Large inlet of the western North Pacific Ocean, between northeastern China and the Korean peninsula. Renowned for its fishing grounds, it connects with the East China Sea on the south; the Shandong Peninsula extends into it from the west. Two major arms of it are the Bo Hai (northwest) and Korea Bay (north). Excluding the Bo Hai, it has an area of about 161,000 sq mi (417,000 sq km) and a maximum depth of 338 ft (103 m). It derives its name from the colour of the silt-laden water discharged into it by major Chinese rivers, including the Liao and the Huang He (Yellow River), both of which flow into the Bo Hai. Leading port cities include Qingdao and Dalian in China, Inch'ŏn in South Korea, and Namp'o in North Korea.
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