Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden (Arabic: خليج عدن; transliterated: Khalyj 'Adan Somali: Khaleejka Cadan) is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab el Mandeb strait.
Commerce and trade in the Gulf
The Gulf of Aden is a vital waterway for shipping, especially for Persian Gulf oil, making it an integral waterway in the world economy.[1] Approximately 11 percent of the world's seaborne petroleum passes through the Gulf of Aden on its way to the Suez Canal or to regional refineries.[2] The main ports along the Gulf are Aden (in Yemen), Zeila, Berbera, and Bosaso in Somalia.
In earlier history, the city of Crater, located just east of the modern city of Aden, was an important port in regional trade. Crater was the principal harbor of the pre-Islamic kingdom of Awsan, and after its annexation by the kingdom of Saba at the end of the 5th century, the port of Crater played a significant role in connecting Africa with Arabia.
Hydrography of the Gulf
The temperature of the Gulf of Aden varies between 15 °C (59 °F) and 28 °C (82 °F), depending on the season and the appearance of monsoons. The salinity of the Gulf at 10 metres (33 ft) depth varies from 35.3 ‰ along the eastern Somali coast to as high as 37.3 ‰ in the Gulf's center,[3] while the oxygen content in the Gulf of Aden at the same depth is typically between 4.0 and 5.0 mL/L.[4]
Ecology of the Gulf
A geologically young body of water, the Gulf of Aden has a unique biodiversity that contains many varieties of fish, coral, seabirds, and invertebrates. This rich ecological diversity has benefitted from the relative lack of pollution during the history of human habitation around the Gulf, but environmental groups fear that the lack of a coordinated effort to control pollution may jeopardize the Gulf's ecosphere.[5]
Crime and terror in the Gulf
The Gulf of Aden is an area known for acts of piracy,[6] making its waters dangerous for water transport. The International Maritime Bureau reported over two dozen actual and attempted attacks in 2007 in the Gulf off the coast of Somalia.[7] On 4 April 2008, pirates commandeered a French luxury yacht in the Gulf of Aden with 34 crew members off the coast of Somalia.[8]
Moreover, a number of terrorist attacks have been carried out in the Gulf, including the 2000 attack on the American guided missile destroyer the USS Cole.
Notes
- ^ "Earth from Space: The Gulf of Aden – the gateway to Persian oil". European Space Agency. 2005-03-01. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ "Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden" (PDF). International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF). 2003. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ "Hydrographic Survey Results". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
- ^ "Hydrographic Survey Results". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
- ^ "Red Sea & Gulf of Aden". United Nations Environment Programme. 2005. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ "US Coalition Presence in Gulf Helps Cut Piracy: Commander". Arab News. 2005-07-03. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ "Heavily armed pirates spark regional shipping alert". ArabianBusiness.com. 2007-12-24. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ "Pirates storm French yacht off Somalia". Reuters. 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2008-04-04.