Red Sea, Sea between Africa and Asia, Saudi Arabia and Sudan
The Red Sea lies between Africa to the west and the Arabian Peninsula to the east, stretching from the Gulf of Suez in the north to the Bab al-Mandab strait in the south. Its shores belong to eight countries and include rocky cliffs, sandy beaches, mangrove coves and shallow lagoons where extensive coral reefs grow.
The ancient Egyptians used this sea for trade routes south more than four millennia ago, bringing back frankincense, myrrh and ivory to the Nile valley. In the 15th century it became the main route between Europe and India before the Suez Canal fundamentally changed maritime traffic in the 19th century.
Coastal communities along this sea have lived from fishing for generations and use traditional wooden boats built by methods passed down over centuries. In many harbors you see fishermen repairing nets by hand and selling their catch directly at the quayside while women dry fish in the sun.
Water temperature stays warm throughout the year though the climate can become very hot along most coastal stretches during summer months. Many diving sites lie in shallow water close to shore while deeper areas and strong currents at some points require extra caution.
The water occasionally appears reddish due to microscopic algae that multiply during warm months, which gave the sea its name. These algae blooms occur less often now than in earlier centuries but can still be observed along certain coastal stretches.
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