Red Sea - wikipedia Red Sea The body of water between Arabia and Africa This article is about the body of water between Arabia and Africa. For other uses, see Red Sea ( disambiguation ). hide This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. ( Learn how and when to remove these template messages ) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( December 2012 ) This article is missing information about pollution of the Red Sea. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page. ( August 2014 ) Red Sea Coordinates 22 ° N 38 ° E ﻿ / ﻿ 22 ° N 38 ° E ﻿ / 22 ; 38 Coordinates : 22 ° N 38 ° E ﻿ / ﻿ 22 ° N 38 ° E ﻿ / 22 ; 38 Primary inflows Barka River, Haddas River, Anseba River, Wadi Gasus Primary outflows Bab el Mandeb Max. length 2,250 km ( 1,400 mi ) Max. width 355 km ( 221 mi ) Surface area 438,000 km ( 169,000 sq mi ) Average depth 490 m ( 1,610 ft ) Max. depth 3,040 m ( 9,970 ft ) Water volume 233,000 km ( 56,000 cu mi ) Play media This video over the south - eastern Mediterranean Sea and down the coastline of the Red Sea was taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the International Space Station. 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. To the north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez ( leading to the Suez Canal ). The Red Sea is a Global 200 ecoregion. 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. Contents 1 Extent 2 Names 3 History 3.1 Ancient era 3.2 Middle Ages and modern era 4 Oceanography 4.1 Salinity 4.2 Tidal range 4.3 Current 4.4 Wind regime 5 Geology 5.1 Mineral resources 6 Ecosystem 7 Desalination plants 8 Security 9 Facts and figures 10 Tourism 11 Bordering countries 12 Towns and cities 13 See also 14 References 15 Further reading 16 External links Extent The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Red Sea as follows : On the North. The Southern limits of the Gulfs of Suez ( A line running from Ràs Muhammed ( 27 ° 43'N ) to the South point of Shadwan Island ( 34 ° 02'E ) and thence Westward on a parallel ( 27 ° 27'N ) to the coast of Africa ) and Aqaba ( A line running from Ràs al Fasma Southwesterly to Requin Island ( 27 ° 57 ′ N 34 ° 36 ′ E ﻿ / ﻿ 27.950 ° N 34.600 ° E ﻿ / 27.950 ; 34.600 ) through Tiran Island to the Southwest point thereof and thence Westward on a parallel ( 27 ° 54'N ) to the coast of the Sinai Peninsula ). On the South. A line joining Husn Murad ( 12 ° 40 ′ N 43 ° 30 ′ E ﻿ / ﻿ 12.667 ° N 43.500 ° E ﻿ / 12.667 ; 43.500 ) and Ras Siyyan ( 12 ° 29 ′ N 43 ° 20 ′ E ﻿ / ﻿ 12.483 ° N 43.333 ° E ﻿ / 12.483 ; 43.333 ). Names Tihama on the Red Sea near Khaukha, Yemen Red Sea is a direct translation of the Greek Erythra Thalassa ( Ερυθρὰ Θάλασσα ), Latin Mare Rubrum ( alternatively Sinus Arabicus, literally `` Arabian Gulf '' ), Arabic : البحر الأحمر ‎, translit. Al - Baḥr Al - Aḥmar ( alternatively بحر القلزم Baḥr Al - Qulzum, literally `` the Sea of Clysma '' ), Somali Badda Cas and Tigrinya Qeyyiḥ bāḥrī ( ቀይሕ ባሕሪ ). The name of the sea may signify the seasonal blooms of the red - coloured Trichodesmium erythraeum near the water 's surface. A theory favored by some modern scholars is that the name red is referring to the direction south, just as the Black Sea 's name may refer to north. The basis of this theory is that some Asiatic languages used color words to refer to the cardinal directions. Herodotus on one occasion uses Red Sea and Southern Sea interchangeably. Historically, it was also known to western geographers as Mare Mecca ( Sea of Mecca ), and Sinus Arabicus ( Gulf of Arabia ). Some ancient geographers called the Red Sea the Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Arabia. The association of the Red Sea with the biblical account of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea is ancient, and was made explicit in the Septuagint translation of the Book of Exodus from Hebrew to Koine Greek in approximately the third century B.C. In that version, the Yam Suph ( Hebrew : ים סוף ‎, lit. ' Sea of Reeds ' ) is translated as Erythra Thalassa ( Red Sea ). The Red Sea is one of