Red Sea (sometimes called the Erythraean Sea) is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. With a surface area of around 438,000 km2 (170,000 sq mi), it is the world’s fourth-largest sea. It has a maximum depth of 3,040 m (9,960 ft) in the central Suakin Trough, and an average depth of 490 m (1,600 ft).
The Red Sea is one of saltwater lakes that are hypersaline and hyperthermohaline. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Red Sea as follows:
On the North. The Southern limit of Gulf of Suez. On the East. From Cape Guardafui, Somalia in a line NE’ly to Ras Hafun which lies on or about 7°10’N., then from Ras Hafun in a straight line SE’ly to Jabal al Tair Island which lies on or about 22°30’N., thence from Jabal al Tair Island in a generally SSE’ly direction along various meridians to Cap Blanc located at 11°00′N 42°00′E onshore Djibouti; thence from Cap Blanc in an Easterly direction along various meridians including 58°E to its junction with 16°N; thence along 16°N in an Easterly direction towards but not including Harrarah Island located at 15°59′54″N 50°20′05″E offshore Yemen; thence from Harrarah Island continuing along 16°N passing just Westward of Perim Island located at 15°47′24″N 52°26′36″E also offshore Yemen before veering Southward briefly along 59°E until encountering land again just Eastward of Ra’s Zawr Musandam exclave Oman; thence meandering Southerly initially along 59°E then curving South-Southwesterly eventually terminating at Cape Abu Ailat located near 21 ° 00 ′ N 57 ° 00 ′ E onshore Oman thereby defining its Eastern limit. On the South. From Cape Guardafui, Somalia proceed North-Northwesterly via various meridians including 53 ° E to intersect 11 ° N just offshore Socotra island Yemen thereby defining its Southern limit.