Red Sea

The Red Sea is a long, narrow body of water between northeastern Africa and the western Arabian Peninsula. It forms part of the Indian Ocean system, connected to the south by the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, and to the north by the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal.

Littoral countries include Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti on the western side, and Saudi Arabia and Yemen on the eastern side. Israel and Jordan have a short coastline on the northern Gulf of Aqaba. Yemen and Djibouti control both sides of the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb.

Geography and environment

The Red Sea lies in a geographical rift formed by the divergence of the African and Arabian tectonic plates, a process still ongoing. Its waters are exceptionally saline because evaporation is high, rainfall is low, and major river inflows are absent. Water temperature is also higher than in comparable nearby seas. It is noted for extensive coral reefs and numerous fish species found nowhere else.

Name

The origin of the name 'Red' is not conclusively established. Proposed explanations include certain bacteria or algae that occasionally impart a reddish tint to the water, and an ancient practice of naming regions by color. Many languages translate the name directly as 'red sea'.

Commerce and strategy

After the Suez Canal opened in 1869, the Red Sea became one of the world's busiest shipping routes, as it shortens the voyage between Europe and Asia. Oil, fish, and commercial cargo pass through daily. The straits of Bab el-Mandeb and Suez are critical junctures for global commerce, and therefore maritime security in the region is a persistent concern for governments and shipping companies.