four seas named in English after common color terms -- the others being the Black Sea, the White Sea and the Yellow Sea. The direct rendition of the Greek Erythra thalassa in Latin as Mare Erythraeum refers to the north - western part of the Indian Ocean, and also to a region on Mars. History Ancient era Ancient Egyptian expedition to the Land of Punt on the Red Sea coast during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut The earliest known exploration of the Red Sea was conducted by ancient Egyptians, as they attempted to establish commercial routes to Punt. One such expedition took place around 2500 BC, and another around 1500 BC ( by Hatshepsut ). Both involved long voyages down the Red Sea. Historically, scholars argued whether these trips were possible. The biblical Book of Exodus tells the tale of the Israelites ' crossing of a body of water, which the Hebrew text calls Yam Suph ( Hebrew : יַם סוּף ‬ ). Yam Suph was traditionally identified as the Red Sea. Rabbi Saadia Gaon ( 882 ‒ 942 ), in his Judeo - Arabic translation of the Pentateuch, identifies the crossing place of the Red Sea as Baḥar al - Qulzum, meaning the Gulf of Suez. Settlements and commercial centers in the vicinity of the Red Sea involved in the spice trade, as described in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea In the 6th century BC, Darius the Great of Persia sent reconnaissance missions to the Red Sea, improving and extending navigation by locating many hazardous rocks and currents. A canal was built between the Nile and the northern end of the Red Sea at Suez. In the late 4th century BC, Alexander the Great sent Greek naval expeditions down the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. Greek navigators continued to explore and compile data on the Red Sea. Agatharchides collected information about the sea in the 2nd century BC. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea ( `` Periplus of the Red Sea '' ), a Greek periplus written by an unknown author around the 1st century AD, contains a detailed description of the Red Sea 's ports and sea routes. The Periplus also describes how Hippalus first discovered the direct route from the Red Sea to India. The Red Sea was favored for Roman trade with India starting with the reign of Augustus, when the Roman Empire gained control over the Mediterranean, Egypt, and the northern Red Sea. The route had been used by previous states but grew in the volume of traffic under the Romans. From Indian ports goods from China were introduced to the Roman world. Contact between Rome and China depended on the Red Sea, but the route was broken by the Aksumite Empire around the 3rd century AD. Middle Ages and modern era During the Middle Ages, the Red Sea was an important part of the spice trade route. In 1513, trying to secure that channel to Portugal, Afonso de Albuquerque laid siege to Aden but was forced to retreat. They cruised the Red Sea inside the Bab al - Mandab, as the first European fleet to have sailed these waters. In 1798, France ordered General Napoleon to invade Egypt and take control of the Red Sea. Although he failed in his mission, the engineer Jean - Baptiste Lepère, who took part in it, revitalised the plan for a canal which had been envisaged during the reign of the Pharaohs. Several canals were built in ancient times from the Nile to the Red Sea along or near the line of the present Sweet Water Canal, but none lasted for long. The Suez Canal was opened in November 1869. At the time, the British, French, and Italians shared the trading posts but these were gradually dismantled following the First World War. After the Second World War, the Americans and Soviets exerted their influence whilst the volume of oil tanker traffic intensified. However, the Six - Day War culminated in the closure of the Suez Canal from 1967 to 1975. Today, in spite of patrols by the major maritime fleets in the waters of the Red Sea, the Suez Canal has never recovered its supremacy over the Cape route, which is believed to be less vulnerable to piracy. Oceanography Annotated