Gulf of Suez

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The northern end of the Red Sea is bifurcated by the Sinai Peninsula, creating the Gulf of Suez (Arabic: خليج السويس; transliterated: Khalyj as-Suways) in the west and the Gulf of Aqaba to the east. The Gulf of Suez is a relatively young rift basin, dating back 40 million years. It stretches some 300 km north by northwest, terminating at the Egyptian city of Suez and the entrance to the Suez Canal. Along the mid-line of the Gulf lies the border between the continents of Africa and Asia. The entrance of the Gulf lies atop the mature Gemsa oil and gas field.

Northwestern arm of the Red Sea between Africa proper (west) and the Sinai Peninsula (east) of Egypt The Gulf of Suez is the third arm of the triple junction rift system, which resulted by deep pluming hot spot beneath the earth surface. The second arm of the triple junction system is the gulf of Aqaba. The length of the gulf, from its mouth at the Strait of Jubal to its head at the city of Suez, is 195 miles (314 km), and it varies in width from 12 to 20 miles (19 to 32 km).

External links

• A large-scale map of the Gulf
• Satellite photographs of the Gulf, and of the Suez Canal
• Detailed geological information on the Gulf, and a photograph from Apollo 7

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Last updated on Monday January 21, 2008 at 12:29:39 PST (GMT -0800)
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