eli5:How come Gulf of Aden is known as a gulf where as Red Sea is a sea ?
In: Other
The Gulf of Aden is open to the Arabian Sea. If you sail from the Gulf of Aden to the Arabian Sea you do not notice any threshold, just less landmass to the sides of you and more waves. However the Red Sea is clearly divided from the Gulf of Aden by a relatively narrow straight, the Gate of Tears. The straight is only 26 km wide and can have dangerous currents through it which is a bit tricky to navigate. But when you enter the Red Sea it opens up and the currents calm down.
Seas are parts of oceans that are largely or almost completely surrounded by land. The Mediterranean and the Red Sea are an example. A less surrounded one is the North Sea.
Gulfs are indentations on the land though, as if the ocean has pushed the land inward. Gulf of Mexico is a prime exanple.
Personally I think the Persian gulf should be a sea.
Latest Answers