Gulf of Oman

Gulf of Oman, northwestern arm of the Arabian Sea. It leads through the Strait of Hormuz to the Persian Gulf. The Gulf of Oman is bounded on the north by Iran, and on the south by Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The northern part of the Gulf of Oman is from 50 to 200 m (165 to 650 ft) deep, and the depth increases rapidly as the gulf merges with the Arabian Sea. The Gulf of Oman is 560 km (350 mi) long. The Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz form part of one of the world’s most important strategic waterways: Every day about 80 giant tankers carrying oil from the nations bordering the Persian Gulf pass through it. Their cargoes represent about 66 percent of the seaborne oil trade.