Arab states of the Persian Gulf

The Arab states of the Persian Gulf, commonly referred to as the Gulf Arab states, comprise Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. These seven Arab states are grouped together on the basis of their boundary along the Persian Gulf, which touches the coast of every state in the Arabian Peninsula except for Yemen.

Excluding the Republic of Iraq, all Arab states of the Persian Gulf are Islamic monarchies and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which promotes political and economic integration alongside joint defense and security under its Unified Military Command. Most of the Gulf Arab states formerly existed as British protectorates until the late 20th century.