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Persian Gulf naming dispute facts for kids

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The Persian Gulf naming dispute is about the name of a large body of water. This water body is located between Iran (formerly called Persia) and several Arab countries. It has been known for a very long time as the Persian Gulf. However, since the 1960s, some Arab countries started calling it the Arabian Gulf.

History of the Name

For many centuries, this body of water was known as the Persian Gulf. This name came from the land of Persia, which is on its northern side. Ancient Greek geographers like Strabo and Ptolemy used this name. Even Arab historians and geographers, such as Agapius in the 10th century, called it the Persian Gulf.

On almost all maps printed before 1960, the name "Persian Gulf" was used. It was also used in most international agreements and documents. This shows how important the Persian Empire was in the region for a long time.

A big change happened in the early 1960s. Some Arab countries began to use the name al-Khalīj al-ʻArabī (which means "Arabian Gulf"). They did this for political reasons, as a way to gain more influence in the region against Iran.

United Nations' View

The United Nations Secretariat and its related groups have a clear rule. They ask their staff to use only "Persian Gulf" as the official geographical name.

The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names also talked about this issue in 2006. They looked at many old maps. They found that out of 6,000 historical maps made before 1890, only three mentioned names like "Basra Gulf" or "Arabic Gulf." These few maps were not very clear or original. In contrast, thousands of other maps and historical books from ancient times always called it the "Persian Gulf." This shows how widely the name "Persian Gulf" has been used throughout history.

Related pages

  • What's in a name? For the Persian Gulf, quite a lot [1]
  • The term Persian Gulf and its equivalents have been used continuously in all languages. [2]

Images for kids

  • Basra-ps64

    Map of Persian Gulf

  • Map of persia

    Map of Persian Gulf 1747

  • Persian(IRAN) Empire 1747

    Map of Persian Gulf 1747

  • Heinrich Kiepert. Imperia Persarum et Macedonum. 1903

    Heinrich. Map of Persian Gulf 1903

  • Soulier, E.; Andriveau-Goujon, J. Anciens Empires Jusqua Alexandre. 1838

    Map of Persian Gulf 1838

  • Karte Pomponius Mela rotated

    An Pomponius Mela 43 AD. Map of Persian Gulf

  • Ptolemy Cosmographia 1467 - Arabian peninsula

    Ptolemy's Map of Persian Gulf 1467

  • Mappa di Eratostene

    194 BC Eratosthenes 194 Map of Persian Gulf

  • Map of 1531 denoting Sinus Persicus, Nova et Integra Universi Orbis Descriptio

    Map of Persian Gulf 1531

  • Istakhri map 2

    Regional 1200 Map of Persian Gulf Istakhri

  • PG 1548

    Giacomo Gastaldi's map circa 1548 Map of Persian Gulf

  • PG 1740

    Map of Persian Gulf 1740

  • Persia1808

    Map of Persian Gulf 1808

  • Ottoman Asia (partial, 1893)

    1893 Map of Persian Gulf Ajam"

  • Saudi map of Persian gulf 1952

    Map of Persian Gulf 1952 (الخليج الفارسي).

  • Map of Persial Gulf- Amsterdam-1640

    Map of Persian Gulf 1640

  • Map of the region bounded by the Saudi Peninsula, Red Sea

    Jacob van Merus, 1680, Map of Persian Gulf Amsterdam

  • Regno di Persia con le notitie delle ... Publication Date 1679 Scarce map extending from the Eufrate to the Indo.Showing major rivers, mountains and cities. From Il Mercurio Geografico, printed by De Rossi

    1679 Map of Persian Gulf by De Rossi

  • Perse Turquie Asiatique et Arabie old map Desnos 1766

    Map of Persian Gulf 1766

  • Persian Gulf antique map La Perse Bellin 1764

    Map of Persian Gulf 1764

  • Kingdoms of Persia and Georgia.

    Map of Persian Gulf 1780 Bonne.

