In addition to this, about 175 nudibranchs and 44 shark species are also found in the Red Sea. ![]() More than 50% of the Red Sea butterflyfishes belonging to the Chaetodontidae family are endemic species. Researchers have found that about 90% of the fishes are Red Sea dottybacks – which belong to the Pseudochromidae family and the triple fins fish – which belong to the Tripterygiidae family. It has been estimated that about 14.7% of the Red Sea fishes are endemic species, which makes the Red Sea – one of the topmost areas for high fish endemism in the world. The extensive network of shallow shelves of the Red Sea plays host to at least 1,000 species of invertebrates, 200 hard and soft corals, and more than 1,200 fish species. The rich ecosystem of the Red Sea supports a high biological diversity that also has a high proportion of endemic species. Marine Life And Protected Areas Red Sea is rich in coral reefs. Several of the Red Sea Islands including Kamaran, Perim, Hanish, and Socotra are controlled by Yemen. Situated in the northern part of the Red Sea, the Al Wajh Bank is known for its unique biodiversity. Some well-known islands include Tiran Island, which is located near the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Shadwan Island, which is located at the entrance of the Gulf of Suez. The two largest island groups are located in the southern part, while the Farasan Islands lie in the east and the Dahlak Archipelago with more than 350 islands lie in the western part of the Red Sea. There are more than a thousand volcanic islands in the Red Sea. Islands in The Red Sea Tourists camping on a virgin island in Dahlak archipelago. It has been estimated that the salinity of the sea ranges from 36% on its southern side to about 41% on its northern side. The high heat together with the lack of precipitation facilitates high levels of evaporation, leading to the high salinity of the Red Sea. Owing to the high surface water temperatures, the Red Sea is one of the world’s warmest seas. There is extremely low rainfall averaging 0.06m annually in this area, and desert dust storms occasionally sweep across the sea. During the winter months, the temperature decreases slightly by about 2☌. During summer, the average surface temperature of the Red Sea is about 26☌ on the northern side and about 30☌ on the southern side. The climate of the Red Sea is influenced by two monsoon seasons namely the northeasterly monsoon and the southwesterly monsoon. The Climate Of The Red Sea The warm waters of the Red Sea are great for swimming, snorkeling, and diving activities. The Septuagint translation of the Book of Exodus from Hebrew to Koine Greek translates the ‘Yam Suph’ as ‘Erythra Thalassa’ (Red Sea). An ancient reference to the Red Sea also comes from the Biblical account of the Israelites miraculously crossing the Red Sea. Some of the modern scholars believe that certain Asiatic languages used color words to denote the cardinal directions, where the word red refers to the south direction of the compass, just as the Black Sea’s name alludes to the north direction. The Europeans also once referred to it as the Erythraean Sea. The name ‘Red Sea’ is a direct translation of its Greek name – Erythra Thalassa. One popular theory gives credit to the seasonal blooms of a red-colored cyanobacteria alga - Trichodesmium erythraeum which gives the sea a reddish-brown color. ![]() There are several theories regarding the origin of the name of the Red Sea. Besides these 6 countries, some other areas including Somalia are also often recognized as Red Sea Territories, due to their proximity to the sea and the geographical similarities with the countries that border the Red Sea. The Gulf of Aqaba is bordered by Egypt along with Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The Red Sea is bordered by Egypt to the north and west, and by Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti to the west. The countries of Yemen and Saudi Arabia border the Red Sea to the east. The northern portion of the Red Sea is bifurcated by the Sinai Peninsula into the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez, where it is connected to the Mediterranean Sea via the famous Suez Canal.Ī total of 6 countries of Asia and Africa, border the Red Sea. ![]() It is connected to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean to the south through the Gulf of Aden and the narrow strait of Bab el Mandeb. The Red Sea is a semi-enclosed, inlet (or extension) of the Indian Ocean between the continents of Africa from Asia. The Red Sea is a Global 200 Ecoregion, and underlying it is the Red Sea Rift, which makes it a part of the Great Rift Valley. The maximum width of the sea is 355 km, and the sea’s deepest point is 3,040 m at the central Suakin Trough, with the sea’s estimated average depth being 490 m. This sea has a surface area of roughly 438,000 km 2 and is about 2,250 km in length. The Red Sea is the world’s northernmost tropical sea and is also one of the most heavily traveled waterways.
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