Gulf Cooperation Council summary

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Below is the article summary. For the full article, see Gulf Cooperation Council.

Gulf Cooperation Council, Persian Gulf international organization founded in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 1981. Its members include Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman. Its purpose is to facilitate cooperation among members in the fields of international commerce, education, shipping, and travel. Headquarters are in Saudi Arabia, and it meets twice a year. Its administrative structure includes a supreme council, a council of foreign ministers, an arbitration commission, and a general secretariat.

international organization Summary

International organization, institution drawing membership from at least three states, having activities in several states, and whose members are held together by a formal agreement. The Union of International Associations, a coordinating body, differentiates between the more than 250 international

alliance Summary

Alliance, in international relations, a formal agreement between two or more states for mutual support in case of war. Contemporary alliances provide for combined action on the part of two or more independent states and are generally defensive in nature, obligating allies to join forces if one or

Qatar Summary

Qatar, independent emirate on the west coast of the Persian Gulf. The small country has tremendous influence as a trusted mediator between rivals in the region and as one of the world’s largest exporters of natural gas. It has also garnered international attention through its popular television

Bahrain Summary

Bahrain, small Arab state situated in a bay on the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf. It is an archipelago consisting of Bahrain Island and some 30 smaller islands. Its name is from the Arabic term al-baḥrayn, meaning “two seas.” Located in one of the world’s chief oil-producing regions,