Major Seas of Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is decorated with notable seas that influence the lives of locals and alter the landscape. These massive bodies of water, including the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, the Andaman Sea, and the Red Sea, are vital commerce routes and have enormous biological importance. The varied marine environment of the Indian Ocean is further enhanced by the Persian Gulf.

Features of Major Seas of Indian Ocean

Here are the descriptions of major seas of Indian ocean −

Arabian Sea

The Arabian Sea, a region of the Indian Ocean in the northwest, is a body of water that is part of the main maritime route connecting Europe and India. It has a total area of around 1,491,000 square miles (3,862,000 square kilometres). Its borders are the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa on the west, Iran and Pakistan on the north, India on the east, and the rest of the Indian Ocean on the south. Through the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman connects the Arabian Sea to the Persian Gulf to the north. Through the Bab el-Mandeb (Bab al-Mandab) Strait, the Gulf of Aden connects it to the Red Sea to the west. It is 2,734 meters (8,970 feet) deep on average.

There are no islands in the middle of the Arabian Sea, which is mostly submerged beneath water that is deeper than 9,800 feet (2,990 meters). With the exception of the northeast, off Pakistan and India, deep water comes very close to the bordering lands. The Maldive Ridge, which stretches farther south into the Indian Ocean and rises above the surface to form the atolls of the Maldives, includes the Lakshadweep atolls to the southeast.

Bay of Bengal

The Indian Ocean's north-eastern coast is known as the Bay of Bengal. Geographically, it is situated beneath the Bengal area, after which the bay was given its name during the British Raj, and is situated between the Indian subcontinent and the Indochinese peninsula. It is the world's biggest bay, a body of water. The Bay of Bengal is crucial to many Southeast Asian and South Asian nations. Geographically, the bay is surrounded by India on the west and northwest, Bangladesh on the north, Myanmar on the east, and India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands on the northwest. Sangaman Kanda in Sri Lanka and the farthest north-western point of Sumatra in Indonesia form its southern boundary. Along the bay lie Cox's Bazar, the longest sea beach in the world, and Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest and home to the Bengal tiger.

A total of 2,600,000 square kilometres (1,000,000 sq. mi) are covered by the Bay of Bengal. The Bay of Bengal is fed by a number of sizable rivers, including the Ganges-Hooghly, Padma, Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Barak-Surma-Meghna, Irrawaddy, Godavari, Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani, Krishna, and Kaveri.

Andaman Sea

The Andaman Sea, formerly known as the Burma Sea, is a marginal sea in the north-eastern Indian Ocean, bordered by the coastlines of Myanmar and Thailand along the Gulf of Martaban and the west side of the Malay Peninsula, and separated from the Bay of Bengal to its west by the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands. Breueh Island, which is north of Sumatra, marks its southern end, and the Strait of Malacca is located further southeast.

Despite holding an important position in the Indian Ocean, the Andaman Sea has long been unexplored. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands and a related series of sea mountains along the Indo-Burmese plate boundary separate this sea from the Bay of Bengal to the south of Myanmar, to the west of Thailand, and to the north of Indonesia. The southern exit of the basin, which is 37 meters (121 feet) deep and 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) broad and between the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra.

Red Sea

The Red Sea is an entrance of the Indian Ocean that is located between Africa and Asia. Through the Gulf of Aden and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, it is connected to the ocean in the south. The Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez (which connects to the Suez Canal) are to its north. The Great Rift Valley's Red Sea Rift, which is a subregion of it, forms its foundation. The Red Sea is 2,250 km long, 355 km broad at its widest point, and has a surface area of around 438,000 km2. Its maximum depth of 3,040 m is found in the central Suakin Trough, and its average depth is 490 m.

Persian Gulf

The Persian Gulf, sometimes known as the Arabian Gulf, is a shallow section of the Indian Ocean's continental shelf that is located between the Arabian Peninsula and southwest Iran. About 93,000 square miles (241,000 square km) is the size of the ocean. Its length is around 615 miles (990 km), and in the Strait of Hormuz, its width ranges from a maximum of roughly 210 miles (340 km) to a minimum of 35 miles (55 km). Iran forms its northern, north-eastern, and eastern borders with the country.

The United Arab Emirates and part of Oman form its southeast and southern borders. Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia form its southwest and western borders. Kuwait and Iraq form its northwest boundary. The Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, which open into the Arabian Sea, are frequently referred to as the Persian Gulf (or Arabian Gulf, the designation used by Arabs) in addition to the Persian Gulf itself.

Sea of Zanj

Formerly known as the Sea of Zanj, the western Indian Ocean's area next to the area of the African Great Lakes known as Zanj by medieval Arab geographers. Arab seafarers considered the Sea of Zanj to be a dangerous area, and there were many tales about dangers in the waters, particularly close to its extreme southern bounds. The word was used to describe the vast sea areas close to the eastern part of the African continent by early Muslim explorers and chroniclers like Al Masudi and Ibn Batuta. The Sea of Zanj encompassed a huge marine expanse that roughly extended as far as ancient navigators could go on their dhows, despite its lack of geographic definition.

The Sea of Zanj was south of the Erythraean Sea and was subject to monsoon wind changes. It included the Comoros and the waters off the eastern coast of Madagascar, and it extended from the coast of Southeast Africa south to the Mozambique Channel. The sea bordered the Seychelles on its western side and the Mascarenes Islands on its eastern side.

List of Major Seas of Indian Ocean

Here is a table of major seas in the Indian Ocean, their locations, and approximate areas −

Sea	Location	Approximate Area (sq. miles)	Approximate Area (sq. km)
Arabian Sea	Arabian Sea Basin	1,491,126	3,862,000
Bay of Bengal	Eastern Indian Ocean	838,614	2,172,000
Andaman Sea	Eastern Indian Ocean	231,661	600,000
Red Sea	Between Africa and Asia	169,113	438,000
Persian Gulf	Between Iran and Arabian Peninsula	96,911	251,000
Sea of Zanj	East coast of Africa	Undefined	Undefined

Conclusion

There are numerous large seas in the Indian Ocean, each with distinctive qualities and importance. The rich marine ecosystem is supported by the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Sea of Zanj, which also act as vital commerce routes and historic sites. These seas are essential to the Indian Ocean region due to their size and variety of geographical features, which present opportunities for trade, tourism, and exploration.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the largest sea in the Indian Ocean?

The Arabian Sea is the largest sea in the Indian Ocean, covering an approximate area of 1,491,126 square miles (3,862,000 square kilometers).

Which sea lies to the east of India?

The Bay of Bengal is situated to the east of India, forming a significant part of the eastern Indian Ocean.

What is the connection between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean?

The Red Sea is connected to the Indian Ocean through the Gulf of Aden and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait.

Where is the Persian Gulf located?

The Persian Gulf, also known as the Arabian Gulf, is situated between the Arabian Peninsula and southwest Iran.

What is the approximate area of the Bay of Bengal?

The Bay of Bengal covers an approximate area of 838,614 square miles (2,172,000 square kilometers).