Persian Gulf
Sightseeing refers to the countries:UAEUAE , Saudi ArabiaQatarOmanKuwaitIraqBahrainThe Persian Gulf, the northern tip of the Indian Ocean basin, is an arm of water separating the Arabian Peninsula from the southwestern limits of Iran. It is located in the region traditionally referred to as the Middle East, which is a tangle of political and religious controversies and mutual territorial claims. The shores of neighboring rivals Iraq and Kuwait, as well as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman face the waters of the Persian Gulf. There are many islands scattered in its waters, one of the archipelagos belongs to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Video: Persian Gulf
Contents- Highlights
- History of the Persian Gulf
- Geography
- Climate
- Underwater World of the Persian Gulf
East Coast - North Coast
- West Coast
- South Coast
- How to get there
Highlights
Grandiose natural riches have given all the Gulf states the opportunity to prosper and modernize. But in this region, each country has its own ambitions, chooses different development vectors and prioritizes in its own way. The United Arab Emirates was the first country to channel oil revenues into the development of tourism infrastructure. Their neighbors followed suit, and today even super-conservative Saudi Arabia is actively implementing state programs aimed at attracting tourists.
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The ultramodern megacities that have grown up on the shores of the Arabian Peninsula seem like mirages. On the background of desert landscapes futuristic skyscrapers compete in extravagance, where guests receive fashionable hotels, panoramic restaurants, shopping centers. Here the sands turn into blossoming gardens and the coastline into luxurious beaches. Man-made islands grow over the coastal waters of the Gulf, which are immediately built up with residential complexes, hotels, restaurants, amusement parks.
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On the coast of Iran, located on the opposite shore of the Persian Gulf, rest mainly locals. Foreigners prefer the islands belonging to this country, where a free economic zone has been established and a tourist infrastructure has been created.
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History of the Persian Gulf
Mesopotamian civilization, one of the world’s oldest, originated in the far northwest of the Persian Gulf. It was the edge of the “Fertile Crescent,” a curved strip of green land extending to the Nile Delta. The southern part of the Gulf was dominated in the late 4th millennium BC by the legendary state of Dilmun, mentioned in Sumerian mythology and the Akkadian heroic epic of Gilgamesh. Its center was the island of Bahrain.
.Between the 7th century BC and the 3rd century, the northern coast of the Gulf was alternately controlled by the Midian Kingdom, the Achaemenid Empire, the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire, and Parthia. As early as the 6th century BC, the fleet of Darius the Great, king of the Achaemenid dynasty, entered the Gulf, laying the foundation for Persian maritime dominance in the region. It was not until the sixteenth century that the Portuguese managed to supplant the Persians.
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Europeans paid attention to the Persian Gulf at the end of the XV century, when the sea route from Europe to India was laid. They were concerned about Arab coastal tribes that were engaged in maritime robbery and posed a threat to ships with precious cargo on board. The Portuguese decided to take control of the “pirate coast” and began patrolling the entrance to the Persian Gulf. In 1507 they landed on the coast of Oman and invaded its main city of Muscat, and in 1521 they captured Bahrain, famous as a center of pearl mining. The Persian Shah Abbas expelled the Portuguese from the island. The event took place on April 30, 1602. This date is officially celebrated in Iran as the National Day of the Persian Gulf.
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In the first half of the last century, oil was found in the Persian Gulf, over the exploration and production of which the British immediately took control. In 1952 Iran, as Persia then became known, broke off relations with Britain, and in 1971 its treaty with the sheikhdoms of the south coast was terminated, which united to form a new power, the United Arab Emirates. Active production of black gold began in the region in the 1950s and 1960s and marked the beginning of a new history for the Gulf states.
.Geography
By maritime standards, the Persian Gulf is shallow. The average depth is 90 meters, the greatest depth barely exceeds 100 meters. At the exit to the Strait of Hormuz, the bottom goes to depths of 170 meters. The coastal areas of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar are mostly low-lying, little rugged, in contrast to the rocky coastline of the Musandam Peninsula in northern Oman.
