Gulf of Aqaba
The
Gulf of Aqaba, sometimes known as the
Gulf of Eilat, is a large gulf of the
Red Sea. Geologically, the Gulf of Eilat is an integral part of the
Great Rift Valley that runs from
East Africa northwards though the Red Sea into
southwest Asia.
The northern end of the Red Sea is bifurcated by the
Sinai Peninsula, creating the
Gulf of Suez in the west and to the east the Gulf of Aqaba. The Gulf of Aqaba, measuring 24 km at its widest point, stretches some 160 km north from the
Straits of Tiran, ending where the southern border of
Israel meets the borders of
Egypt and
Jordan. At this junction three separate cities,
Taba in Egypt,
Eilat in Israel, and
Aqaba in Jordan have served both as strategically important ports and (more recently) as popular resort destinations for tourists seeking to enjoy the warm climate of the Gulf of Aqaba.
External links
Sinai Peninsula, Gulf of Suez(west), Gulf of Aqaba(east) viewed from Space Shuttle STS-40. Click for broader view.