Red Sea

The Red Sea is a large sea inlet of the Indian Ocean.

It sits between the continents of Africa and Asia. To the north, the sea is bordered by the Sinai Peninsula. It also features the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez. The Gulf of Suez leads directly to the Suez Canal. In the south, the sea connects to the Indian Ocean through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. This connection continues through the Gulf of Aden. The entire sea is underlain by the Red Sea Rift. This rift is a major part of the Great Rift Valley system.

The physical environment of the Red Sea is quite extreme. It is the world's northernmost tropical sea.

The climate is shaped by two monsoon seasons. These are the northeasterly monsoon and the southwesterly monsoon. These winds occur because of different heating between the land and the sea. Rainfall is extremely low, averaging only 1.6 mm per year. This scarcity of rain means there are no major fresh water sources. Because of this, evaporation is very high at about 200 mm per year. These factors make it one of the warmest and saltiest bodies of water on Earth.

Salinity, or the amount of dissolved salt in water, is very high here. The average salinity is 40 parts per thousand (‰). For comparison, the average salinity for the world's oceans is about 35 ‰. The salt levels vary by location. The southern part averages about 36 ‰. The northern part near the Gulf of Suez reaches about 41 ‰. This high salt level happens because evaporation is high and precipitation is low. Additionally, the narrow connection to the Gulf of Aden limits water exchange. This keeps the salt levels high throughout the sea.

Under the surface, the Red Sea hosts a unique marine ecosystem.

The sea has extensive shallow shelves. About 40% of its area is less than 200 meters deep. Another 25% is less than 100 meters deep. These shallow areas are famous for their coral reefs. There are more than 200 types of soft and hard coral. You can also find over 1,000 invertebrate species.

Despite the heat, these reefs are among the healthiest in the world. Scientists study them to see if they can help save other corals. For example, only 9% of some corals were infected by the 'white plague' agent.

Humans have interacted with the Red Sea for thousands of years.

Ancient Egyptians explored the sea around 2500 BCE and 1500 BCE. They sought commercial routes to the Land of Punt. In the 6th century BCE, the Persian ruler Darius the Great improved navigation. He sent missions to find hazards like rocks and currents. Darius also built a canal linking the Nile River to the Red Sea. This ancient Suez Canal helped trade move toward the Indian Ocean. Later, Alexander the Great sent Greek naval expeditions down the sea. In the Roman era, trade with India increased significantly.

The name "Red Sea" has many possible origins. Some scholars believe it refers to the seasonal blooms of *Trichodesmium erythraeum*. This is a red-colored organism that lives near the surface. Another theory suggests the name refers to a direction. In some ancient Pre-Indo-European languages, color words represented cardinal directions. In this theory, "red" might have meant "south." Historically, Europeans called it the Erythraean Sea. The sea has many names in regional languages, including Arabic, Somali, and Tigrinya.

The Red Sea remains a vital global waterway. The modern Suez Canal opened in November 1869. This canal connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. It is one of the most important waterways in the world. However, the canal has faced challenges. It was closed from 1967 to 1975 due to the Six-Day War. Today, the sea is also a major route for oil tankers. However, maritime security is a concern. Recently, the Houthis in Yemen have attacked ships near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. These events show that the Red Sea is still a central part of global trade and politics.