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from | Encarta |  |
Strategic Location of the Persian Gulf |
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| Today, the economy of the Persian Gulf region is based on petroleum products. With more than half the world's proven oil and natural gas reserves, the Persian Gulf is of great strategic importance and has been the site of several wars, including the Iran-Iraq conflict in the 1980s and the Gulf War of 1990 to 1991. The kidney-shaped Persian Gulf, 229,992 sq km (88,800 sq mi) in area, stretches from the mouth of the Tigris-Euphrates rivers, or Shatt al Arab, to the Strait of Hormuz. It forms much of Iran's southern boundary and touches seven other countries, including Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. In ancient times, the coastal cities were thriving trading centres. | ||||||
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| Daniele Pellegrini/Photo Researchers, Inc. | ||||||
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