Gulf of Aden, Maritime passage between Arabian Peninsula and Horn of Africa.
The Gulf of Aden is a waterway between the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa, linking the Red Sea with the Arabian Sea. It stretches roughly 900 kilometers from the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the west to the Somali coast in the east.
Ancient Greeks called these waters the Erythraean Sea and used them as a trade route between the Mediterranean and India. Over the centuries, Arab, Persian and later European ships passed through the gulf carrying spices, incense and other goods.
Coastal towns such as Aden, Djibouti and Berbera show how people have lived and worked around these waters for centuries. Fishermen and traders still use the channel daily, following patterns their ancestors established long ago.
Most visitors see the gulf from coastal towns or during a ferry crossing. First-time travelers should know that the open sea can be rough and visibility varies greatly depending on weather.
Beneath the surface runs the Sheba Ridge, a geological formation that is part of the Indian Ocean system. At its deepest point, the Alula-Fartak Trench, the seabed drops to over 5,000 meters.
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