Gulf War oil spill facts for kids

The Gulf War oil spill was a huge environmental disaster that happened in January 1991. It took place during the Gulf War, a conflict where many countries worked together against Iraq. As Iraqi troops were leaving Kuwait, they opened oil valves. This released a massive amount of oil into the Persian Gulf.

This event is known as the largest oil spill in history. It caused terrible damage to the coastlines and ocean life in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

What Caused the Spill?

The Gulf War oil spill happened because of a conflict. In 1990, Iraq invaded its neighbor, Kuwait. Many countries, called the Coalition forces, came together to push Iraq out of Kuwait. These forces included soldiers from 39 different countries.

In January 1991, the Coalition forces began an air campaign against Iraq. This meant they started bombing military targets from the sky. As Iraqi soldiers were retreating from Kuwait, they opened the valves at a place called the Sea Island oil terminal. This was a deliberate act during the war.

How Much Oil Spilled?

When the valves were opened, a huge amount of oil poured into the Persian Gulf. Experts believe that between five and ten million gallons of oil were released. To give you an idea, that's enough oil to fill hundreds of Olympic-sized swimming pools! This made it the biggest oil spill ever recorded.

Impact on the Environment

The oil spill was a major environmental disaster. The thick oil spread across the waters of the Persian Gulf. It covered many miles of coastline in both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

The oil was very harmful to marine wildlife. Many birds, fish, sea turtles, and other animals were covered in oil. This made it hard for them to move, breathe, or find food. The oil also destroyed important habitats like mangroves and coral reefs, which are home to many ocean creatures. It took many years for the environment to start recovering from this terrible event.

Images for kids

• 

  Map showing the Persian Gulf and the countries that surround it.

• 

  Saddam Hussein, shown here in 2004, was the leader of the Iraqi government at the time of the spill.