view of the Nile and Red Sea, with a dust storm The Red Sea is between arid land, desert and semi-desert. Reef systems are better developed along the Red Sea mainly because of its greater depths and an efficient water circulation pattern. The Red Sea water mass - exchanges its water with the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean via the Gulf of Aden. These physical factors reduce the effect of high salinity caused by evaporation in the north and relatively hot water in the south. The climate of the Red Sea is the result of two monsoon seasons ; a northeasterly monsoon and a southwesterly monsoon. Monsoon winds occur because of differential heating between the land and the sea. Very high surface temperatures and high salinities make this one of the warmest and saltiest bodies of seawater in the world. The average surface water temperature of the Red Sea during the summer is about 26 ° C ( 79 ° F ) in the north and 30 ° C ( 86 ° F ) in the south, with only about 2 ° C ( 3.6 ° F ) variation during the winter months. The overall average water temperature is 22 ° C ( 72 ° F ). Temperature and visibility remain good to around 200 m ( 656 ft ). The sea is known for its strong winds and unpredictable local currents. The rainfall over the Red Sea and its coasts is extremely low, averaging 0.06 m ( 2.36 in ) per year. The rain is mostly short showers, often with thunderstorms and occasionally with dust storms. The scarcity of rainfall and no major source of fresh water to the Red Sea result in excess evaporation as high as 205 cm ( 81 in ) per year and high salinity with minimal seasonal variation. A recent underwater expedition to the Red Sea offshore from Sudan and Eritrea found surface water temperatures 28 ° C in winter and up to 34 ° C in the summer, but despite that extreme heat the coral was healthy with much fish life with very little sign of coral bleaching, with only 9 % infected by Thalassomonas loyana, the ' white plague ' agent. Favia favus coral there harbours a virus, BA3, which kills T. loyana. Plans are afoot to use samples of these corals ' apparently heat - adapted commensal algae to salvage bleached coral elsewhere. Salinity The Red Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, owing to high evaporation. Salinity ranges from between ~ 36 ‰ in the southern part because of the effect of the Gulf of Aden water and 41 ‰ in the northern part, owing mainly to the Gulf of Suez water and the high evaporation. The average salinity is 40 ‰. ( Average salinity for the world 's seawater is ~ 35 ‰ on the Practical Salinity Scale, or PSU ; that translates to 3.5 % of actual dissolved salts. ) The salinity of the Red Sea is greater than the world average, by approximately 4 percent. This is due to several factors : High rate of evaporation and very little precipitation. Lack of significant rivers or streams draining into the sea. Limited connection with the Indian Ocean, which has lower water salinity. Tidal range In general tide ranges between 0.6 m ( 2.0 ft ) in the north, near the mouth of the Gulf of Suez and 0.9 m ( 3.0 ft ) in the south near the Gulf of Aden but it fluctuates between 0.20 m ( 0.66 ft ) and 0.30 m ( 0.98 ft ) away from the nodal point. The central Red Sea ( Jeddah area ) is therefore almost tideless, and as such the annual water level changes are more significant. Because of the small tidal range the water during high tide inundates the coastal sabkhas as a thin sheet of water up to a few hundred metres rather than flooding the sabkhas through a network of channels. However, south of Jeddah in the Shoiaba area the water from the lagoon may cover the adjoining sabkhas as far as 3 km ( 2 mi ), whereas, north of Jeddah in the Al - Kharrar area the sabkhas are covered by a thin sheet of water as far as 2 km ( 1.2 mi ). The prevailing north and northeast winds influence the movement of water in the coastal inlets to the adjacent sabkhas, especially during storms. Winter mean sea level is 0.5 m ( 1.6 ft ) higher than in summer. Tidal velocities passing through constrictions