Theses two volumes make up Volume I, Part IA and Part IB (Historical) (pages i-778 and 779-1624) of the Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, ’Omān and Central Arabia (Government of India: 1915), compiled by John Gordon Lorimer and completed for press by Captain L Birdwood. Part 1A contains an 'Introduction' (pages i-iii) written by Birdwood in Simla, dated 10 October 1914. There is also a 'Table of Chapters, Annexures, Appendices and Genealogical Tables' (page v-viii) and 'Detailed Table of Contents' (pages ix-cxxx), both of which cover all volumes and parts of the Gazetteer .
Parts IA and IB consist of nine chapters:
• 'Chapter I. General History of the Persian Gulf Region' (Part IA, pages 1-396);
• 'Chapter II. History of the ’Omān Sultanate' (Part IA, pages 397-629);
• 'Chapter III. History of Trucial ’Omān' (Part IA, page 630-Part IB, page 786);
• 'Chapter IV. History of Qatar' (Part IB, pages 787-835);
• 'Chapter V. History of Bahrain' (Part IB, pages 836-946);
• 'Chapter VI. History of Hasa' (Part IB, pages 947-999);
• 'Chapter VII. History of Kuwait' (Part 1B, pages 1000-1050);
• 'Chapter VIII. History of Najd or Central Arabia' (Part 1B, pages 1051-1178);
• 'Chapter IX. History of Turkish ’Iraq' (Part 1B, pages 1179-1624).