Bay of Bengal, Body of water in eastern India.
The Bay of Bengal is a large body of water between India, Bangladesh and Myanmar, stretching across the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. The coastline runs for thousands of kilometers and alternates between sandy beaches, river deltas and mangrove forests.
The bay formed millions of years ago when continental plates shifted and the ocean floor sank. Over centuries sailors and traders used this waterway to transport goods between Asia and the rest of the world.
Coastal communities along the bay live from fishing and spend their days mending nets and preparing boats on the beach. In many places you can watch fishermen head out in the early morning and return with their catch in the late afternoon, while women lay fish to dry in the sun.
The water carries a lot of sediment from the major rivers that empty here, which affects its color and clarity. Conditions change with the monsoon seasons, when heavy rains and winds reach the coast and the sea becomes rougher.
The seabed here holds one of the thickest sediment layers anywhere in the world, built up over thousands of years through deposits from the rivers. This layer covers wide areas and shapes the geology of the entire region underwater.
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