caused by reefs, sand bars and low islands commonly exceed 1 -- 2 m / s ( 3 -- 6.5 ft / s ). Coral reefs in the Red Sea are near Egypt, Eritrea, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Current Detailed information regarding current data is lacking, partially because the currents are weak and both spatially and temporally variable. The variation of temporal and spatial currents is as low as 0.5 m ( 1.6 ft ) and are governed all by wind. During the summer, NW winds drive surface water south for about four months at a velocity of 15 -- 20 cm / s ( 6 -- 8 in / s ), whereas in winter the flow is reversed resulting in the inflow of water from the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea. The net value of the latter predominates, resulting in an overall drift to the north end of the Red Sea. Generally, the velocity of the tidal current is between 50 -- 60 cm / s ( 20 -- 23.6 in / s ) with a maximum of 1 m / s ( 3.3 ft / s ) at the mouth of the al - Kharrar Lagoon. However, the range of the north - northeast current along the Saudi coast is 8 -- 29 cm / s ( 3 -- 11.4 in / s ). Wind regime The north part of the Red Sea is dominated by persistent north - west winds, with speeds ranging between 7 km / h ( 4.3 mph ) and 12 km / h ( 7.5 mph ). The rest of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are subjected to regular and seasonally reversible winds. The wind regime is characterized by seasonal and regional variations in speed and direction with average speed generally increasing northward. Wind is the driving force in the Red Sea to transport material as suspension or as bedload. Wind - induced currents play an important role in the Red Sea in resuspending bottom sediments and transferring materials from sites of dumping to sites of burial in quiescent environment of deposition. Wind - generated current measurement is therefore important in order to determine the sediment dispersal pattern and its role in the erosion and accretion of the coastal rock exposure and the submerged coral beds. Geology Dust storm over the Red Sea The Red Sea was formed by the Arabian peninsula being split from the Horn of Africa by movement of the Red Sea Rift. This split started in the Eocene and accelerated during the Oligocene. The sea is still widening, and it is considered that it will become an ocean in time ( as proposed in the model of John Tuzo Wilson ). In 1949, a deep water survey reported anomalously hot brines in the central portion of the Red Sea. Later work in the 1960s confirmed the presence of hot, 60 ° C ( 140 ° F ), saline brines and associated metalliferous muds. The hot solutions were emanating from an active subseafloor rift. The high salinity of the waters was not hospitable to living organisms. Sometime during the Tertiary period, the Bab el Mandeb closed and the Red Sea evaporated to an empty hot dry salt - floored sink. Effects causing this would have been : A `` race '' between the Red Sea widening and Perim Island erupting filling the Bab el Mandeb with lava. The lowering of world sea level during the Ice Ages because of much water being locked up in the ice caps. A number of volcanic islands rise from the center of the sea. Most are dormant. However, in 2007, Jabal al - Tair island in the Bab el Mandeb strait erupted violently. Two new islands were formed in 2011 and 2013 in the Zubair Archipelago, a small chain of islands owned by Yemen. The first island, Sholan Island, emerged in an eruption in December 2011, the second island, Jadid, emerged in September 2013. Mineral resources Red Sea coast in Taba, Egypt In terms of mineral resources the major constituents of the Red Sea sediments are as follows : Biogenic constituents : Nanofossils, foraminifera, pteropods, siliceous fossils Volcanogenic constituents : Tuffites, volcanic ash, montmorillonite, cristobalite, zeolites Terrigenous constituents : Quartz, feldspars, rock fragments, mica, heavy minerals, clay minerals Authigenic minerals : Sulfide minerals, aragonite, Mg - calcite, protodolomite, dolomite, quartz, chalcedony. Evaporite