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The Western Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the eastern and central Indian Ocean . It is part of the larger Indo-Pacific , which includes the tropical Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean , and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia . The Western Indo-Pacific may be classified as a marine realm , one of the great biogeographic divisions of the world's ocean basins, or as a subrealm of the Indo-Pacific.

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90-695: The Western Indo-Pacific realm covers the western and central portion of the Indian Ocean, including Africa's east coast, the Red Sea , Gulf of Aden , Persian Gulf , Arabian Sea , Bay of Bengal , and Andaman Sea , as well as the coastal waters surrounding Madagascar , the Seychelles , Comoros , Mascarene Islands , Maldives , and Chagos Archipelago . The transition between the Western Indo-Pacific and Central Indo-Pacific occurs at

180-599: A Greek periplus written by an unknown author around the 1st century, contains a detailed description of the Red Sea's ports and sea routes. The Periplus also describes how Hippalus first discovered the direct route from the Red Sea to India . The Red Sea was favored for Roman trade with India starting with the reign of Augustus , when the Roman Empire gained control over the Mediterranean, Egypt , and

270-873: A country's sovereign territorial waters extend to 12 nmi (22 km) beyond the shore. One of the first assertions of exclusive jurisdiction beyond the traditional territorial seas was made by the United States in the Truman Proclamation of 28 September 1945. However, it was Chile and Peru respectively that first claimed maritime zones of 200 nautical miles with the Presidential Declaration Concerning Continental Shelf signed by Chilean President Gabriel Gonzalez Videla on 23 June 1947 and by Peruvian President Jose Luis Bustamante y Rivero through Presidential Decree No. 781 of 1 August 1947 It

360-662: A geography where large deep-water sharks can roam in hundreds of meters of water, yet be within a hundred meters of swimming areas. The Red Sea Project is building highest quality accommodation and a wide range of facilities on the coast line in Saudi Arabia. This will allow people to visit the coastline of the Red Sea by the end of 2022 but will be fully finished by 2030. Tourism to the region has been threatened by occasional terrorist attacks, and by incidents related to food safety standards. Exclusive economic zones An exclusive economic zone ( EEZ ), as prescribed by

450-712: A maritime delimitation agreement exists with another state. To the 12 nautical miles boundary is Australia's territorial waters . Australia has the third largest exclusive economic zone, behind France and the United States, but ahead of Russia, with a total area of 8,148,250 square kilometres, which actually exceeds its land territory. The United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) confirmed, in April 2008, Australia's rights over an additional 2.5 million square kilometres of seabed beyond

540-682: A popular destination for diving after the expeditions of Hans Hass in the 1950s, and later by Jacques-Yves Cousteau . Popular tourist resorts include El Gouna , Hurghada , Safaga , Marsa Alam , on the west shore of the Red Sea, and Sharm-el-Sheikh , Dahab , and Taba on the Egyptian side of Sinaï , as well as Aqaba in Jordan and Eilat in Israel in an area known as the Red Sea Riviera . The popular tourist beach of Sharm el-Sheikh

630-647: A tiny island in the Mediterranean Sea, is the country's southernmost point. Italy shares treaty-defined maritime boundaries with France , Spain , Algeria , Tunisia , Libya , Malta , Greece , Albania , Montenegro , Croatia and Slovenia . Japan has the world's eighth-largest exclusive economic zone, covering 4,479,674 km (1,729,612 sq mi). It claims an EEZ of 200 nautical miles from its shores. Japan has disputes over its EEZ boundaries with all its Asian neighbors (China, Russia, South Korea , and Taiwan ). The above, and relevant maps at

720-439: A total surface area of 3,269,386 km , and places Mexico among the countries with the largest areas in the world. New Zealand 's EEZ covers 4,083,744 km (1,576,742 sq mi), which is approximately fifteen times the land area of the country. Sources vary significantly on the size of New Zealand's EEZ; for example, a recent government publication gave the area as roughly 4,300,000 km . These figures are for

810-849: Is a direct translation of the Ancient Greek Erythra Thalassa ( Ἐρυθρὰ Θάλασσα ). The sea itself was once referred to as the Erythraean Sea by Europeans. As well as Mare Rubrum in Latin (alternatively Sinus Arabicus , literally "Arabian Gulf"), the Romans called it Pontus Herculis (Sea of Hercules). Other designations include the Arabic : البحر الأحمر , romanized :  Al-Baḥr Al-Aḥmar (alternatively بحر القلزم Baḥr Al-Qulzum , literally "the Sea of Clysma "),