.The Gulf has many inhabited and uninhabited islands, natural and man-made. The largest of these are Qeshm (1,491 km²) and Bahrain (766 km²). Some Gulf islands are disputed territories claimed by various states in the region.
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Climate
From northwest to southeast, weather conditions vary along the long Gulf Coast. There are several climate zones, from the humid tropics around the Strait of Hormuz to the desert climate in Arabia and the dry continental subtropics on the Iranian shores.
>Summer months in the region are dry and hot, with temperatures usually exceeding the 30-degree mark, sometimes reaching +40…+50 °C. Winters in the northwest can be cool. In the evenings the thermometer columns often fall below +10 °С and can even approach 0 °С. In the south in winter the exhausting heat recedes, but the weather remains warm: +20 … +25 °С. Rare rains – as a rule, it is abundant short-term showers – are characteristic for the period from November to April, and mainly for the north-eastern coast.
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Water temperature in the Persian Gulf throughout the year fluctuates within +15…+35 °C. The lower figure is recorded on the northern coast during the winter months, while the upper figure is recorded on the southern coast in the summer.
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The underwater world of the Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf is home to over 700 species of fish. The vast majority of marine life lives in reefs. They are predominantly rocky, but coral populations are also quite abundant. There are 35 species of this colorful troop in the waters of the bay. Black coral is especially prized and is used to make beads and rosaries for pilgrims traveling to Mecca and Medina.
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The waters are home to the world’s largest population of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. The Persian Gulf is also home to sharks, including dangerous sharks, but their attacks on humans are rare.
Whale sharks, the largest fish in the world today, are seen almost every year off the coast of Dubai, reaching up to 13 meters in length. These giants, feeding exclusively on plankton, are quite peaceful. In the UAE, diving tours are organized for tourists, the program of which includes swimming next to a whale shark. Traveling to coral reefs where reef sharks – the most common predators in the Persian Gulf – take refuge is also popular. Feeding these one and a half meter fish from the hands – a favorite activity of divers, but too intrusive “benefactors” sharks can and bite.
.The most amazing aquatic mammals found in the bay are dugongs, also known as “sea cows”. They earned their unusual nickname due to their soft, rounded shapes and adherence to a “grass diet.” Dugongs feed on algae and other marine plants, reaching sizes of 3.5 to 5 meters.
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Tuna, sardine, king mackerel, and sea bass are commercially fished in the Persian Gulf. These waters are rich in shrimp, lobsters, cuttlefish, squid, octopus, and lobster. In the mangroves sheltering the shoals, the bay is home to crabs, small fish and crustaceans.
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All along the Arabian Peninsula stretch “pearl banks” – places where mollusks cluster to form pearls in their shells, once the Persian Gulf’s main wealth. The best pearl banks are off the coast of Bahrain and Qatar. The pearls mined here have always been prized for their unprecedented size, regular shape and ability to retain their luster for a long time.
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Locals fished for pearl shells from the waters of the Persian Gulf from ancient times until the beginning of the last century, when the Japanese Mikimoto Kokichi invented a way to grow pearls of almost perfect shape in an artificial environment. The pioneering technology paved the way for the development of a global pearl culturing industry, and pearl prices plummeted. Soon oil was discovered offshore in the Persian Gulf, and mining the underwater treasure, whose reserves seem inexhaustible, became irrelevant. Today, only in Bahrain this fishery remains an important branch of the economy. The traditions of ancestors are kept in their own way in the United Arab Emirates. Here vacationers are offered boat tours in shallow waters, where, dressed in special costumes, they can try themselves as pearl fishers.
.East Coast
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In the south, the strategic position is occupied by the port city of Bandar Abbas, located at the confluence of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The first mention of Bandar Abbas dates back to the reign of Darius the Great, and was written about in the travel notes of Afanasy Nikitin’s “Passage over Three Seas”. The city has interesting historical sights, but tourists know it more as a place where ferries depart to the island of Keshm, lying only 1800 meters from the mainland. The ruins of a fortress built by the Portuguese in the XV century and ancient mosques have been preserved here. Among the natural attractions are mangroves, salt caves. Wonderful beaches are located on two islets Naaz, to which at low tide you can walk along a sand spit.
