Description

Copyright infringement not intended

Context:

During his visit to Saudi Arabia, US President Donald Trump intends to officially rename the 'Persian Gulf' as the 'Arabian Gulf,' in accordance with Arab Gulf nations' desires.

Historical Context and Key Facts

The Persian Gulf is a shallow sea that forms part of the Indian Ocean.
It is situated between the Arabian Peninsula and southeastern Iran.
Iran borders the Gulf to the north, northeast, and east. Oman and the United Arab Emirates share borders to the southeast and south. It shares borders with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar on its southwest and west sides. To the northwest, it shares borders with Kuwait and Iraq.
The phrase "Persian Gulf" can also refer to the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, both of which enter the Arabian Sea.
The Tigris, Euphrates, and Karun rivers provide the majority of the Gulf's freshwater.

Geographical Features

Location	Western Asia; a marginal sea of the Indian Ocean.
Connection to Arabian Sea	Connected via the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global oil shipments.
Area	Approximately 251,000 km².
Depth	Average depth: 50 meters; Maximum depth: 90 meters.
Coastline Length	Around 5,117 km in total.
Longest Coastline	Iran (~1,536 km).
Boundaries	North: Iran Southwest: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE Northwest: Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain.
Largest Island	Qeshm Island (Iran)—~1,491 km2 (about 2.5 times the size of Bahrain).
Delta	Its western end features the Shatt al-Arab delta, formed by the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.
Institutional Recognition	The International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) officially recognises the water body as the Persian Gulf.
Naming Disputes	While domestic alternatives exist, no country can unilaterally change the global nomenclature recognised by international bodies.

Practice Questions:

Q. With reference to the Persian Gulf region, consider the following statements:

The Persian Gulf is connected to the Arabian Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
Iran has the longest coastline along the Persian Gulf.
Qeshm Island, located in the Persian Gulf, is larger in area than Bahrain.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer:

Correct option: B (2 and 3 only)

Explanation:

Statement 1: Incorrect. The Persian Gulf is connected to the Arabian Sea via the Strait of Hormuz, not the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait (which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden).
Statement 2: Correct. Iran has the longest coastline (~1,536 km) along the Persian Gulf.
Statement 3: Correct. Qeshm Island (~1,491 km²) is significantly larger than Bahrain (~765 km² total area)