Which of the following countries is/are NOT a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council?

Question

Which of the following countries is/are NOT a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council?

1. Bahrain

2. Iran

3. Iraq

4. Qatar

Select the correct answer from the code given below:

1. A. 2 and 3 (Correct answer)
2. B. 3 and 4
3. C. Only 3
4. D. Only 1

Correct Answer

Option A — 2 and 3

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is 2 and 3.

Key Points

• The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has six members: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
• 2. Iran ✗ and 3. Iraq ✗ are NOT members — both were deliberately excluded when the GCC was formed.
• 1. Bahrain ✓ and 4. Qatar ✓ are members.
• The countries that are not members are 2 and 3, giving option (a).

Additional Information

• The GCC was founded in 1981, with its headquarters at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Its formation was prompted largely by the Iranian Revolution (1979) and the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War (1980) — which is precisely why Iran and Iraq are outside it.
• The GCC region is critical to India: it is a major source of crude oil and hosts roughly 9 million Indian workers, making it India's largest source of remittances.
• Do not confuse the GCC with OPEC (which includes Iran and Iraq but also non-Gulf members like Nigeria and Venezuela) or with the Arab League (22 members).