# Gulf of Oman

The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman (Arabic: خليج عمان khalīj ʿumān; Persian: دریای عمان daryâ-ye omân), also known as Gulf of Makran or Sea of Makran (Arabic: خلیج مکران khalīj makrān; Persian: دریای مکران daryâ-ye makrān), is a gulf in the Indian Ocean that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It borders Iran and Pakistan on the north, Oman on the south, and the United Arab Emirates on the west.

## Extent

The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Gulf of Oman as follows:
   * On the Northwest: A line joining Ràs Limah (25°57'N) on the coast of Arabia and Ràs al Kuh (25°48'N) on the coast of Iran (Persia).
   * On the Southeast: The Northern limit of the Arabian Sea [A line joining Ràs al Hadd, East point of Arabia (22°32'N) and Ràs Jiyùni (61°43'E) on the coast of Pakistan].

## Exclusive economic zone

Exclusive economic zones in Gulf of Oman:
| Number | Country | Area (Km$^2$) |
| 1 | Oman | 108,779 |
| 2 | Iran | 65,850 |
| 3 | United Arab Emirates | 4,371 |
| 4 | Pakistan | 2,000 |
| Total | Gulf of Oman | 181,000 |

## Bordering countries

Coastline length of bordering countries:
* Iran - 850 km coastline
* Oman - 750 km coastline
* United Arab Emirates - 50 km coastline
* Pakistan - 50 km coastline

## Alternative names

The Gulf of Oman historically and geographically has been referred to by different names by Arabian, Iranian, Indian, Pakistani, and European geographers and travelers, including Makran Sea and Akhzar Sea.
* Makran Sea
* Akhzar Sea
* Persian Sea (consists of the whole of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman)
Until the 18th century, it was known as Makran Sea and is also visible on historical maps and museums.

## Major ports

* Port of Fujairah, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
* Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates
* Port of Chabahar, Chabahar, Iran
* Port Sultan Qaboos, Muttrah, Oman

## International trade

The Western side of the gulf connects to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route through which a third of the world's liquefied natural gas and 20% of global oil consumption passes from Middle East producers.

## Ecology

In 2018, scientists confirmed the Gulf of Oman contains one of the world's largest marine dead zones, where the ocean contains little or no oxygen and marine wildlife cannot exist. The dead zone encompasses nearly the entire 165,000-square-kilometre (63,700 sq mi) Gulf of Oman and equivalent to the size of Florida, United States of America. The cause is a combination of increased ocean warming and increased runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers.

## International underwater rail tunnel

In 2018, a rail tunnel under the sea was suggested to link the UAE with the western coast of India. The bullet train tunnel would be supported by pontoons and be nearly 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) in length.

## Pop culture

In the Battlefield video game series, the Gulf of Oman is a map used in Battlefield 2, Battlefield 3, Battlefield Play4Free and Battlefield 4 with the United States Marines Corps (USMC) invading the shore of Oman with the fictional Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC) defending it in Battlefield 2, and with Russian Ground Forces defending it in Play4Free, Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4.