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One of the most popular vacation destinations in Southwest Asia is Kish Island, a free trade zone. Tourists from many countries wishing to travel to Iran head here, as the trip does not require a visa. Permission for a 14-day stay on the island is issued at the airport located here. Kish is located 19 kilometers from the mainland, opposite the UAE. On a clear day, the skyscrapers of Dubai can be clearly seen from here.
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The resort island, drowning in greenery, is small, its area is 91.5 km². There are numerous hotels, shopping centers, craft shops sell original products. Tourists can visit the water park, dolphinarium, zoo. Among the historical sights – underground aqueduct, built 2500 years ago, the ruins of the ancient city of Harir. On the beautiful long beaches with crystal clear water, women and men rest separately. Ladies may not hesitate to sunbathe on the “feminine side” in bikinis and even topless, taking an example from the Iranians themselves.
.North Coast
The northern coast of the Persian Gulf belongs to Iraq and the object of its constant claims – Kuwait, a small but extremely oil-rich state. Toward the Gulf, troubled Iraq is faced by the swampy delta of the Shatt al-Arab River, formed by the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates. The Shatt al-Arab separates the country from Iran and flows into the Gulf near the Iraqi port city of al-Fao, on the peninsula of the same name. This strategic area has been the scene of numerous armed conflicts in the past century. The peninsula is home to a number of important oil facilities, including Iraq’s two main oil terminals. For obvious reasons, there is no resort area in this troubled region.
.In Kuwait, however, you can have a wonderful vacation on the coast, where modern hotels and amusement parks are built. The capital of the country, El Kuwait, occupies the coast of the bay of the same name – a natural deep-water harbor of the Persian Gulf. The city, considered the center of modern Arab culture in the region, is rich in sights. Among them are the Kuwait Towers, the Grand Mosque, the palace of the Emir of Old Seif Palace, one of the world’s largest musical fountains, and modernist skyscrapers. Along the coast of Kuwait’s capital stretches a huge beach Messil with excellent infrastructure.
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Next to the Kuwait Towers, an artificial Green Island has been created, with 50,000 ornamental plants planted on it, brought from all over the world. There are restaurants and a theater on the territory. A play zone is organized for children.
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At the entrance to the Gulf of Kuveyt sits the natural island of Failaka. Locals and tourists travel here by ferry to relax on the white sandy beaches, fish, and engage in water sports. On the island, colonized by the Greeks before our era, there is an archaeological zone. Here have been discovered valuable artifacts, ruins of Portuguese and British fortifications.
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To the east of El Kuwait, towards the border with Saudi Arabia, guests have already begun to receive new fashionable resorts with entertainment centers, malls, marinas. Wonderful beaches are equipped on the coast of bays and lagoons of the Persian Gulf.
.West Coast
The main part of the western coast of the Persian Gulf is occupied by Saudi Arabia. This vast area is part of the kingdom’s largest administrative district, Al-Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), which encompasses the low-lying plain of Al-Hasa adjacent to the Gulf. One of the largest oil fields on the planet, Ghawar, is located here. It is owned by the richest national company Saudi Aramco – the world leader in oil production. Its headquarters is located in the city of Dhahran, 8 kilometers from the Persian Gulf. It is a beautiful, modern, well-protected city, a center of innovative technologies in oil production, exploration and medicine. Dhahran is connected by highways to the ports of El Khubar, Ras Tannoura, El Jubail – the terminus of oil pipelines.
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The oldest ports on the Arabian Peninsula are also located on the coast, but they are mostly shallow and large ships do not call here. In the historic oasis is the city of Al-Qatif, one of the oldest settlements in Eastern Arabia and once the most important port in the Persian Gulf. There are many historical sites in and around the city that are interesting for travelers to explore. Qatif is connected by a causeway to the island of Tarut, once a central point of trade between Mesopotamia and the peninsula. In the center of Tarut, on top of a hill, stands a castle built in the 16th century on the site of an ancient Phoenician temple.