  • Persia Sive Sophorum regnum Old map Persia Merian 1638

    1638 Map of Persian Gulf

  • Jansson's map of Persia.

    Amsterdam / 1640 circa by Jansson Map of Persian Gulf 1640

  • Asia in the shape of the mythical winged horse Pegasus.

    1581 Hannover Map of Persian Gulf

  • 1732 Asia issued.

    Map of 1732 Asia issued by French cartographer Guillaume Danet

  • Amsterdam1685.

    Amsterdam / 1685 (1700 ca) Map of Persian Gulf 1700

  • Detailed map of Asia.

    Nuremberg / 1744. Map of Persian Gulf

  • Important Jodocus Hondius...

    Amsterdam 1620 Ca Map of Persian Gulf

  • Published in Amsterdam

    Published in Amsterdam by Nicholas Visscher the Elder. 1670.

  • A.K. Johnston -1850-Edinburg

    A.K. Johnston -1850-Edinburg

  • D'Anville- 1788, Published by L. Harrison in England

    D'Anville- 1788, Published by L. Harrison in England

  • George Rollos ,1770 published in london

    George Rollos, 1770 published in London

  • George Rollos 1770 London

    George Rollos 1770 London

  • Guillaume de L'Isle - 1731- Paris

    Guillaume de L'Isle - 1731- Paris

  • J. Rapkin , Published by Tallis.-1851-london

    J. Rapkin, Published by Tallis.-1851-london

  • Jan Huighen van Linschoten, Henricus Florent Langren- 1596-Amsterdam

    Jan Huighen van Linschoten, Henricus Florent Langren- 1596-Amsterdam

  • John Cary- London -1801

    John Cary- London -1801.jpg

  • Location of Persian gulf and Arabian gulf by Janssonius, Joannes- 1640-Amsterdam

    Map of Persian Gulf 1640-Amsterdam

  • Mercator, Belgium, 1578

    Mercator, Belgium, 1578

  • P. Santini- 1779-Venice

    P. Santini- 1779-Venice

  • Published by D'Apres de Mannevillette-1775-paris

    -1775-paris.jpg

  • Robert- 1760- Paris

    Robert- 1760- Paris.jpg

  • The London Geographical Institute 1890, Published by George Philip & Son

    1890, Map of Persian Gulf

  • V. Levasseur - Paris- 1838

    V. Levasseur - Paris- 1838.jpg

  • Amsterdam J. Covens et C. Mortier,1720

    Amsterdam 1720.jpg Map of Persian Gulf

  • Strassbourg 1525 by Lorenz (Laurent) Fries

    Strasbourg 1525 Map of Persian Gulf

  • Rigobert Bonne- 1771 Paris

    Rigobert Bonne- 1771 Paris.jpg

  • Nova Orbis Terraquei Tabula Accuratissimi Delineata

    -1713 Map of Persian Gulf

  • Nova Orbis Tabula In Lucem Edita, A.F.de Wit.

    Amsterdam-1680 ca Map of Persian Gulf

  • Typus Orbis A Ptol. Descriptus

    -1542

  • Die beyden Halbkugeln

    Die beyden Halbkugeln-Vienna-1790

  • Mappemonde a l'usage du Roy Par Guillaume Delisle Premier

    1720 (Shows De Gama Land)

  • Hemisphaerium Orbis Antiqui Cumzonis Circulis et Situ Populorum Diverso

    Hemisphaerium Orbis Antiqui Cumzonis Circulis et Situ Populorum Diverso-Amsterdam- 1660 (1708)

  • The World Agreable to the latest Discoveries

    Map of Persian Gulf 1754

  • Mappe Monde Carte Universelle de la Terre Dressee Sur les Relations les plus nouvelles

