GCC Explained: Six Member States, History and Purpose

The Gulf Cooperation Council, known to most people as the GCC, is a club of six Arab countries sitting along the Persian Gulf. It began in 1981 when a few nervous neighbours decided to stand together. Here is a simple look at the six member states, the history and the purpose behind it.

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The Six GCC Member States

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain make up the group. Saudi Arabia is the giant, and its capital Riyadh hosts the council’s headquarters. Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain are smaller, yet each has a proud trading past stretching back centuries.

How the GCC Began

Trouble in the neighbourhood pushed these countries together. Iran’s revolution in 1979 and the war between Iran and Iraq in 1980 left small Gulf rulers worried about their safety. They met in Abu Dhabi and, on 25 May 1981, signed the charter that created the council. Their thinking was simple: shared problems are easier to solve together. Britannica offers more on the history of the council.

What the GCC Is Meant to Do

The charter aims for closer cooperation in the economy, defence, culture and law. Some results are easy to see:

• A customs union, so goods face one shared tariff at the border
• A common market, so citizens can work or buy property in any member state
• A joint military force called Peninsula Shield
• A single tourist visa, agreed in 2023, for trips across several countries

The road was not always smooth. A dispute with Qatar from 2017 split the group until leaders signed the Al-Ula declaration in January 2021.

Why It Matters to the Rest of the World

Buyers in Asia and Europe watch GCC decisions because they affect oil supply and fuel prices. Millions of workers from South Asia, Africa and Southeast Asia live in the Gulf, so its labour rules reach families thousands of miles away. Companies find a combined market of about sixty million people. Knowing what the GCC stands for helps explain why this small corner of the map carries so much weight.

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