minerals : Magnesite, gypsum, anhydrite, halite, polyhalite Brine precipitate : Fe - montmorillonite, goethite, hematite, siderite, rhodochrosite, pyrite, sphalerite, anhydrite. Ecosystem See also : Persian Gulf § Wildlife Hawksbill sea turtle in the Elphinstone Reef The Red Sea is a rich and diverse ecosystem. More than 1200 species of fish have been recorded in the Red Sea, and around 10 % of these are found nowhere else. This also includes 42 species of deepwater fish. Red Sea coral and marine fish The rich diversity is in part due to the 2,000 km ( 1,240 mi ) of coral reef extending along its coastline ; these fringing reefs are 5000 -- 7000 years old and are largely formed of stony acropora and porites corals. The reefs form platforms and sometimes lagoons along the coast and occasional other features such as cylinders ( such as the Blue Hole ( Red Sea ) at Dahab ). These coastal reefs are also visited by pelagic species of Red Sea fish, including some of the 44 species of shark. The Red Sea also contains many offshore reefs including several true atolls. Many of the unusual offshore reef formations defy classic ( i.e., Darwinian ) coral reef classification schemes, and are generally attributed to the high levels of tectonic activity that characterize the area. The special biodiversity of the area is recognized by the Egyptian government, who set up the Ras Mohammed National Park in 1983. The rules and regulations governing this area protect local marine life, which has become a major draw for diving enthusiasts. Divers and snorkellers should be aware that although most Red Sea species are innocuous, a few are hazardous to humans : see Red Sea species hazardous to humans. Other marine habitats include sea grass beds, salt pans, mangroves and salt marshes. Desalination plants There is extensive demand for desalinated water to meet the needs of the population and the industries along the Red Sea. There are at least 18 desalination plants along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia which discharge warm brine and treatment chemicals ( chlorine and anti-scalants ) that bleach and kill corals and cause diseases to the fish. This is only localized, but it may intensify with time and profoundly impact the fishing industry. The water from the Red Sea is also used by oil refineries and cement factories for cooling. Used water drained back into the coastal zones may harm the nearshore environment of the Red Sea. Security The Red Sea is part of the sea roads between Europe, the Persian Gulf and East Asia, and as such has heavy shipping traffic. Government - related bodies with responsibility to police the Red Sea area include the Port Said Port Authority, Suez Canal Authority and Red Sea Ports Authority of Egypt, Jordan Maritime Authority, Israel Port Authority, Saudi Ports Authority and Sea Ports Corporation of Sudan. Facts and figures Length : ~ 2,250 km ( 1,398.1 mi ) - 79 % of the eastern Red Sea with numerous coastal inlets Maximum Width : ~ 306 -- 355 km ( 190 -- 220 mi ) -- Massawa ( Eritrea ) Minimum Width : ~ 26 -- 29 km ( 16 -- 18 mi ) - Bab el Mandeb Strait ( Yemen ) Average Width : ~ 280 km ( 174.0 mi ) Average Depth : ~ 490 m ( 1,607.6 ft ) Maximum Depth : ~ 2,211 m ( 7,253.9 ft ) Surface Area : 438 - 450 x 10 km ( 16,900 -- 17,400 sq mi ) Volume : 215 -- 251 x 10 km ( 51,600 -- 60,200 cu mi ) Approximately 40 % of the Red Sea is quite shallow ( under 100 m / 330 ft ), and about 25 % is under 50 m ( 164 ft ) deep. About 15 % of the Red Sea is over 1,000 m ( 3,300 ft ) depth that forms the deep axial trough. Shelf breaks are marked by coral reefs Continental slope has an irregular profile ( series of steps down to ~ 500 m or 1,640 ft ) Centre of Red Sea has a narrow trough ( Suakin Trough ) ( ~ 1,000 m or 3,281 ft ; with maximum depth 3,040 m or 9,974 ft ) Tourism Hotels in Eilat, Israel This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( June 2008 ) The sea is known for its recreational diving sites, such as Ras Mohammed, SS Thistlegorm ( shipwreck ), Elphinstone Reef, The Brothers, Daedalus