Cairo to Doha

This satellite image shows clearly how the foreland basin of the Persian Gulf runs parallel with the mountains of Iran.

The warm waters of the Persian Gulf support thousands of species of marine life.

A traditional dhow boat on the Persian Gulf.

The Tigris and Euphrates rivers discharge into the Persian Gulf, carrying tonnes of sediment in the water.

The Persian Gulf is a basin created by the same process that formed the Zagros Mountains in Iran.

Coral reefs, pale green, fringe the shoreline around the Persian Gulf and its many islands.

The still water of the Gulf against the Zagros Mountains on Iran's coast.

Dugongs are also known as sea cows. They graze on the sea grass found on the seabed and amongst the coral.

The Persian Gulf is a foreland basin, created when plates collide and form mountains; the "underriding" plate bends downwards, creating a basin at the surface.

The Tigris and Euphrates rivers deposit huge volumes of sediment into the Persian Gulf each day. The green areas show the sediment mixing with the seawater.

There are thought to be around 7,500 dugongs in the shallow waters between Saudi Arabia and UAE.

The Zagros Mountains in Iran border the Persian Gulf; the two were created during the same geological process.

This stylised map of the Persian Gulf dates from the 8th or 9th century. The circles in the middle may represent present-day Bahrain and Qatar.

The Persian Gulf has long been a trade route for the Middle East - today cargo ships carry 17 million barrels of oil out of the Gulf each day.

1923 - Ancient Mesopotamia lay in the zone between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in present-day Iraq.

An oil field in the Persian Gulf. It is estimated that 40% of the world's seabourne oil shipments come from here.

You may be able to see this cluster of artificial islands as you fly near the southern tip of Bahrain - an example of the development occuring in the Persian Gulf since the discovery of oil.

Map showing the oil and gas infrastructure surrounding the Persian Gulf. Oil pipelines are shown in green and gas in red.

The Strait of Hormuz, the eastern opening to the sea, provides the main shipping lane in and out of the Gulf.

1918 - 'An Arab dhow in the Persian Gulf'. Dhow boats are still common in the Gulf, though they are now dwarfed by huge cargo ships that pass by.

1750 - Map of the Island of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, once an important stopping point in the shipping lane between the Gulf and India.

c. 1909 - 'Indian marine boat in the Persian Gulf'. The Persian Gulf has long been a passage between the Middle East and India for trade.

1503 - This early Portuguese map of the Persian Gulf clearly shows Strait of Hormuz narrowing into the rectangular Gulf.

1892 - Map showing the Strait of Hormuz with shipping lanes on. These lanes are still in use today for transporting millions of barrels of oil out of the Persian Gulf.

The Tigris River in present day Iraq. Mesopotamia was one of the major breadbaskets of the ancient world, as the fertile soils were nourished by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

Hundreds of cargo ships cross the Persian Gulf each week.

Ancient remains at Uqair. thought to have been centre of the great Gerrha civilisation between 200 and 300 AD.

c. 1923 - 'Arab nomads on Sabka plain between Oqair & Hufuf'. Al-Oqair has long been a starting point for travellers making their way inland from the Persian Gulf.

The sun sets on the dark waters of the Persian Gulf.

The proposed tourist city at Al-Oqair hopes to draw tourists to the beautiful shores of the Persian Gulf.

c. 1923 - 'Zarnuga well – Hasa'. Uqair is located near to the oasis at Al-Hasa, on the Persian Sea coast.

Design for a new Saudi city, King Abdullah Economic City, that will sit on the Red Sea coast. Plans have been approved to build a tourist city on the Persian Gulf coast at Al-Oqair.

c. 1923 - 'Ancient ruins at Abu Zamil, Oqair'. The ruins of the ancient fort of Uqair, thought to date back to 225 BC.

Construction work has begun on King Abdullah Economic City on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia - work on the tourist city at Al-Oqair should start soon.

The Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities approved the new city at Al-Oqair. The commission protects and promotes historic sites across the Kingdom.

Like King Abdullah Economic City, the tourist city at Al-Oqair will be built from scratch on the coast with the aim of attracting tourists to the Persian Gulf region.

Map showing the land distribution in approximately 500 BC. Gerrha is marked in covering a large area where Uqair Fort stands today.

Building work on King Abdullah Economic City is expected to take around 15 years. The planned tourist city at Al-Oqair is expected to open a few years later.

c. 1923 - 'Camels and their riders'. The oasis at Al-Hasa near Al-Oqair is a vital stopping point for any travellers along Saudi Arabia's Persian Coast.