The northern and eastern side of the basin is shallow, as the continental shelf off the coast of Myanmar and Thailand extends over 200 km . About 45 percent of the basin area is shallower , which is the direct consequence of the presence of the wider shelf. The continental slope which follows the eastern shelf is quite steep between 9N and 14N. Here, the perspective view of the submarine topography sectioned along 95E exposes the abrupt rise in depth of sea by about 3,000 m within a short horizontal distance of a degree. Isobaths corresponding to 900 m and 2000 m are also shown in the figure to emphasize the steepness of the slope. Further, it may be noted that the deep ocean is also not free from sea mounts; hence only around 15 percent of the total area is deeper than 2,500 m.
Question: What percent of the basin is shallow and why?
Answer: 45 percent | presence of the wider shelf.