Gulf States: All 6 GCC Countries of the Persian Gulf (2026)

There are 6 Gulf states in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. Founded in 1981, these six Arab monarchies border the Persian Gulf and together control a large share of the world's proven oil reserves. The broader term "Gulf states" is sometimes stretched to include Iraq and Iran, which also front the Gulf.

What Is the GCC?

The Gulf Cooperation Council, officially the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, is a regional political and economic union of six Arab countries on the Arabian Peninsula. It was established on 25 May 1981 in Abu Dhabi, against the backdrop of the Iran-Iraq War, as the member states sought closer security and economic cooperation. Its headquarters are in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

All six GCC members are monarchies — kingdoms, emirates, or a sultanate — and all are majority Arabic-speaking and predominantly Muslim. The council coordinates on defence, a shared market, and common economic policy, and it has explored (though not fully implemented) a single currency. Their combined oil and gas wealth has transformed these once-modest desert and pearl-fishing economies into some of the richest per-capita nations on Earth.

The 6 GCC Member States

The following six countries make up the Gulf Cooperation Council, listed from largest to smallest by population.

1. Saudi Arabia

• Capital: Riyadh
• Government: Absolute monarchy (kingdom)
• Note: By far the largest GCC state by area and population, and the de facto leader of the bloc. It holds some of the world's largest oil reserves and is home to Islam's two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina.

2. United Arab Emirates (UAE)

• Capital: Abu Dhabi
• Government: Federation of seven emirates
• Note: A federation whose emirates include Dubai, a global hub for finance, tourism, and aviation. The UAE has aggressively diversified beyond oil into trade, real estate, and services.

3. Oman

• Capital: Muscat
• Government: Absolute monarchy (sultanate)
• Note: The only sultanate in the GCC, occupying the peninsula's southeastern corner. It is known for its long maritime history and a foreign policy of quiet neutrality.

4. Kuwait

• Capital: Kuwait City
• Government: Constitutional monarchy (emirate)
• Note: A small, oil-rich emirate at the head of the Persian Gulf. It was invaded by Iraq in 1990, triggering the 1991 Gulf War, and has one of the region's more assertive elected parliaments.

5. Qatar

• Capital: Doha
• Government: Absolute monarchy (emirate)
• Note: A peninsula state with vast natural gas reserves, giving it one of the highest per-capita incomes in the world. It hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup and is home to the Al Jazeera media network.

6. Bahrain

• Capital: Manama
• Government: Constitutional monarchy (kingdom)
• Note: The smallest GCC state, an island nation connected to Saudi Arabia by the King Fahd Causeway. It was the first Gulf state to discover oil and hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.

Commonly Confused: GCC States vs "Gulf States"

The terms "GCC states" and "Gulf states" are often used interchangeably, but they are not always identical. The GCC has a precise membership of six Arab monarchies. The looser geographic term "Gulf states" refers to any country with a coastline on the Persian Gulf — and that can include two non-Arab-monarchy nations.

Iraq borders the Gulf through a short coastline near Basra, and Iran forms the entire northern and eastern shore of the Gulf. Both are sometimes counted as "Gulf states" in a purely geographic sense. However, neither is a member of the GCC: Iraq is a republic and Iran is a Persian, majority-Shia Islamic republic, distinct from the Arab monarchies of the council. When people speak of "the Gulf states" in political or economic contexts, they almost always mean the six GCC members.

History and Significance of the Gulf States

Before the discovery of oil, the Gulf states were sparsely populated societies built around pearl diving, fishing, and trade. The transformation began in the mid-20th century, when vast petroleum reserves were discovered beneath the desert and offshore waters. Oil revenue funded rapid modernization, turning cities like Dubai, Doha, and Riyadh into gleaming metropolises within a few generations.

The GCC was formed in 1981 partly for collective security, as the Iran-Iraq War raged nearby. Today the bloc wields outsized global influence through its energy exports, sovereign wealth funds, and strategic location astride key shipping lanes, including the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large share of the world's oil passes. Many Gulf states are now investing heavily in tourism, technology, and renewable energy to prepare for a post-oil future.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Gulf states are there?

There are 6 Gulf states in the Gulf Cooperation Council: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.

Are Iran and Iraq Gulf states?

Geographically, yes — both have coastlines on the Persian Gulf and are sometimes called Gulf states. But neither is a member of the GCC, which is limited to the six Arab monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula.

When was the GCC founded?

The Gulf Cooperation Council was founded on 25 May 1981 in Abu Dhabi, with its headquarters later established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

What do the Gulf states have in common?

All six are Arab, majority-Muslim monarchies located on the Arabian Peninsula, with economies historically built on oil and gas exports and, increasingly, on diversification into finance, tourism, and services.

Final Thoughts

The six Gulf states of the GCC — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman — form one of the world's most strategically and economically important regions. United by geography, language, religion, and monarchical government, they have leveraged their energy wealth into global influence far beyond their modest populations. Knowing exactly which countries count as Gulf states, and how they differ from their larger neighbours Iran and Iraq, is key to understanding the modern Middle East.