Gulf of Aqaba
Gulf of Aqaba | ||
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Gulf of Eilat | ||
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Basin countries | Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia | |
Max. length | 160 km (99 mi) | |
Max. width | 24 km (15 mi) | |
Surface area | 239 km2 (92 sq mi) | |
Max. depth | 1,850 m (6,070 ft) | |
Settlements | Aqaba, Eilat, Taba, Haql, Sharm El Sheikh |
The Gulf of Aqaba (
Geography
The gulf is east of the Sinai Peninsula and west of the Arabian Peninsula. With the Gulf of Suez to the west, it extends from the northern portion of the Red Sea. It reaches a maximum depth of 1,850 metres (6,070 ft) in its central area: the Gulf of Suez is significantly wider but less than 100 m (330 ft) deep.
The gulf measures 24 km (15 mi) at its widest point and stretches some 160 km (100 mi) north from the Straits of Tiran to where Israel meets Egypt and Jordan.
Like the coastal waters of the Red Sea, the gulf is one of the world's premier sites for diving. The area is especially rich in coral and other marine biodiversity and has both accidental shipwrecks and vessels deliberately sunk in an effort to provide a habitat for marine organisms and bolster the local dive tourism industry.
Cities
At this northern end of the gulf are three important cities:
The largest population center is Aqaba, with a population of 148,398 (2015), followed by Eilat with a population of 50,724 (2020).
Extent
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the southern limit of the gulf as "A line running from Ràs al Fasma Southwesterly to Requin Island (27°57′N 34°36′E / 27.950°N 34.600°E) through Tiran Island to the Southwest point thereof and thence Westward on a parallel (27°54'N) to the coast of the Sinaï Peninsula".[1]
Geology
The gulf is one of two gulfs created by the Sinai Peninsula's bifurcation of the northern Red Sea, the Gulf of Suez lying to the west of the peninsula and the Gulf of Aqaba to its east. Geologically, the gulf forms the southern end of the Dead Sea Transform. It contains three small pull-apart basins, the Elat Deep, Aragonese Deep and Dakar Deep, formed between four left lateral strike-slip fault segments. Movement on one of these faults caused the 1995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquake.[2]
Ecology
History
Trade across the Red Sea between Thebes' port of
At the northern edge, the ancient city of Ayla (in present-day Aqaba) was a commercial hub for the
Aqaba was a major
Fauna
In general, the
Tourism
The gulf is one of the most popular diving destinations in the world. About 250,000 dives are performed annually in Eilat's 11 km coastline, and diving represents 10% of the tourism income of this area.[4]
The Landscape of
Whales, orcas, dolphins, dugongs, and whale sharks live in the gulf as well.[5][6]
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Tababeach
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Red Sea coral and marine fish
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A resort near Eilat's Coral Beach
See also
References
- ^ "Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition" (PDF). International Hydrographic Organization. 1953. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- doi:10.1785/BSSA0890041025. Archived from the original(PDF) on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
- ^ מדריך ישראל, סיני וחבל עזה, הוצאת כתר ומשרד הביטחון – ההוצאה לאור, 1979, עמ' 124–126, 165-157, 239-185
- JSTOR 4314831.. the United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved on 17 December. 2014
- ^ Sciara di N.G., Smeenk C., Rudolph P., Addink M., Baldwin R., Cesario A., Costa M., Feingold D., Fumagalli M., Kerem D., Goffman O., Elasar M., Scheinin A., Hadar N.. 2014. Summary review of cetaceans of the Red Sea.
- ^ "Dugongs in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden". unep.ch. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016.
External links
- The Red Sea Marine Peace Park page on Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs– a joint Israel-Jordan initiative