900-480: Is considered that it will become an ocean in time (as proposed in the model of John Tuzo Wilson ). In 1949, a deep water survey reported anomalously hot brines in the central portion of the Red Sea. Later work in the 1960s confirmed the presence of hot, 60 °C (140 °F), saline brines and associated metalliferous muds. The hot solutions were emanating from an active subseafloor rift . Lake Asal in Djibouti

990-447: Is eligible as an experimental site to study the evolution of the deep hot brines of the Red Sea. By observing the strontium isotope composition of the Red Sea brines, it is possible to deduce how these salt waters found at the bottom of the Red Sea could have evolved in a similar way to Lake Asal, which ideally represents their compositional extreme. The high salinity of the waters was not hospitable to living organisms. Sometime during

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1080-644: Is further subdivided into marine provinces, and the marine provinces divided into marine ecoregions: Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean , lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden . To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula , the Gulf of Aqaba , and the Gulf of Suez —leading to

1170-554: Is that some Asiatic languages used color words to refer to the cardinal directions . Herodotus on one occasion uses Red Sea and Southern Sea interchangeably. The name in Hebrew Yam Suph ( Hebrew : ים סוף , lit.   'Sea of Reeds') is of biblical origin. The name in Coptic : ⲫⲓⲟⲙ `ⲛϩⲁϩ Phiom Enhah ("Sea of Hah") is connected to Ancient Egyptian root ḥ-ḥ which refers to water and sea (for example

1260-416: Is the driving force in the Red Sea to transport material as suspension or as bedload. Wind-induced currents play an important role in the Red Sea in resuspending bottom sediments and transferring materials from sites of dumping to sites of burial in quiescent environment of deposition. Wind-generated current measurement is therefore important in order to determine the sediment dispersal pattern and its role in

1350-527: Is up to the states to delineate the actual maritime boundary . Generally, any point within an overlapping area defaults to the nearest state. The exclusive economic zone stretches much further into sea than the territorial waters , which end at 12 nmi (22 km) from the coastal baseline (if following the rules set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ). Thus,

1440-473: The 2023-2024 Israel-Hamas war . One ship was hijacked and taken back to Yemen. The Red Sea is between arid land, desert and semi-desert . Reef systems are better developed along the Red Sea mainly because of its greater depths and an efficient water circulation pattern. The Red Sea water mass-exchanges its water with the Arabian Sea , Indian Ocean via the Gulf of Aden . These physical factors reduce

1530-499: The Coptic ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ̀ⲛϣⲁⲣⲓ Phiom ̀nšari , Syriac ܝܡܐ ܣܘܡܩܐ Yammāʾ summāqā, Somali Badda cas and Tigrinya Qeyyiḥ bāḥrī (ቀይሕ ባሕሪ). The name of the sea may signify the seasonal blooms of the red-coloured Trichodesmium erythraeum near the water's surface. A theory favored by some modern scholars is that the name red is referring to the direction south, just as the Black Sea 's name may refer to north. The basis of this theory

1620-561: The Fernando de Noronha Islands , Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago , and the Trindade and Martim Vaz Islands . Canada is unusual in that its exclusive economic zone, covering 5,599,077 km (2,161,816 sq mi), is slightly smaller than its territorial waters. The latter generally extend only 12 nautical miles from the shore but also include inland marine waters such as Hudson Bay (about 300 nmi (560 km) across),

1710-740: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), provides significant practical mechanisms for the control of EEZs. Transboundary fish stocks are an important concept in this control. Transboundary stocks are fish stocks that range in the EEZs of at least two countries. Straddling stocks , on the other hand, range both within an EEZ as well as in the high seas , outside any EEZ. A stock can be both transboundary and straddling. Algeria on 17 April 2018 established an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off its coasts by Presidential Decree No. 18-96 of 2 Rajab 1439 corresponding to 20 March 2018. The permanent mission of Spain to

1800-722: The Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the internal waters of the Arctic Archipelago . Chile's EEZ includes areas around the Desventuradas Islands , Easter Island , and the Juan Fernández Islands . In 2020 and 2022, Chile submitted its partial claims to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its maritime continental margin. The first figure excludes all disputed waters, while

1890-612: The Maluku Islands ) and sixty smaller island groups. Ireland's exclusive economic zone was reported to be the location of a Russian military exercise in January 2022. Russia's exercise was then moved outside the economic zone. In 2010, an agreement was signed with Cyprus concerning the limit of territorial waters between Israel and Cyprus at the maritime halfway point, a clarification essential for safeguarding Israel's rights to oil and underwater gas reservoirs. The agreement

