ABSTRACT
Though the Persian Gulf is a relatively small body of water, a large portion of global hydrocarbon resources and production volumes originate here. This chapter covers the historical background of the main maritime boundary disputes in the region, including those involving the dominant States of Iran and Saudi Arabia. Though the region has been the leader in developing Joint Development Area solutions for cooperative production of hydrocarbons, historical animosity between Iran and its Arab neighbours has hampered efforts to negotiate this solution for its unresolved disputed maritime boundaries. The British empire, which played a pivotal role in defining the land and maritime borders in the region, exploited its position by awarding lucrative contracts to its own resource companies, the legacies of which are still evident today. The threat of war, though recently diminished, continues to cloud the region's unresolved maritime boundary disputes.
