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GCC countries

The Gulf Cooperation Council has six members: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, unchanged since it was founded in 1981.

The full list

Still in OPEC 2

Founders of OPEC in 1960 and still members on 1 October 2026.

• 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia
• 🇰🇼Kuwait

Left OPEC 2

Former OPEC members: Qatar left on 1 January 2019 and the United Arab Emirates on 1 May 2026.

• 🇶🇦Qatar
• 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates

Never in OPEC 2

Oil producers that have never joined OPEC, though both have worked with it through OPEC+ since 2016.

• 🇧🇭Bahrain
• 🇴🇲Oman

Not on the list

• Yemen: Joined some GCC bodies (education, labour, sports, health) in 2000 as a prelude to accession, but has never become a member.
• Jordan, Morocco: Invited to join in May 2011.
• Iraq, Iran: Gulf states and OPEC founders, but never GCC members.

Questions

How many countries are in the GCC?

The Gulf Cooperation Council has six members: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, unchanged since it was founded in 1981.

Which countries are on the list?

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Oman.

What is an easy way to remember them?

Every Arab country on the Gulf except Iraq. Down the coast: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Oman.

Is Yemen in the GCC?

No. Yemen joined some GCC bodies in 2000 but has never become a member.

Are Iraq and Iran in the GCC?

No. Both border the Gulf and both founded OPEC, but neither has ever been in the GCC.

More lists

Each name checked against at least two sources, one of them GCC Secretariat General, on 1 October 2026. Next review by 1 October 2027.
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