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1980-774: The Mediterranean Sea . To the point that a number of them now form a significant component of the Mediterranean ecosystem. The resulting change in biodiversity, without precedent in human memory, is currently accelerating, in particular for fishes according to surveys engaged by the Mediterranean Science Commission . The rich diversity of the Red Sea is in part due to the 2,000 km (1,240 mi) of coral reef extending along its coastline; these fringing reefs are 5000–7000 years old and are largely formed of stony acropora and porites corals. The reefs form platforms and sometimes lagoons along

2070-601: The Red Sea slave trade from Africa to the Middle East. During the Middle Ages , the Red Sea was an important part of the spice trade route. In 1183, Raynald of Châtillon launched a raid down the Red Sea to attack the Muslim pilgrim convoys to Mecca. The possibility that Raynald's fleet might sack the holy cities of Mecca and Medina caused fury throughout the Muslim world. However, it appears that Reynald's target

2160-810: The Second World War , the Americans and Soviets exerted their influence whilst the volume of oil tanker traffic intensified. However, the Six-Day War culminated in the closure of the Suez Canal from 1967 to 1975. Today, in spite of patrols by the major maritime fleets in the waters of the Red Sea, the Suez Canal has never recovered its supremacy over the Cape route, which is believed to be less vulnerable to piracy. Iranian -backed Yemini Houthis have attacked Western ships, including warships , during

2250-672: The Septuagint translation of the Book of Exodus from Hebrew to Koine Greek in approximately the third century BC. In that version, the Yam Suph ( Hebrew : ים סוף , lit.   'Sea of Reeds') is translated as Erythra Thalassa (Red Sea). The Red Sea is one of four seas named in English after common color terms – the others being the Black Sea , the White Sea and

2340-545: The Strait of Malacca and in southern Sumatra . The Western Indo-Pacific does not include the temperate and polar waters of the Indian Ocean, which are part of separate marine realms. The boundary between the Western Indo-Pacific and Temperate Southern Africa marine realms lies in South Africa near the border with Mozambique , where the southernmost mangroves and tropical corals are found. The Western Indo-Pacific

2430-700: The Suez Canal . It is underlain by the Red Sea Rift , which is part of the Great Rift Valley . The Red Sea has a surface area of roughly 438,000 km (169,000 sq mi), is about 2,250 km (1,400 mi) long, and 355 km (221 mi) wide at its widest point. It has an average depth of 490 m (1,610 ft), and in the central Suakin Trough it reaches its maximum depth of 3,040 m (9,970 ft). Approximately 40% of

2520-788: The Tertiary period, the Bab el Mandeb closed and the Red Sea evaporated to an empty hot dry salt-floored sink. Effects causing this would have been: A number of volcanic islands rise from the center of the sea. Most are dormant. However, in 2007, Jabal al-Tair island in the Bab el Mandeb strait erupted violently. Two new islands were formed in 2011 and 2013 in the Zubair Archipelago , a small chain of islands owned by Yemen. The first island, Sholan Island, emerged in an eruption in December 2011,

2610-590: The Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, the Ionian Sea to the south and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Italy's EEZ is limited by maritime boundaries with neighboring countries to the northwest, east and southeast. Italy's western sea territory stretches from the west coast of Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea , including the island of Sardinia . The island of Sicily is in the southernmost area. Lampedusa ,

2700-632: The Yellow Sea . The direct rendition of the Greek Erythra thalassa in Latin as Mare Erythraeum refers to the north-western part of the Indian Ocean , and also to a region on Mars . The earliest known exploration of the Red Sea was conducted by ancient Egyptians , as they attempted to establish commercial routes to Punt . One such expedition took place around 2500 BC, and another around 1500 BC (by Hatshepsut ). Both involved long voyages down

2790-839: The global economy , with cargo vessels traveling between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea every year, thus shortening the path between Asia and Europe almost by half (as compared to traveling around Africa via the Atlantic Ocean). 12% of global trade passes through the Red Sea. This includes 30% of global container traffic. The sea is known for its recreational diving sites, such as Ras Mohammed , SS Thistlegorm (shipwreck), Elphinstone Reef , The Brothers , Daedalus Reef , St. John's Reef , Rocky Island in Egypt and less known sites in Sudan such as Sanganeb , Abington , Angarosh and Shaab Rumi . The Red Sea became