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The remains of a large fort, whose date of erection is still debated, can be seen in the port of Al-Aqir. It served as the main sea gateway to the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia until 1945, when the construction of oil ports began. Ed-Dammam became the main one.
.Today, Ed Dammam is the center of the province of the same name, the capital of Al-Sharqiyah District, and one of the largest ports in the Persian Gulf. The city has been transformed into a spectacular facade of the country’s east coast. There are parks, the waterfront resembles a flowering garden, guests are met by fashionable hotels, restaurants, entertainment centers. The coastline of Ed-Dammam stretches for 25 km. There are several resorts, beaches with entertainment centers on the water. You can go surfing, diving, rent a boat or boat and go fishing.
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More than 80% of the Kingdom of Bahrain lies on the island of the same name. It is surrounded by other islets, natural and artificial, reefs, and atolls. To the north and northeast for two dozen kilometers stretch coral fields, painted in pinkish, purple, white, lemon, soft green colors.
.Bahrain’s territory is only 780 km², but despite its diminutive size, it has long been known in the West and East as the “trading house” of the Persian Gulf. According to legend, it was here that the famous Sindbad the Sailor from the tales of “One Thousand and One Nights” lived. Since ancient times, Bahrain has preserved many monuments, the oldest of which date back to II-III millennia BC
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Bahrain’s coastline is incredibly picturesque. Gentle beaches are interspersed with chaotic piles of rocks, the coastline is covered with sand, shell and pebbles. In shallow waters there are many sea turtles. Coral reefs abound with colorful fish, lobsters, crabs, shrimp.
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Bahrain is visited by scuba diving enthusiasts from all over the world. The area is popular with surfers and yachtsmen. On the numerous beaches of the country there are water entertainment centers, schools for beginner divers. The most visited beach locations are located in the coastal zone of the capital of Bahrain – Manama, on the islands of the Khawar archipelago.
.The maritime border separates Bahrain from Qatar, located on the peninsula of the same name, which cuts into the Persian Gulf for 160 kilometers. In many places, Qatar’s coastline is inaccessible, as it is ringed by coral reef fields that are up to 4 kilometers wide in some places.
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On the east coast of the peninsula is the capital Doha. It is Qatar’s main port and a busy commercial center. Over the past decades on the coast of Doha have grown skyscrapers, fashionable hotels, malls, here are concentrated the best beaches in the country with excellent infrastructure. All of them are paid. The city is constantly expanding its territory at the expense of bulk islands, which become tourist objects.
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Opposite the northern neighborhoods of Doha, in the waters where pearls used to be mined, an artificial island called Reagle-Qatar (Pearl of Qatar) has been created. This luxurious area of 4 km² is divided into 12 themed districts, each of which is decorated in its own architectural style. There are boat and yacht marinas, residential buildings, office buildings, villas, hotels and beach clubs. The cuisine of local restaurants covers the whole spectrum of world gastronomy. The island is already inhabited by 28,000 residents. The project, on which they planned to spend $ 2.5 billion, has not yet been completed. It is now expected to have a final cost of $15 billion.
.South Coast
Many tourists are well known for the magnificent sandy beaches of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates, but still a significant part of the country’s coastline is occupied by marshy and muddy areas, lowlands covered with salt and other minerals. Salt marshes (sabkhas) in some places go deep into the mainland for 8-10 km. The most extensive sabkha, Matti, extends along the bay for 60 km and cuts into the land for 35-40 km. In the north, in the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, which borders the semi-enclave of Oman, the majestic Hajar Mountains (Omani Mountains) approach the coast.
.The country’s largest natural harbor is off the coast of Dubai, ports in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah have been widened and deepened artificially. In the waters of the Persian Gulf, belonging to the UAE, scattered hundreds of islands, about 200 of them belong to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. On one of them, 250 meters from the mainland, a significant part of its capital of the same name is located.
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