Diplomatic bloc
Gulf Cooperation Council
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
Six Arabian-peninsula monarchies coordinating economic and security policy.
Members
6
Founded
1981
Headquarters
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
What is the Gulf Cooperation Council?
The Gulf Cooperation Council is a regional union of six Arab monarchies on the Arabian Peninsula — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. It coordinates economic, political, and security policy and runs a common market among its members.
Key facts
- Full name
- Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
- Founded
- 1981 · Founded in Abu Dhabi
- Headquarters
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Member states
- 6
- Members
- Six Gulf monarchies
- Founded
- 1981, in Abu Dhabi
Gulf Cooperation Council member states
6 countries
Why the GCC matters
The GCC's members hold a large share of the world's oil and gas reserves and major sovereign wealth funds, giving the bloc outsized economic weight. It also coordinates defence and has navigated internal rifts, such as the 2017–2021 dispute with Qatar.
Related blocs & alliances
Frequently asked questions about the GCC
Quick answers to the most common questions about the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Which countries are in the Gulf Cooperation Council?
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
When was the GCC founded?
In 1981, in Abu Dhabi, amid regional security concerns during the Iran–Iraq War.
Where is the GCC headquartered?
Its secretariat is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Research the GCC with Model Diplomat
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