle East: Britain's Relinquishment of Power in her Last Three Arab Dependencies'', Cambridge University Press, 1984, {{ISBN|978-0-521-46636-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Barnwell |first1=Kristi Nichole |title=From trucial states to nation state : decolonization and the formation of the United Arab Emirates, 1952-1971 |date=2011 |url=https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/ETD-UT-2011-08-3717 |access-date=16 May 2021 |publisher=The University of Texas at Austin |quote=For the rulers of the Arab emirates of the Persian Gulf, Wilson‘s announcement signaled an end of British military protection, and the beginning of a process of negotiations that culminated in the establishment of the United Arab Emirates on December 3, 1971. An examination of the process by which the individual Persian Gulf states became a sovereign federation presents an opportunity to examine the roles of nationalism and anti-imperialism played in the establishment of the Union. |archive-date=21 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121225841/https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/ETD-UT-2011-08-3717 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Politics==
Some of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf are [[Constitutional monarchy|constitutional monarchies]] with elected parliaments. [[Bahrain]] (''[[National Assembly (Bahrain)|Majlis al Watani]]'') and [[Kuwait]] (''[[National Assembly (Kuwait)|Majlis al Ummah]]'') have legislatures with members elected by the population.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AF5iAwAAQBAJ |title=Democratization and Authoritarianism in the Arab World |date=2014-04-17 |isbn=9781421414171 |access-date=2022-05-18 |last1=Diamond |first1=Larry |last2=Plattner |first2=Marc F. |archive-date=2023-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425143229/https://books.google.com/books?id=AF5iAwAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Sultanate of Oman]] also has an advisory council (''[[Majlis ash-Shura]]'') that is popularly elected.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AF5iAwAAQBAJ |title=Democratization and Authoritarianism in the Arab World |date=2014-04-17 |isbn=9781421414171 |access-date=2022-05-18 |last1=Diamond |first1=Larry |last2=Plattner |first2=Marc F. |archive-date=2023-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425143229/https://books.google.com/books?id=AF5iAwAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> In the [[United Arab Emirates]], a federation of seven monarchical emirates, the [[Federal National Council (United Arab Emirates)|Federal National Council]], functions only as an advisory body, but some of its members are now chosen via a limited [[electoral college]] nominated by the seven rulers.{{Citation needed|reason=This claim needs a reliable source.|date=April 2021}}

The [[Kingdom of Saudi Arabia]] remains a [[hereditary monarchy]] with limited political representation. In [[Qatar]], an elected national parliament has been mooted and is written into the new constitution, but elections are yet to be held.<ref>Gerd Nonneman, "Political Reform in the Gulf Monarchies: From Liberalisation to Democratisation? A Comparative Perspective", in Anoushiravan Ehteshami and Steven Wright (eds.)(2007), ''Reform in the Middle East Oil Monarchies'', {{ISBN|978-0-86372-323-0}}, pp. 3-45.</ref> Saudi Arabia and Qatar are the two Arab states and [[Absolute monarchy|absolute monarchies]] to have never held elections since their respective establishments as nations in 1932 and 1971 respectively.<ref name= Gerhard>{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of world constitutions, Volume 1 |last=Robbers |first=Gerhard |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8160-6078-8 |page=791}}</ref> Iraq is the only [[federal republic]] situated in the Persian Gulf region.

== Freedom of the press ==
[[Mass media]] in the seven Arab states of the Persian Gulf have [[Freedom of the press|varying degrees of freedom]], with [[Kuwait]] topping the league with a lively press that enjoys considerably more freedom than its Persian Gulf counterparts according to [[Freedom House]] and [[Reporters Without Borders]].{{Citation needed|reason=This claim needs a reliable source.|date=December 2022}} Both organizations rank Kuwait's press as the freest of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf. Kuwait ranks amongst the top three for free press in the Arab world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/freedom-press-2016|title=Freedom of the Press 2016|date=April 26, 2016|website=freedomhouse.org|access-date=June 12, 2016|archive-date=September 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190908055257/https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/freedom-press-2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=2016 World Press Freedom Index |url=https://rsf.org/en/ranking# |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214174449/https://rsf.org/en/ranking |archive-date=2017-02-14 }}</ref> Qatar and Oman come in second and third respectively within the regional ranks of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.{{Citation needed|reason=This claim needs a reliable source.|date=March 2022}}

== Peace ==
The seven Arab states of the Persian Gulf lie in a volatile region and their seven governments, with varying degrees of success and effort, try and advance peace in their own countries and other countries. However, Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region—specifically Saudi Arabia and Qatar—stand accused of funding [[militant]] [[Islamism|Islamist organizations]], such as [[Hamas]] and the [[Muslim Brotherhood]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/qatar-four-middle-eastern-powers-cut-diplomatic-ties-terror-links-bahrain-egypt-saudi-arabia-uae-a7772836.html|title=Four huge Middle Eastern powers just cut ties with Qatar over 'terrorism' links|date=June 5, 2017|website=The Independent|access-date=August 24, 2017|archive-date=February 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206124254/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/qatar-four-middle-eastern-powers-cut-diplomatic-ties-terror-links-bahrain-egypt-saudi-arabia-uae-a7772836.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the [[Institute for Economics and Peace]] (IEP)'s [[Global Peace Index]] of 2016, the six governments had varying degrees of success in maintaining peace amongst their respective borders with Qatar ranked number 1 amongst its regional peers as the most peaceful regional and Middle Eastern nation (and ranked 34 worldwide), while Kuwait ranks second both in the Persian Gulf and [[Middle East]] regions (and 51 worldwide), followed by the UAE in the third spot (61 worldwide).<ref>{{Cite news |title=Global Peace Index 2016 |url=http://www.visionofhumanity.org/sites/default/files/GPI%202016%20Report_2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615041315/http://www.visionofhumanity.org/sites/default/files/GPI%202016%20Report_2.pdf |archive-date=2016-06-15 }}</ref>