Reef, St. John 's Reef, Rocky Island in Egypt and less known sites in Sudan such as Sanganeb, Abington, Angarosh and Shaab Rumi. The Red Sea became a popular destination for diving after the expeditions of Hans Hass in the 1950s, and later by Jacques - Yves Cousteau. Popular tourist resorts include El Gouna, Hurghada, Safaga, Marsa Alam, on the west shore of the Red Sea, and Sharm - el - Sheikh, Dahab, and Taba on the Egyptian side of Sinaï, as well as Aqaba in Jordan and Eilat in Israel in an area known as the Red Sea Riviera. The popular tourist beach of Sharm el - Sheikh was closed to all swimming in December 2010 due to several serious shark attacks, including a fatality. As of December 2010, scientists are investigating the attacks and have identified, but not verified, several possible causes including over-fishing which causes large sharks to hunt closer to shore, tourist boat operators who chum offshore for shark - photo opportunities, and reports of ships throwing dead livestock overboard. The sea 's narrowness, significant depth, and sharp drop - offs, all combine to form a geography where large deep - water sharks can roam in hundreds of meters of water, yet be within a hundred meters of swimming areas. See also : 2016 Hurghada attack, 2017 Hurghada attack, 2006 Dahab bombings, 2005 Sharm El Sheikh bombings, 2004 Sinai bombings, and Metrojet Flight 9268 Tourism to the region has been threatened by occasional terrorist attacks, and by incidents related to food safety standards. Bordering countries The Red Sea may be geographically divided into three sections : the Red Sea proper, and in the north, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez. The six countries bordering the Red Sea proper are : Eastern shore : Saudi Arabia Yemen Western shore : Egypt Sudan Eritrea Djibouti The Gulf of Suez is entirely bordered by Egypt. The Gulf of Aqaba borders Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. In addition to the standard geographical definition of the six countries bordering the Red Sea cited above, areas such as Somalia are sometimes also described as Red Sea territories. This is primarily due to their proximity to and geological similarities with the nations facing the Red Sea and / or political ties with said areas. Towns and cities Towns and cities on the Red Sea coast ( including the coasts of the Gulfs of Aqaba and Suez ) include : Al Hudaydah ( الحديدة ) Al Lith ( الليِّث ) Al Qunfudhah ( القنفذة ) Al - Qusair ( القصير ) Al Wajh ( الوجه ) Aqaba ( العقبة ) Asseb ( ዓሳብ ) Dahab ( دهب ) Duba ( ضباء ) Eilat ( אילת ، ايلات ) El Gouna ( الجونة ) El Suweis ( السويس ) / Hala'ib ( حلايب ) ( disputed ) Haql ( حقل ) Hirgigo ( ሕርጊጎ ) Hurghada ( الغردقة ) Jeddah ( جدة ) Jazan ( جازان ) Marsa Alam ( مرسى علم ) Massawa ( ምጽዋ ) Moulhoule ( مول هولة ) Nuweiba ( نويبع ) Port Safaga ( ميناء سفاجا ) Port Sudan ( بورت سودان ) Rabigh ( رابغ ) Sharm el Sheikh ( شرم الشيخ ) Soma Bay ( سوما باي ) Suakin ( سواكن ) Taba ( طابا ) Thuwal ( ثول ) Yanbu ( ينبع ) See also Benjamin Kahn MS al - Salam Boccaccio 98 ferry disaster Red Sea Dam Robert Moresby References Jump up ^ `` The Red Sea ''. Retrieved 6 January 2009. Jump up ^ `` Red Sea '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2009. Jump up ^ Robert Dinwiddie : Ocean_ The World 's Last Wilderness Revealed. Dorling Kindersley, London 2008, p. 452 Jump up ^ `` Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition '' ( PDF ). International Hydrographic Organization. 1953. Retrieved 7 February 2010. Jump up ^ `` Red Sea ''. