Why is it in the News?

Shipowners have called for more military protection on maritime routes in the Middle East after attacks by Iran-backed rebels in the Red Sea sparked fears of new disruptions to global trade, including of energy supplies.

Key Facts the about Red Sea:

• The Red Sea is a semi-enclosed inlet of the Indian Ocean situated between Africa and Asia.
• It stands out as one of the warmest seas globally.
• Connecting to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean through the Gulf of Aden and Bab El-Mandeb strait to the south, it is divided by the Sinai Peninsula into the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez in the north.
  • The Gulf of Suez is linked to the Mediterranean Sea via the famous Suez Canal.
• The Red Sea is bordered by Yemen and Saudi Arabia to the east, while Egypt is to the north and west, and Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti are to the west.
• Covering an area of about 438,000 km2, it stretches approximately 2,250 km.
• The sea's maximum width is 355 km, and its deepest point, the central Suakin Trough, reaches 3,040 m, with an estimated average depth of 490 m.
• Notable islands in the Red Sea include Tiran Island near the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba and Shadwan Island at the entrance of the Gulf of Suez.