Red Sea

Red Sea between Africa and Arabia

Coral reef near Marsa Alam, Egypt

The Red Sea is a sea between the Arabian Peninsula of Asia in the northeast and Africa in the southwest. It is a part of the Indian Ocean. The Red Sea is about 2200 km long and less than 330 km wide.

Many ships go through the Red Sea because the Suez Channel at the north end connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Bab-el-Mandeb in the south is a gate to the Indian Ocean. Ports include Suez, Port Sudan, Massawa, Yanbu al-Bahr, Jeddah, Aqaba and Eilat.

The Red Sea has that name because it sometimes looks red from the red algae. The water has more salt and is clearer than water of most other seas because almost no rivers run into it.

The climate is dry and warm the whole year. Many people, including those from Europe, like to vacation there during the winter. Some of them are divers and want to see the beautiful coral reefs and fish. Seaside resorts include Sharm el-Sheikh, Eilat or Hurghada.

Geography

The countries next to the Red Sea are Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel. In the book of Exodus, God parted it for Moses and the Israelites so they could escape from the Egypt.

Red Sea Media

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  Tihama on the Red Sea near Khaukha, Yemen

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  Red Sea coast seen from Farasan Islands

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  Ancient Egyptian expedition to the Land of Punt on the Red Sea coast during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut

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  Settlements and commercial centres in the vicinity of the Red Sea involved in the spice trade, as described in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea

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  Annotated view of the Nile and Red Sea, with a dust storm, viewed from the International Space Station

• This video over the south-eastern Mediterranean Sea and down the coastline of the Red Sea was taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station.

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  Dust storm over the Red Sea

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  Red Sea coast in Taba, Egypt

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  Hawksbill sea turtle in the Elphinstone Reef

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  Nudibranch egg ribbon at Shaab Mahmoud