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2880-528: The sabkhas through a network of channels. However, south of Jeddah in the Shoiaba area, the water from the lagoon may cover the adjoining sabkhas as far as 3 km (2 mi), whereas north of Jeddah in the Al-Kharrar area the sabkhas are covered by a thin sheet of water as far as 2 km (1.2 mi). The prevailing north and northeast winds influence the movement of water in the coastal inlets to

2970-410: The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea , is an area of the sea in which a sovereign state has exclusive rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources , including energy production from water and wind. It stretches from the outer limit of the territorial sea (22.224 kilometres or 12 nmi from the baseline) out 370.4 kilometres (or 200 nautical miles ) from the coast of

3060-438: The 44 recorded species of shark, and by many species (over 175) of nudibranch , many of which are endemic to the Red Sea. Other coastal Red Sea habitats include sea grass beds, salt pans , mangrove and salt marsh . Furthermore the deep Red Sea brine pools have been extensively studied with regard to their microbial life, characterized by its diversity and adaptation to extreme environments. The high marine biodiversity of

3150-604: The 6th century BC, Darius the Great , who was a prominent ruler of the Achaemenid Empire in Persia, undertook significant efforts to improve and extend navigation in the Red Sea. He sent reconnaissance missions to explore the Red Sea area and to identify its various navigational hazards, such as rocks and currents. This effort was significant, as it contributed to safer and more efficient navigation routes. In addition to

3240-536: The Achaemenid Empire's economic and political power in the region. In the late 4th century BC, Alexander the Great sent Greek naval expeditions down the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean . Greek navigators continued to explore and compile data on the Red Sea. Agatharchides collected information about the sea in the 2nd century BC. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (" Periplus of the Red Sea "),

3330-676: The Algerian measure had been taken unilaterally and without consulting them. On 25 November 2018, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent an oral note in response to the Spanish protest, explaining that the Algerian government does not recognize the largely exorbitant coordinates contained in Royal Decree 236/2013, which overlap with the coordinates of Presidential Decree n° 18–96 establishing an exclusive economic zone off

3420-574: The Baltic Sea area. Greece forms the southernmost part of the Balkan peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea . It includes many small islands which vary between 1,200 and 6,000 in the Aegean Sea and the Ionian Sea . The largest islands are Crete , Euboea , Lesbos , Rhodes and Chios . Greece's EEZ is bordered to the west by Albania and Italy , to the south by Libya and Egypt , and to

3510-849: The EEZ include the Maritime Task Act (Seeaufgabengesetz) from 1965, the Maritime Facilities Act (Seeanlagengesetz) from 2017, and prior to that the Sea Facilities Ordinance (Seeanlagenverordnung) from 1997, the Federal Mining Act (Bundesberggesetz) and the Regional Planning Act (Raumordnungsgesetz). The German EEZ has an area of 32,982 km . About 70% of the EEZ covers Germany's entire North Sea area, while some 29% encompasses

3600-399: The EEZ of New Zealand proper, and do not include the EEZs of other territories in the Realm of New Zealand (the Cook Islands , Niue , Tokelau , and the Ross Dependency ). The exclusive economic zone of North Korea stretches 200 nautical miles from its basepoints in both the West Sea (Yellow Sea) and the Sea of Japan . The EEZ was declared in 1977 after North Korea had contested

3690-423: The Red Sea and its coasts is extremely low, averaging 60 mm (2.36 in) per year. The rain is mostly short showers, often with thunderstorms and occasionally with dust storms . The scarcity of rainfall and no major source of fresh water to the Red Sea result in excess evaporation as high as 2,050 mm (81 in) per year and high salinity with minimal seasonal variation. A recent underwater expedition to

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3780-437: The Red Sea inside the Bab al-Mandab , as the first fleet from Europe in modern times to have sailed these waters. Later in 1524 the city was delivered to Governor Heitor da Silveira as an agreement for protection from the Ottomans . In 1798, France ordered General Napoleon to invade Egypt and take control of the Red Sea. Although he failed in his mission, the engineer Jean-Baptiste Lepère , who took part in it, revitalised

3870-408: The Red Sea is dominated by persistent north-west winds , with speeds ranging between 7 km/h (4.3 mph) and 12 km/h (7.5 mph). The rest of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are subjected to regular and seasonally reversible winds. The wind regime is characterized by seasonal and regional variations in speed and direction with average speed generally increasing northward. Wind

3960-461: The Red Sea is quite shallow at less than 100 m (330 ft) deep, and about 25% is less than 50 m (160 ft) deep. The extensive shallow shelves are noted for their marine life and corals . More than 1,000 invertebrate species and 200 types of soft and hard coral live in the sea. The Red Sea is the world's northernmost tropical sea, and has been designated a Global 200 ecoregion. The International Hydrographic Organization defines

