Arab states of the Persian Gulf
The Arab states of the Persian Gulf refers to a group of Arab states which border the Persian Gulf. There are seven member states of the Arab League in the region: Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.[1][2][3] Except Iraq, the 6 six countries bordering the Persian Gulf share societal, cultural and historical similarities.
The term has been used in different contexts to refer to a number of Arab states in the region. The prominent regional political union Gulf Cooperation Council includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.[4][5][6] Historically, various British Empire protectorates,[7][8][9] including the Trucial States were Arab states along the Persian Gulf.[10][11][12]
Yemen is bound to the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, based on history and culture.[13]
Some states are constitutional monarchies with elected parliaments. Bahrain (Majlis al Watani) and Kuwait (Majlis al Ummah) have legislatures with members elected by the population.[citation needed]
The Sultanate of Oman also has an advisory council (Majlis ash-Shura) that is popularly elected.[citation needed] In the UAE, a federation of seven monarchical emirates, the Federal National Council functions only as an advisory body, but some of its members are now chosen via a limited electoral college nominated by the seven rulers.[citation needed] Saudi Arabia remains a hereditary monarchy with limited political representation. In Qatar, an elected national parliament has been mooted and is written into the new constitution, but elections are yet to be held.[14] Saudi Arabia and Qatar are the two Arab states and absolute monarchies to have never held elections since their respective establishments as nations in 1932 and 1971.[15] Iraq is the only federal republic situated on the Persian Gulf.
Press in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf have varying degrees of freedom with Kuwait topping the league with a lively press that enjoys considerably more freedom than its Persian Gulf counterparts according to Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders. Both organizations rank Kuwait's press as the freest of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf. Kuwait ranks amongst the top three for free press in the Arab world.[16][17] Qatar and Oman come in second and third respectively within the regional ranks of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
