The Persian Gulf (also known as the Gulf) is a warm, semi-
enclosed sea, mostly less than 330 ft (100 m) deep. It is
connected to the Arabian Sea via the Strait of Hormuz and the
Gulf of Oman. The shallow waters are well mixed and more
productive than the Red Sea owing to the nutrient runoff from
the land to the north and east. Corals have adapted to the very
warm water temperature, which can reach 91°F (33°C). The Arabian
Plate, spreading from the Red Sea rift, is moving northeast and
sliding under the Eurasian Plate, so the northeastern side of
the Persian Gulf is deeper. This tectonic activity has folded
and uplifted sediments up to 280 million years old and produced
structural traps for oil, which has accumulated in large
reservoirs beneath the Gulf and surrounding land. Oil now
dominates the region’s economy.