Key Facts about Gulf of Oman

About Gulf of Oman

• The Gulf of Oman, also known as the Gulf of Makran, is the western extension of the Arabian Sea and lies in the Middle East.
• It forms the only entrance to the Persian Gulf from the Indian Ocean.
  • The Gulf connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then empties into the Persian Gulf. 
• Bordering Countries: It is bordered by Pakistan and Iran in the north; by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the west and by Oman in the south. Muscat, the capital of Oman, is located on the coast of the gulf. 
• It is about 320 km wide at its widest point between Cape al-Hadd in Oman and the Gwadar Bay on the Iran-Pakistan border. It narrows to 35 miles (56 km) at the Strait of Hormuz.
• It is approximately 560 km long.
• The gulf is relatively shallow because of its origin as a fissure in the mountain spine now divided between Iran and Oman. 
• Some of the significant islands that are located in the Gulf of Oman include Sheytan Island, Al Fahal Island, Dimaniyat Islands, and the Sawadi Islands.
• The major international shipping ports that are situated in the Gulf of Oman include Port Sultan Qaboos Muttrah in Muscat, Oman; Chabahar Port in Iran; the Port of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan Container Terminal in the UAE.
• Roughly one-third of the world's oil is exported via the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.

Q1) What is a Gulf?

The Gulf is a portion of the sea that is almost surrounded by land except one narrow opening. Gulfs are formed when a giant rock collapses or when a piece of land sinks. This causes a big indentation in the area, and the water eventually fills it up. Gulfs are also formed through a natural process of erosion.

Source: Iran, Russia and China show off their ships in a joint naval drill in the Gulf of Oman