The Persian Gulf has only trace elements of river sediment, and large quantities of silt are deposited by the Tigris, Euphrates, and Karun rivers in addition to other smaller streams that are intertwined because of the Gulf. There are hard parts as well as shallow areas. The waters in the region support many plants and animals.
Until there was oil discovered there in 1908, the Gulf was a place for mostly fishing, sailing, sailcloth fabrication, and camel breeding. Since World War 2 and the Persian Gulf war, oil in this Gulf has been abundant. This body of water has also been the subject of much scientific research and discovery.