Gulf of Suez

Gulf of Suez, arm of the Red Sea, north-eastern Egypt, between the Sinai Peninsula and the Egyptian mainland. It has a length of approximately 290 km (180 mi) with a breadth of 24 to 56 km (15 to 35 mi). At its northern end, which is the extreme northern end of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Suez is connected with the Mediterranean Sea by the Suez Canal. The gulf is less than 200 m (650 ft) deep throughout. Exploration and exploitation of offshore oil resources started in the area in the 1970s and intensified during the next decade.