The Gulf of Aden is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north and Somalia, Somaliland and Djibouti to the south. It connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait to the northwest and opens into the Arabian Sea to the east.
The gulf forms part of the vital Suez Canal shipping route between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, with approximately 21,000 vessels crossing annually, many carrying Persian Gulf oil. The Aden Ridge runs along its centre, and tectonic activity is causing the gulf to widen by roughly 15 millimetres each year. Ancient Greeks considered it among the most important sections of the Erythraean Sea. Important cities along its shores include Aden, Mukalla and Berbera. While large-scale commercial fishing remains limited, the coastline supports numerous fishing communities harvesting sardines, tuna, kingfish, mackerel, crayfish and sharks. The waterway is richly supplied with fish, turtles and lobsters, sustaining local livelihoods along both the Arabian and African coasts.
