The Red Sea (also the Erythraean Sea) is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden.
The Red Sea is the saltiest sea of all the seas that connect to the ocean without even one river meeting the sea. A popular hypothesis about the origins of the Red Sea’s name is that it contains a cyanobacteria called Trichodesmium erythraeum, which turns the water reddish-brown.
The Red Sea is a Global 200 eco region.
The sea is underlain by the Red Sea Rift which is part of the Great Rift Valley. The Red Sea has a surface area of roughly 438,000 km (169,100 mi), is about 2250 km (1398 mi) long and, at its widest point, 355 km (220.6 mi) wide.
It has a maximum depth of 3,040 m (9,970 ft) in the central Suakin Trough, and an average depth of 490 m (1,608 ft). However, there are also extensive shallow shelves, noted for their marine life and corals. The sea is the habitat of over 1,000 invertebrate species, and 200 soft and hard corals. It is the world’s northernmost tropical sea.
This book presents a broad overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the Red Sea, from its geological formation and oceanographic development to the environmental influences on its ecology and the changes it is experiencing due to the rapid development of its coastlines and role as one of the world’s major transport routes.
The book gathers invited contributions from researchers with an interest in the geology, geophysics, oceanography and environment of the Red Sea, while also providing comprehensive new data and a complete review of the literature.
It will be of interest not only to researchers actively studying the sea and its surroundings, but will also appeal to all those involved in planning and managing the Red Sea, its environment, its resources and the countries which rely on its existence.
Author of the book includes (As shown in the picture below):
- Dr. Najeeb Rasul, Saudi Geological Survey, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Dr. Ian C.F. Stewart, Saudi Geological Survey, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