4050-465: The Red Sea offshore from Sudan and Eritrea found surface water temperatures 28 °C (82 °F) in winter and up to 34 °C (93 °F) in the summer, but despite that extreme heat, the coral was healthy with much fish life with very little sign of coral bleaching , with only 9% infected by Thalassomonas loyana , the 'white plague' agent. Favia favus coral there harbours a virus, BA3, which kills T. loyana . Scientists are investigating

4140-413: The Red Sea. The biblical Book of Exodus tells the account of the Israelites ' crossing of the sea , which the Hebrew text calls Yam Suph ( Hebrew : יַם סוּף ). Yam Suph was traditionally identified as the Red Sea. Rabbi Saadia Gaon (882‒942), in his Judeo-Arabic translation of the Pentateuch , identifies the crossing place of the Red Sea as Baḥar al-Qulzum , meaning the Gulf of Suez . In

4230-412: The Red Sea. The net value of the latter predominates, resulting in an overall drift to the north end of the Red Sea. Generally, the velocity of the tidal current is 50–60 cm/s (20–24 in/s) with a maximum of 1 m/s (3.3 ft/s) at the mouth of the al-Kharrar Lagoon. However, the range of the north-northeast current along the Saudi coast is 8–29 cm/s (3–11 in/s). The north part of

4320-422: The Sea Around Us Project both indicate Japan's claimed boundaries, and do not take into account the claims of adjacent jurisdictions. Japan also refers to various categories of "shipping area" – Smooth Water Area, Coasting Area, Major or Greater Coasting Area, Ocean Going Area – but it is unclear whether these are intended to have any territorial or economic implications. Mexico's exclusive economic zones cover

4410-987: The Southwest point thereof and thence Westward on a parallel (27°54'N) to the coast of the Sinai Peninsula ]. On the South. A line joining Husn Murad ( 12°40′N 43°30′E  /  12.667°N 43.500°E  / 12.667; 43.500 ) and Ras Siyyan ( 12°29′N 43°20′E  /  12.483°N 43.333°E  / 12.483; 43.333 ). Exclusive economic zones in Red Sea: Note: Hala'ib Triangle disputed between Sudan and Egypt and calculated for both. Red Sea has names in many languages (Modern Arabic : البحر الأحمر , romanized :  al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar , Medieval Arabic: بحر القلزم , romanized:  Baḥr al-Qulzum ; Biblical Hebrew : יַם-סוּף , romanized:  Yam Sūp̄ or Hebrew : הַיָּם הָאָדוֹם , romanized :  hayYām hāʾĀḏōm ; Coptic : ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ Phiom Enhah or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ Phiom ǹšari ; Tigrinya : ቀይሕ ባሕሪ Qeyih Bahri ; Somali : Badda Cas ; Afar : "Qasa Bad". Red Sea

4500-438: The Spanish embassy in Algiers to show their eligibility in Algeria's exclusive economic zone. Considering the maritime areas claimed, the total area of Argentina reaches 3,849,756 km . The recognized Argentine EEZ area is 1,159,063 km . Australia's exclusive economic zone was declared on 1 August 1994, and extends from 12 to 200 nautical miles from the coastline of Australia and its external territories , except where

4590-430: The United Nations on 27 July 2018 declared its disagreement with the EEZ announced by Algeria and that the government of Spain indicated its willingness to enter into negotiations with the government of Algeria with a view to reaching a mutually acceptable agreement on the outer limits of their respective exclusive economic zones, The same was done by the Italian mission on 28 November 2018. The two countries indicated that

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4680-401: The West Sea cannot be determined because of potential overlap and disputes over certain islands. In the Sea of Japan, the North Korean EEZ can be approximated to be trapezoidal -shaped. The border between North Korea and Russia's respective EEZs is the only such border that has been determined in East Asia. Here, the EEZ does not cause many problems, even with regards to South Korea, because

4770-418: The adjacent sabkhas, especially during storms. Winter mean sea level is 0.5 m (1.6 ft) higher than in summer. Tidal velocities passing through constrictions caused by reefs, sand bars and low islands commonly exceed 1–2 m/s (3–7 ft/s). Coral reefs in the Red Sea are near Egypt, Eritrea, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Detailed information regarding current data is lacking, partially because