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2008 - 01 - 14. Jump up ^ Smithsonianjourneys.org Jump up ^ Schmitt 1996 Jump up ^ `` Arabia ''. World Digital Library. Retrieved 11 August 2013. Jump up ^ Michael D. Oblath ( 2004 ). The Exodus itinerary sites : their locations from the perspective of the biblical sources. Peter Lang. p. 53. ISBN 978 - 0 - 8204 - 6716 - 0. Jump up ^ Herodotus, ed. George Rawlinson ( 2009 ), The histories, p. 105 Jump up ^ Andrew E. Hill, John H. Walton ( 2000 ), A survey of the Old Testament, p. 32 ( 1 ) Jump up ^ Fernandez - Armesto, Felipe ( 2006 ). Pathfinders : A Global History of Exploration. W.W. Norton & Company. p. 24. ISBN 0 - 393 - 06259 - 7. Jump up ^ Louis, Jaucourt de chevalier ( 1765 ). Red Sea. pp. 367 -- 368. Jump up ^ Tafsir, Saadia Gaon, s.v. Exodus 15 : 22, et al. Jump up ^ Fernandez - Armesto, Felipe ( 2006 ). Pathfinders : A Global History of Exploration. W.W. Norton & Company. pp. 32 -- 33. ISBN 0 - 393 - 06259 - 7. Jump up ^ East, W. Gordon ( 1965 ). The Geography behind History. W.W. Norton & Company. pp. 174 -- 175. ISBN 0 - 393 - 00419 - 8. Jump up ^ By M.D.D. Newitt, A History of Portuguese Overseas Expansion, 1400 -- 1668, p. 87, Routledge, 2005, ISBN 0 - 415 - 23979 - 6 Jump up ^ Egyptian Dust Plume, Red Sea Jump up ^ BBC 2 television program `` Oceans 3 / 8 The Red Sea '', 8 pm - 9 pm Wednesday 26 November 2008 Jump up ^ ' Virus protects coral from ' white plague ', ' at New Scientist, 7 July 2012. p. 17. Jump up ^ Degens, Egon T. ( ed. ), 1969, Hot Brines and Recent Heavy Metal Deposits in the Red Sea, 600 pp, Springer - Verlag Jump up ^ MSNBC ( accessed 29 December 2011 ) Jump up ^ Israel, Brett ( December 28, 2011 ). `` New Island Rises in the Red Sea ''. LiveScience.com. Retrieved 2015 - 07 - 31. Jump up ^ Oskin, Becky ; SPACE.com ( May 30, 2015 ). `` Red Sea Parts for 2 New Islands ''. Scientific American. Retrieved 2015 - 07 - 31. ^ Jump up to : Froese, Ranier ; Pauly, Daniel ( 2009 ). `` FishBase ''. Retrieved 2009 - 03 - 12. Jump up ^ Siliotti, A. ( 2002 ). Verona, Geodia, ed. Fishes of the red sea. ISBN 88 - 87177 - 42 - 2. Jump up ^ Lieske, E. and Myers, R.F. ( 2004 ) Coral reef guide ; Red Sea London, HarperCollins ISBN 0 - 00 - 715986 - 2 Jump up ^ Mabrook, B. `` Environmental Impact of Waste Brine Disposal of Desalination Plants, Red Sea, Egypt '', Desalination, 1994, Vol. 97, pp. 453 - 465. Jump up ^ Scuba Diving in Egypt - The Red Sea : Holidays in Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, The Brothers, Daedalus Reef and St. John 's - Liveaboard and Day Trips Jump up ^ Walsh, Declan ; Karasz, Palko ( 24 August 2018 ). `` Hundreds of Tourists Evacuated From Hotel in Egypt After Britons ' Sudden Death ''. New York Times. Retrieved 26 August 2018. Jump up ^ Regev, Dana ( 15 July 2017 ). `` Egypt 's tourism industry suffers a critical blow ''. DW. Retrieved 26 August 2018. Jump up ^ Barth, Hans - Jörg ( 2002 ). Sabkha ecosystems, Volume 2. Springer. p. 148. ISBN 1 - 4020 - 0504 - 0. Jump up ^ Makinda, Samuel M. ( 1987 ). Superpower diplomacy in the Horn of Africa. Routledge. p. 37. ISBN 0 - 7099 - 4662 - 7. Further reading Hamblin, W. Kenneth & Christiansen, Eric H. ( 1998 ). Earth 's Dynamic Systems ( 8th ed. ). Upper Saddle River : Prentice - Hall. ISBN 0 - 13 - 745373 - 6. Miran, Jonathan. ( 2018 ). `` The Red Sea, '' in David Armitage, Alison Bashford and Sujit Sivasundaram ( eds. ), Oceanic Histories ( Cambridge : Cambridge University Press ), pp. 156 - 181. External links Find more aboutRed Seaat Wikipedia 's sister projects Definitions from Wiktionary Media from Wikimedia Commons News from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Learning resources from Wikiversity Red Sea Coral Reefs Red Sea Photography Potts, D., R. Talbert, T. Elliott, S. Gillies. `` Places : 39290 ( Arabicus Sinus / Erythr ( ae ) um / Rubrum Mare ) ''. Pleiades. Retrieved March 8, 2012. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) African seas Oceans and seas Alboran Sea Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Levantine Sea Mediterranean Sea Red Sea Southern Ocean Gulfs and bays Abu Qir Bay Acheïl Dakhlet Al Hoceima Bay Algiers Bay Algoa Bay Ambas Bay Ana Chaves Bay Angra de Cintra Antongil Bay Antsiranana Bay Arab 's Gulf Baía Almeida Baía da Condúcia Baía da Corimba Baía de Mocambo Baía de Mossuril Baía de Namibe Baia de Porto Amboim Baía de Santa Marta Baía de Sucujaque Baía de Tombua Baía do Ambriz Baía do Bengo Baía do Dande Baía do Govuro Baía do Lúrio Baía do Nzeto Baía do Suto Baia dos Tigres Baie de Gorée Baie de Sangareya Baie