    Map of Persian Gulf -1755

  • Persia, Caspian Sea, done by ye Czar, and Part of Independent Tartary

    2700 English MIles Map of Persian Gulf

  • Middle East Antique map Babylon Assyriens Philippe 1787

    Map of Persian Gulf 1787

  • Persia Kingdom Ormus Strait Hormuz Old plan Bellin 1756

    Map of Persian Gulf 1756

  • Japanese Map of Saudi Arabia

    Japanese Map of Saudi Arabia-1874-Published by Naito Map of Persian Gulf

  • Carte De La Turquie De L'Arabie et De La Perse, Dressee sur les Memoires les plus recens rectifiez par les Observations de Mrs. de l'Academie Royule, des Sciences-Amsterdam-1720

    Amsterdam-1720 Map of Persian Gulf

  • Persian Gulf by Gamal Abdel Nasser

    An official letter from former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser to a Bahraini official. The name "Persian Gulf" (الخليج الفارسي) has been used. The document dates before the initiation of Nasser's pan-Arabism policies.

  • Cairo street.persian gulf

    Shāri' al-Khalīj al-Fārsī (Arabic: شارع الخليج الفارسي), the Persian Gulf Street in Cairo, Egypt

  • Persian-gulf-dubai-mus

    A historical map of the Persian Gulf in Saeed Al Maktoum House, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The word "Persian" is erased from the phrase "Persian Gulf".

  • Mappa di Eratostene

    19th Century reconstruction of 194 BC Eratosthenes' map, Denoting Persian Gulf

  • Karte Pomponius Mela rotated

    An Early world map by Pomponius Mela 43 AD. Red Sea named Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf and Oman Sea named Persian Sea.

  • Ptolemy Cosmographia 1467 - Arabian peninsula

    Map VI from Ptolemy's "Cosmographia" showing Sinus Persicus (Persian Gulf) and Sinus Arabicus (Red Sea), reconstruction from 1467

  • Istakhri map 2

    Regional map showing the word Bahr Fars, ("Persian Sea") in Arabic, from the 9th century text Al-aqalim by the Persian geographer Istakhri

  • PG 1548

    Giacomo Gastaldi's map circa 1548 is denoted by cartographic historian Gerald Tibbetts as the first "modern" map of the area, denoting Golpho de Persia

  • Persia Sive Sophorum regnum Old map Persia Merian 1638

    Persia Sive Sophorum regnum Old map Persia Merian 1638

  • Location of Persian gulf and Arabian gulf by Janssonius, Joannes- 1640-Amsterdam

    Location of Persian gulf and Arabian gulf by Janssonius, Joannes- 1640-Amsterdam

  • Ottoman Asia (partial, 1893)

    1893 Ottoman map calling it "Khaleej Al-Ajam"

  • Saudi map of Persian gulf 1952

    A Saudi ARAMCO map from 1952 using the term "Persian Gulf" (الخليج الفارسي).

  • Ottoman Empire 1600 by Jaillot

    1600 map calling it "Gulf of Basra" or "Sea of Qatif"

  • Arabian Gulf(Hondius)

    One of many maps by Hondius using the term Sinus Arabia

  • L'Empire des Turcs (Jollain)

    17th century French map "Sein Arabique"

  • John Speed. The Turkish Empire. Newly Augmented by John Speed. 1626

    1626 map calling it "Sea of Qatif", or the Arabian Gulf. This map also names the Red Sea the Arabian Gulf

  • PG Jansson

    Jan Jansson's map, 17th century (MARE ELCATIF, formerly SINUS PERSICUS).

  • Arabia Agreable to Modern History

    In this map of 1717, the cartographer Herman Moll used Gulph of Bassora

  • 1730 Seutter Map of Turkey (Ottoman Empire), Persia and Arabia - Geographicus - MagniTurcarum-seutter-1740

    1740 map calling it "Gulf of Basra" or "Gulf of Qatif" formerly "Sea of Persia". This map names Red Sea "Sinus Arabicus"

  • Cedid Atlas (Africa) 1803

    The Ottoman Cedid Atlas of 1803 calling it the Gulf of Basra

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