Gulf of Oman
Arabian Sea link to the Indian Ocean
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman,[a] also known as Gulf of Makran or Sea of Makran,[b] is a gulf in the Indian Ocean that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It borders Iran and Pakistan on the north, Oman on the south, and the United Arab Emirates on the west.
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| Gulf of Oman | |
|---|---|
| خليج عمان (Arabic) | |
Bathymetry of the Gulf of Oman | |
| Location | West Asia and South Asia |
| Coordinates | 25°N 58°E |
| Type | Sea |
| Ocean/sea sources | Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea |
| Basin countries | |
| Max. width | 340 km (210 mi) |
| Surface area | 115,000 km2 (44,000 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 3,700 m (12,100 ft) |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Gulf of Oman | |
_-_Harry_S._Truman_(CVN-75)_and_Cavour_(550)_underway_in_the_Gulf_of_Oman_on_3_January_2014_(140103-N-CL550-634).jpg)
Extent
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Gulf of Oman as follows:[1]
- On the Northwest: A line joining Ràs Limah (25°57'N) on the coast of Arabia and Ràs al Kuh (25°48'N) on the coast of Iran (Persia).
- On the Southeast: The Northern limit of the Arabian Sea [A line joining Ràs al Hadd, East point of Arabia (22°32'N) and Ràs Jiyùni (61°43'E) on the coast of Pakistan].
Exclusive economic zone
Bordering countries
Coastline length of bordering countries:
Iran - 850 km coastline
Oman - 750 km coastline
United Arab Emirates - 50 km coastline
Pakistan - 50 km coastline
Alternative names
The Gulf of Oman historically and geographically has been referred to by different names by Arabian, Iranian, Indian, Pakistani, and European geographers and travelers, including Makran Sea and Akhzar Sea.[8][9]
- Makran Sea
- Akhzar Sea
- Persian Sea (consists of the whole of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman)
Until the 18th century, it was known as Makran Sea and is also visible on historical maps and museums.[10]
Major ports
- Port of Fujairah, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
- Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates
- Port of Chabahar, Chabahar, Iran
- Port Sultan Qaboos, Muttrah, Oman
International trade
The Western side of the gulf connects to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route through which a third of the world's liquefied natural gas and 20% of global oil consumption passes from Middle East producers.[11]
Ecology
In 2018, scientists confirmed the Gulf of Oman contains one of the world's largest marine dead zones, where the ocean contains little or no oxygen and marine wildlife cannot exist. The dead zone encompasses nearly the entire 165,000-square-kilometre (63,700 sq mi) Gulf of Oman and equivalent to the size of Florida, United States of America. The cause is a combination of increased ocean warming and increased runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers.[12]
International underwater rail tunnel
In 2018, a rail tunnel under the sea was suggested to link the UAE with the western coast of India. The bullet train tunnel would be supported by pontoons and be nearly 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) in length.[13][14]
See also
- Eastern Arabia
- Musandam Peninsula
- History of the United Arab Emirates#The pearling industry and the Portuguese empire: 16th - 18th century
- Saeed bin Butti#Perpetual Maritime Truce
- Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi#Perpetual Maritime Truce of 1853
- Persian Gulf campaign of 1809
- Persian Gulf campaign of 1819
- General Maritime Treaty of 1820
- May 2019 Gulf of Oman incident
- June 2019 Gulf of Oman incident