de Yof Bandombaai Bay of Anfile Bay of Arguin Bay of Aseb Bay of Arzew Bight of Benin Bay of Beylul Bay of Edd Bay of Hawakil Bay of Langarano Bay of Saint - Augustin Bay of Tangier Benguela Bay Bera'esoli Betty 's Bay Bight of Biafra Bocock 's Bay Bombetoka Bay Bootbaai Bosluisbaai Cape Cross Bay Cape Negro Bay Chake - Chake Bay Chameis Bay Chwaka Bay Conception Bay Cuio Bay Dakhlet Nouadhibou Dalwakteah Bay Deurloopbaai Doringbaai Dungonab Bay Durissa Bay Elands Bay Enseada das Pombas Enseada de São Braz Enseada do Catumbo Enseada do Chalungo Enseada do Quicombo Enseada do Quitungo Enseada dos Três Irmãos Equimina Bay False Bay Farta Bay Fernao Veloso Bay Foul Bay Frederik se Baai Grosse Bucht Gulf of Aden Gulf of ' Agig Gulf of Gabès Gulf of Guinea Gulf of Hammamet Gulf of Sirte Gulf of Suez Gulf of Tadjoura Gulf of Tunis Gulf of Zula Hafun Bay South Hann Bay Harrison Cove Henties Bay Hirghīgo Bahir Selat'ē Horingbaai Hottentotsbaai Hurdiyo Hydra Bay Inhambane Bay Jammer Bucht John Owen Bay Kalawy Bay Kiwaiyu Bay Lambert Bay Lamu Bay Langbaai Loango Bay Lobito Bay Luanda Bay Lüderitz Bay McDougall Bay Manza Bay Maputo Bay Markusbaai Memba Bay Menai Bay Meob Bay Mietjie Frans se Baai Moraha Bahir Selat'ē Mossel Bay Möwebaai Noopbaai Oran Gulf Pemba Bay Pipas Bay Platbaai Plaatjieskraalbaai Plettenbergbaai Pointe - Noire Bay Port Alexander, Angola Prinzen Bucht Río de Oro Bay Rock Bay Roode Bay Rooiwalbaai Saint Francis Bay Saint Francis Bay ( Eastern Cape ) St Helena Bay Saint Sebastian Bay Saldanha Bay Sandwich Harbour Sierra Bay Skoonbergbaai Skurfbaai Slangbaai Sodwana Bay Sofala Bay Somnaasbaai Spencer Bay Struisbaai Spoegrivierbaai Swartstraat Table Bay Thysbaai Tietiesbaai Ungama Bay Walker Bay Walvis Bay ( bay ) Yawri Bay Straits Bab - el - Mandeb Bab Iskender Canal de Bolama Canal de Bolola Canal de Caió Canal de São Vicente Canal do Meio Mafia Channel Massawa Channel Mozambique Channel ‎ Pemba Channel Shubuk Channel Guardafui Channel Strait of Gibraltar Strait of Sicily Straits of Tiran Zanzibar Channel Historical seas Aethiopian Sea Erythraean Sea Sea of Zanj Earth 's oceans and seas Arctic Ocean Amundsen Gulf Barents Sea Beaufort Sea Chukchi Sea East Siberian Sea Greenland Sea Gulf of Boothia Kara Sea Laptev Sea Lincoln Sea Prince Gustav Adolf Sea Pechora Sea Queen Victoria Sea Wandel Sea White Sea Atlantic Ocean Adriatic Sea Aegean Sea Alboran Sea Archipelago Sea Argentine Sea Baffin Bay Balearic Sea Baltic Sea Bay of Biscay Bay of Bothnia Bay of Campeche Bay of Fundy Black Sea Bothnian Sea Caribbean Sea Celtic Sea English Channel Foxe Basin Greenland Sea Gulf of Bothnia Gulf of Finland Gulf of Lion Gulf of Guinea Gulf of Maine Gulf of Mexico Gulf of Saint Lawrence Gulf of Sidra Gulf of Venezuela Hudson Bay Ionian Sea Irish Sea Irminger Sea James Bay Labrador Sea Levantine Sea Libyan Sea Ligurian Sea Marmara Sea Mediterranean Sea Myrtoan Sea North Sea Norwegian Sea Sargasso Sea Sea of Åland Sea of Azov Sea of Crete Sea of the Hebrides Thracian Sea Tyrrhenian Sea Wadden Sea Indian Ocean Andaman Sea Arabian Sea Bali Sea Bay of Bengal Flores Sea Great Australian Bight Gulf of Aden Gulf of Aqaba Gulf of Khambhat Gulf of Kutch Gulf of Oman Gulf of Suez Java Sea Laccadive Sea Mozambique Channel Persian Gulf Red Sea Timor Sea Pacific Ocean Arafura Sea Banda Sea Bering Sea Bismarck Sea Bohai Sea Bohol Sea Camotes Sea Celebes Sea Ceram Sea Chilean Sea Coral Sea East China Sea Gulf of Alaska Gulf of Anadyr Gulf of California Gulf of Carpentaria Gulf of Fonseca Gulf of Panama Gulf of Thailand Gulf of Tonkin Halmahera Sea Koro Sea Mar de Grau Molucca Sea Moro Gulf Philippine Sea Salish Sea Savu Sea Sea of Japan Sea of Okhotsk Seto Inland Sea Shantar Sea Sibuyan Sea Solomon Sea South China Sea Sulu Sea Tasman Sea Visayan Sea Yellow Sea Southern Ocean Amundsen Sea Bellingshausen Sea Cooperation Sea Cosmonauts Sea Davis Sea D'Urville Sea King Haakon VII Sea Lazarev Sea Mawson Sea Riiser - 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Question: what is the average depth of the red sea
Answer: 490 m (1,608 ft)