4860-407: The area is recognized by the Egyptian government, which set up the Ras Mohammed National Park in 1983. The rules and regulations governing this area protect local marine life, which has become a major draw for diving enthusiasts who should be aware that although most Red Sea species are innocuous, a few are hazardous to humans. There is extensive demand for desalinated water to meet the needs of

4950-522: The baseline cover an additional 12,498 km , and EEZ covers 24,482 km for a total of 55,961 km . Cyprus EEZ covers 98,707 square km (38,100 square miles). Cyprus' EEZ borders those of Greece , Turkey , Syria , Lebanon , Israel and Egypt . The Kingdom of Denmark includes the constituent country ( selvstyre ) of Greenland and the constituent country ( hjemmestyre ) of the Faroe Islands . Area: 1,077,231 km Due to its numerous overseas departments and territories scattered on all oceans of

5040-480: The coast and occasional other features such as cylinders (such as the Blue Hole (Red Sea) at Dahab ). The Red Sea also hosts many offshore reefs, including several true atolls. Many of the unusual offshore reef formations defy classic (i.e., Darwinian) coral reef classification schemes, and are generally attributed to the high levels of tectonic activity that characterize the area. Both offshore and coastal reefs are visited by pelagic species of fish, including many of

5130-451: The coast of Algeria. The Algerian government wished to emphasize that the unilateral delimitation carried out by Spain is not in conformity with the letter of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and has not taken into consideration the configuration, the specific characteristics, and the special circumstances of the Mediterranean Sea, in particular for the case of the two countries whose coasts are located face to face, as well as

5220-417: The currents are weak and both spatially and temporally variable. The variation of temporal and spatial currents is as low as 0.5 m (1.6 ft) and are governed all by wind. During the summer, northwesterly winds drive surface water south for about four months at a velocity of 15–20 cm/s (6–8 in/s), whereas in winter the flow is reversed resulting in the inflow of water from the Gulf of Aden into

5310-576: The east by Cyprus and Turkey . India is currently seeking to extend its EEZ to 350 miles. Indonesia has the 6th largest exclusive economic zone in the world. The total size is 6,159,032 km (2,378,016 sq mi). It claims an EEZ of 200 nautical miles from its shores. This is due to the 13,466 islands of the Indonesian Archipelago . It has the 2nd largest coastline of 54,720 km (34,000 mi). The five main islands are: Sumatra , Java , Borneo , Sulawesi , and Western New Guinea . There are two major island groups ( Nusa Tenggara and

5400-423: The effect of high salinity caused by evaporation in the north and relatively hot water in the south. The climate of the Red Sea is the result of two monsoon seasons: a northeasterly monsoon and a southwesterly monsoon. Monsoon winds occur because of differential heating between the land and the sea. Very high surface temperatures and high salinities make this one of the warmest and saltiest bodies of seawater in

5490-427: The erosion and accretion of the coastal rock exposure and the submerged coral beds. The Red Sea was formed by the Arabian Peninsula being split from the Horn of Africa by movement of the Red Sea Rift . This split started in the Eocene and accelerated during the Oligocene . The sea is still widening (in 2005, following a three-week period of tectonic activity it had grown by 8 m [26 ft]), and it

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5580-419: The exclusive economic zones includes the contiguous zone . States also have rights to the seabed of what is called the extended continental shelf up to 350 nmi (648 km) from the coastal baseline, beyond the exclusive economic zones, but such areas are not part of their exclusive economic zones. The legal definition of the continental shelf does not correspond exactly to the geological meaning of

5670-420: The last figure indicates China's claimed boundaries, and does not take into account adjacent powers' claims. Croatia proclaimed Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone in 2003, but it was not enforced toward other European Union states especially Italy and Slovenia. The zone was upgraded to EEZ in 2021 together with Italy and Slovenia. Territorial waters has 18,981 km , while internal waters located within

5760-418: The limits of Australia's EEZ. Australia also claimed, in its submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, additional Continental Shelf past its EEZ from the Australian Antarctic Territory , but these claims were deferred on Australia's request. However, Australia's EEZ from its Antarctic Territory is approximately 2 million square kilometres. Brazil 's EEZ includes areas around

5850-468: The limits of the Red Sea as follows: On the North. The Southern limits of the Gulfs of Suez [A line running from Ràs Muhammed (27°43'N) to the South point of Shadwan Island (34°02'E) and thence Westward on a parallel (27°27'N) to the coast of Africa ] and Aqaba [A line running from Ràs al Fasma Southwesterly to Requin Island ( 27°57′N 34°36′E  /  27.950°N 34.600°E  / 27.950; 34.600 ) through Tiran Island to

