Red Sea . It is a gulf or basin of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia . The connection with the ocean is to the South, through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden . To the north is the Sinai Peninsula , the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez , which in turn reaches the Suez Canal ).
Summary
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- 1 Features
- 1 Physical properties
- 2 Fauna
- 3 The beaches of the Red Sea
- 2 Origin of the name
- 3 Riparian countries
- 4 Tourism
- 5 Delimitation of the IHO
- 6 Sources
characteristics
The sea is about 2,200 km long and its maximum width is 335 km. The maximum depth is 2,130 m, the average being about 500 m. It also has extensive shallow platforms, where there is abundant marine life and corals. The total area is approximately 450,000 km². This sea is part of the Great Rift Valley and is an important communication route between Europe and the Far East.
Physical properties
The temperature of the water on the surface remains constant, between 21 ° C and 25 ° C throughout the year. [Citation needed] Visibility is also good up to 200 meters, although the sea is known for its strong winds and unpredictable local currents. It originated when Africa separated from the Arabian peninsula, a movement that began around 30 million years ago. This effect continues today, and the sea gradually widens, which is why volcanic activity develops in its deepest parts. Model John Tuzo Wilson , coinciding with a majority of the scientific community, stipulates that the sea will become an ocean in the distant future.
Fauna
In this sea it is extraordinarily diverse. It is said to be even richer in corals such as Anthelia glauca , fish and other marine organisms than the Indian Ocean itself . Their isolation has led to endemic species, that is, exclusive to these regions.
Although not exclusive, the coral species Acropora pharaonis is distributed throughout the Red Sea and the coral regions of the West Indian Ocean, between the African coast and southern India and Sri Lanka. It prefers the little exposed areas of the reefs. They also inhabit other species such as the Giant Sea Fan and the Sulfur Sea Fan .
The Red Sea beaches
They are considered as a gift of nature. The waters of the Red Sea are blue, clean and crystal clear, this sea offers a variety of coral reefs and unique fish of its kind. The chain of mountains with different shades of color run parallel to the sea, and the sea is only separated by a plain where you can camp.
Name’s origin
Moses and the Red Sea
The sea was called the “Arabian Gulf” by most Europeans until the 20th century . This name derives from the old Greek sources, such as Herodotus , Strabo and Ptolemy , who called it “Arabicus Sinus”, reserving the name “Mare Erythrias” (Red Sea) for the waters south of Arabia , the region that today we know as the ocean. Indian. The name of the sea does not refer to a true red color, it is likely that the name refers to the seasonal outcrops of the cyanobacterium Trichodesium erythraeum near the surface of the water. Another theory proposes that the name refers to the nearby mountains, rich in red minerals, called “הרי אדום”, the ruby mountains, in Hebrew. Another hypothesis is that the origin of the name comes from an error in the translation of the biblical texts of Exodus when going from Hebrew to Greek. According to this theory the correct translation would be that of “sea of reeds” (junk in English) is “reed”, which was confused with “red” (red) at the time of translation. Another theory claims that the name comes from the Himarites, a local tribe whose name means “red.” Finally there is the theory that the color would correspond to a geographical direction. In this case “red” would serve to refer to “south” while theBlack Sea would correspond to “north”. This theory is based on the fact that some Asian languages use colors to refer to the orientations of a compass.
Riparian countries
- North coast: Egypt , Israel and Jordan
- West coast: Sudan and Egypt .
- East Coast: Saudi Arabia and Yemen .
- South coast: Djibouti and Eritrea
tourism
Visibility under the surface of the water reaches 30 meters and you can dive to about 45 meters. You can take excursions to Giftun Island to snorkel and dive or take a glass-based boat in which you can see the bottom of the sea or take a submarine. There is also the possibility of renting boats to practice fishing.
It is famous for its diving spots such as Ras Mohammed and the Rocky Island in Egypt. There are also lesser known places in Sudan , for example Sanganeb, Angarosh and Shaab Rumi. The Red Sea became an important destination for diving enthusiasts after the expeditions of Hans Hass in the 1950s and those of Jacques-Yves Cousteau in later decades.
Delimitation of the IHO
The highest international authority on the delimitation of seas, the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), considers the Red Sea (“Red Sea”) as a sea . In his world-leading publication, “Limits of oceans and seas” (3rd edition 1953 ), he assigns it the identification number 37 and defines it as follows: In the north. The southern limits of the gulfs of Suez (35) and Aqaba (36). In the south. A line connecting Husn Murad (12º40’N, 43º30’E) and Ras Siyan (12º29’N, 43º20’E).