== Economy ==
Most of these Arab states have significant revenues from [[Petroleum industry|petroleum]]. The [[United Arab Emirates]] has been successfully [[Economy of UAE|diversifying its economy]]. 79% of UAE's [[GDP|total GDP]] comes from non-oil sectors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/business/diversification-raises-non-oil-share-of-uaes-gdp-to-71-1.795268|title=Diversification raises non-oil share of UAE's GDP to 71%|website=gulfnews.com|access-date=2019-08-26|archive-date=2018-09-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913120920/https://gulfnews.com/business/economy/diversification-raises-non-oil-share-of-uae-s-gdp-to-71-1.795268|url-status=live}}</ref> Oil accounts for only 2% of Dubai's GDP.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jobapplicationline.com/oil-makes-up-2-of-dubai-gdp-post-diversification/|title=Oil Makes Up 2% of Dubai GDP Post-Diversification - Gulf Jobs News|access-date=2021-01-08|archive-date=2021-05-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509135710/https://www.jobapplicationline.com/oil-makes-up-2-of-dubai-gdp-post-diversification/|url-status=live}}</ref> Bahrain has the Persian Gulf's first "post-oil" economy because the Bahraini economy does not rely on oil.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Bahrain: Reform-Promise and Reality|url=http://www.jepeterson.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/Peterson_Bahrain_Reforms.pdf|publisher=J.E. Peterson|page=157|access-date=2014-02-25|archive-date=2014-02-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226224814/http://www.jepeterson.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/Peterson_Bahrain_Reforms.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since the late 20th century, Bahrain has heavily invested in the [[banking]] and [[tourism]] sectors.<ref name=EDB>{{Cite web|title=Bahrain's economy praised for diversity and sustainability |url=http://www.bahrainedb.com/EDBInBahrain.aspx?id=2134 |publisher=Bahrain Economic Development Board |access-date=24 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228154653/http://www.bahrainedb.com/EDBInBahrain.aspx?id=2134 |archive-date=December 28, 2010 }}</ref>  The country's capital, [[Manama]], is home to many large financial structures. The UAE and Bahrain have a high [[Human Development Index]] (ranking 31 and 42 worldwide respectively in 2019) and was recognised by the [[World Bank]] as [[high income economies]]. According to the [[World Bank]], most of these Arab states have been the world's most generous donors of aid as a share of GDP.<ref>{{cite news |title=The haves and the have-nots |url=https://www.economist.com/special-report/2013/07/11/the-haves-and-the-have-nots |newspaper=The Economist |date=11 July 2013 |access-date=26 August 2019 |archive-date=26 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826045729/https://www.economist.com/special-report/2013/07/11/the-haves-and-the-have-nots |url-status=live }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Arab Cold War]]
** [[Gulf War]]
** [[Iran–Iraq War]]
** [[Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict]]
** [[Iraqi–Kurdish conflict]]
** [[Qatar–Saudi Arabia diplomatic conflict]]
* [[Arab Revolt]]
** [[Dissolution of the Ottoman Empire|Collapse]] and [[partition of the Ottoman Empire]]
** [[Iran–Turkey border]]
** [[Iraq–Turkey border]]
* [[Arabian Peninsula]]
* [[Eastern Arabia]]
* [[Gulf Arabic]]
* [[History of Arabia]]
** [[Pre-Islamic Arabia]]
** [[Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia]]
** [[Tribes of Arabia]]
* [[Territorial disputes in the Persian Gulf]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*{{cite journal |last1=Abdulla |first1=Gaith |title=Khaleeji Identity in Contemporary Gulf Politics |journal=Gulf Affairs |date=Autumn 2016 |pages=2–5 |url=https://www.oxgaps.org/files/analysis_abdulla.pdf |publisher=Oxford Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies Forum}}
*{{cite book |last1=Agius |first1=Dionisius |title=Seafaring in the Arabian Gulf and Oman: People of the Dhow |date=2009 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9780415549868 |url=https://www.routledge.com/Seafaring-in-the-Arabian-Gulf-and-Oman-People-of-the-Dhow/Agius/p/book/9780415549868}}
*{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qEus420fcbgC | title=Transnational Connections and the Arab Gulf|year=2005 | isbn=9780415331357| editor=Madawi Al-Rasheed | editor-link=Madawi Al-Rasheed }}
*{{cite book |last1=Al-Sharekh |first1=Alanoud |last2=Freer |first2=Courtney |title=Tribalism and Political Power in the Gulf |date=2021 |publisher=Bloomsbury |isbn=9781838606084 |url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/tribalism-and-political-power-in-the-gulf-9781838606084/}}

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[[Category:Arab League]]
[[Category:Arabian Peninsula]]
[[Category:Persian Gulf]]