5940-425: The major constituents of the Red Sea sediments are as follows: The Red Sea is a rich and diverse ecosystem. For example more than 1200 fish species have been recorded in the Red Sea, of which 10% are endemic, found nowhere else. Since the opening of the Suez Canal in November 1869, over a thousand marine species from the Red Sea—from plankton, seaweeds, invertebrates to fishes—have migrated northward and settled in

6030-416: The maritime explorations, during the reign of Darius the Great, a canal was constructed linking the Nile River to the northern end of the Red Sea at Suez. This canal is sometimes referred to as the ancient Suez Canal. It played a pivotal role in improving trade and communication between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea, and beyond to the Indian Ocean. This canal was a predecessor to the modern Suez Canal , which

6120-400: The names of the Ogdoad gods Heh and Hauhet ). Historically, it was also known to western geographers as Mare Mecca (Sea of Mecca), and Sinus Arabicus (Gulf of Arabia). Some ancient geographers called the Red Sea the Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Arabia. The association of the Red Sea with the biblical account of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea is ancient, and was made explicit in

6210-404: The northern Red Sea. The route had been used by previous states but grew in the volume of traffic under the Romans. From Indian ports goods from China were introduced to the Roman world. Contact between Rome and China depended on the Red Sea, but the route was broken by the Aksumite Empire around the 3rd century AD. From antiquity until the 20th-century , the Red Sea was also a trade route of

6300-408: The objective rules and relevant principles of international law to govern the equitable delimitation of the maritime areas between Algeria and Spain, in accordance with article 74 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Algeria expressed its willingness to negotiate for a just solution. On 20 June 2019, a communication from Algeria was sent. It was addressed to the Italian embassy and

6390-413: The plan for a canal which had been envisaged during the reign of the Pharaohs . Several canals were built in ancient times from the Nile to the Red Sea along or near the line of the present Sweet Water Canal , but none lasted for long. The Suez Canal was opened in November 1869. During the first half of the 20th-century, the Red Sea slave trade attracted substantional international condemnation. After

6480-600: The planet, France possesses the largest EEZ in the world, covering 11,691,000 km (4,514,000 sq mi). The EEZ of France covers approximately 7% of the total surface of all the EEZs of the world, whereas the land area of the French Republic is only 0.45% of the total land area of Earth. Germany declared the establishment of its exclusive economic zone in the North and Baltic Seas on 1 January 1995. The relevant German legal provisions that are applicable within

6570-428: The population and the industries along the Red Sea. There are at least 18 desalination plants along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia which discharge warm brine and treatment chemicals ( chlorine and anti-scalants ) that bleach and kill corals and cause diseases in the fish. This is only localized, but it may intensify with time and profoundly impact the fishing industry. The Red Sea serves an important role in

6660-492: The sea is not thought to be rich in resources. Norway has a large exclusive economic zone of 819,620 km around its coast. The country has a fishing zone of 1,878,953 km , including fishing zones around Svalbard and Jan Mayen . In April 2009, the United Nations Commission for the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved Norway's claim to an additional 235,000 square kilometres of continental shelf. The commission found that Norway and Russia both had valid claims over

6750-559: The second is merely a "sovereign right" which refers to the coastal state's rights below the surface of the sea. The surface waters are international waters . Generally, a state's exclusive economic zone is an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea, extending seaward to a distance of no more than 200 nmi (370 km) out from its coastal baseline . The exception to this rule occurs when exclusive economic zones would overlap; that is, state coastal baselines are less than 400 nmi (741 km) apart. When an overlap occurs, it

6840-526: The second island, Jadid, emerged in September 2013. Approximately 40% of the Red Sea is quite shallow at less than 100 m (330 ft) deep, with about 25% less than 50 m (160 ft) deep. Undiscovered oil reserves in the region have been estimated at 5,041 MMBO. Undiscovered gas reserves in the region have been estimated at 112,349 BCFG. Undiscovered natural gas reserves have been estimated at 3,077 MMBNGL. Most of these plays are controlled by

6930-488: The south near the Gulf of Aden, but it fluctuates between 0.20 m (0.66 ft) and 0.30 m (0.98 ft) away from the nodal point. The central Red Sea (Jeddah area) is therefore almost tideless, and as such the annual water level changes are more significant. Because of the small tidal range the water during high tide inundates the coastal sabkhas as a thin sheet of water up to a few hundred metres rather than flooding

7020-479: The southern part and 41 ‰ in the northern part around the Gulf of Suez , with an average of 40 ‰. (Average salinity for the world's seawater is ~35 ‰ on the Practical Salinity Scale, or PSU; that translates to 3.5% of actual dissolved salts). In general, tide ranges between 0.6 m (2.0 ft) in the north, near the mouth of the Gulf of Suez and 0.9 m (3.0 ft) in

7110-404: The state in question. It is also referred to as a maritime continental margin and, in colloquial usage, may include the continental shelf . The term does not include either the territorial sea or the continental shelf beyond the 200 nautical mile limit. The difference between the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone is that the first confers full sovereignty over the waters, whereas

7200-697: The structure of the basin. Normal faults are common as the Red Sea occupies an active diverging margin. These targets are commonly found below the Salt deposits of the Middle Miocene . Modern development is focused on the following fields. The Durwara 2 Field was discovered in 1963, while the Suakin 1 Field and the Bashayer 1A Field were discovered in 1976, on the Egyptian side of the Red Sea. The Barqan Field

7290-419: The term, as it also includes the continental rise and slope, and the entire seabed within the exclusive economic zone. The idea of allotting nations' EEZs to give them more control of maritime affairs outside territorial limits gained acceptance in the late 20th century. Initially, a country's sovereign territorial waters extended 3 nmi (6 km) (range of cannon shot) beyond the shore. In modern times,

7380-442: The unique properties of these coral and their commensal algae to see if they can be used to salvage bleached coral elsewhere. The Red Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, owing to high evaporation and low precipitation; no significant rivers or streams drain into the sea, and its southern connection to the Gulf of Aden , an arm of the Indian Ocean, is narrow. Its salinity ranges from between ~36  ‰ in

7470-732: The validity of the Northern Limit Lines (NLL) set up after the Korean War as maritime borders. The EEZ has not been codified in law and North Korea has never specified its coordinates, making it difficult to determine its specific scope. In the West Sea, the EEZ remains unspecified in the Korea Bay because China has not determined its own EEZ in the area. The border between the North Korean and South Korean EEZs in

7560-481: The world. The average surface water temperature of the Red Sea during the summer is about 26 °C (79 °F) in the north and 30 °C (86 °F) in the south, with only about 2 °C (3.6 °F) variation during the winter months. The overall average water temperature is 22 °C (72 °F). Temperature and visibility remain good to around 200 m (660 ft). The sea is known for its strong winds and unpredictable local currents. The rainfall over

7650-514: Was closed to all swimming in December 2010 due to several serious shark attacks , including a fatality. As of December 2010, scientists are investigating the attacks and have identified, but not verified, several possible causes including over-fishing which causes large sharks to hunt closer to shore, tourist boat operators who chum offshore for shark-photo opportunities, and reports of ships throwing dead livestock overboard. The sea's narrowness, significant depth, and sharp drop-offs, all combine to form

7740-481: Was constructed in the 19th century and continues to be one of the world's most important waterways. The construction of the canal during Darius's reign is evidenced by ancient records, including inscriptions. Darius commemorated the completion of the canal by creating stelae (stone monuments) with inscriptions in several languages, describing the construction and its benefits. The canal not only facilitated trade but also solidified Darius's control over Egypt and enhanced

7830-736: Was discovered in 1969, and the Midyan Field in 1992, both within the Midyan Basin on the Saudi Arabian side of the Red Sea. The 20-m thick Middle Miocene Maqna Formation is an oil source rock in the basin. Oil seeps occur near the Farasan Islands , the Dahlak Archipelago , along the coast of Eritrea, and in the southeastern Red Sea along the coasts of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. In terms of mineral resources

7920-488: Was not until 1982 with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone was formally adopted. The exact extent of exclusive economic zones is a common source of conflicts between states over marine waters. Regions where a permanent ice shelf extends beyond the coastline are also a source of potential dispute. Fisheries management , usually adhering to guidelines set by

8010-595: Was signed in Nicosia by Israeli Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau and the Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou. The two countries agreed to cooperate in the development of any cross-border resources discovered and to negotiate an agreement on dividing joint resources. Italy has an EEZ of 541,915 km (209,235 sq mi). The country claims an EEZ of 200 nautical miles from its shores, and its three coastlines are

8100-399: Was the lightly armed Muslim pilgrim convoys, rather than the well guarded cities of Mecca and Medina, and the belief in the Muslim world that Reynald was seeking to sack the holy cities, due to the proximity of those cities to the areas that Raynald raided. In 1513, trying to secure that channel to Portugal, Afonso de Albuquerque laid siege to Aden but was forced to retreat. They cruised

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