Topic

Red Sea

The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. This sea is notable for its elongated shape, stretching approximately 2,250 kilometers (1,398 miles) from the north to the south. Its maximum width is about 355 kilometers (220 miles), and it covers an area of about 438,000 square kilometers (169,100 square miles). The Red Sea is connected to the Indian Ocean through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden to the south, and to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Suez to the north. The sea is bordered by Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti to the west, and Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Jordan to the east. Israel and the disputed territory of Palestine also have small coastlines along the northern end of the sea.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most saline bodies of water, due to high evaporation and low precipitation rates, as well as a lack of significant rivers or streams draining into it. Its unique geological formation, lying in a rift valley that formed over 25 million years ago, contributes to its great depth of over 2,200 meters (7,200 feet) in the central median trench and an even deeper trench in the southern end.

Ecologically, the Red Sea is known for its spectacular coral reefs, which are among the most diverse in the world. These reefs are home to a wide variety of marine life, including numerous species of fish, sharks, and sea turtles, making the Red Sea a popular destination for divers. The warm, clear waters are ideal for coral growth, and the reefs are relatively pristine.

Economically, the Red Sea is significant for several reasons. It is an important route for oil and cargo shipping, as it provides the shortest sea link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The region surrounding the Red Sea is also known for its rich oil reserves, making it strategically important in global energy politics. Additionally, the Red Sea's beautiful beaches and rich marine life support a thriving tourism industry in the surrounding countries.

ALL
STORIES
VIDEOS

STORIES

Tara Sutaria is a white satin dream in Vivienne Westwood gown in Cannes

Tara Sutaria made her Cannes red carpet debut in a white Vivienne Westwood gown ahead of the Women in Cinema gala.

Tara Sutaria channels vintage glamour for Cannes debut

Tara Sutaria has begun her Cannes 2026 visit by sharing her first-day pictures from the French Riviera. Take a look at the photos here.

Severe heatwave in northwest, heavy rain in northeast on Thursday

The IMD has forecast monsoon advance over parts of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea around May 16. The update comes as severe heatwave, heavy rain and thunderstorms affect different parts of India.

Big relief for shipping industry: India clears Rs 13,000 crore insurance pool

India’s shipping sector has long depended on global insurance markets to keep goods moving across oceans. But recent disruptions in key trade routes and rising geopolitical risks have exposed a critical gap.

Saudi urges US to lift Hormuz blockade amid fears of Red Sea oil crisis

Saudi Arabia is urging the US to lift its Hormuz blockade and resume Iran talks, warning escalation could disrupt Red Sea routes and trigger wider global energy and shipping crises.

Emperor penguins are now endangered as Antarctic sea ice disappears fast

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has officially reclassified the emperor penguin as an endangered species due to melting sea ice. Experts warn that the global population could be halved by the 2080s without urgent action.

Iran targets Saudi Arabia's oil pipeline bypassing Hormuz hours after ceasefire

The pipeline rerouted about seven million barrels daily from eastern oil fields to Yanbu, bypassing exports after Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Trump card: Choke point warfare

Trump’s speech suggests he’s backing away from the Strait of Hormuz. How Tehran mastered the art of choking international maritime stretches.

Is India's LPG crisis over or does a new threat loom amid Iran war?

There are early signs of possible de-escalation in the West Asia war, but experts say that the current situation should be seen as 'temporary relief, not a full all-clear', even as supply conditions have improved.

Trump's four-day war is now two months of chaos — and Netanyahu is the only one winning

Sold a fantasy by Israel, trapped by his own overconfidence, and staring down oil at $200 a barrel, Donald Trump is running out of road in a war he never planned beyond Day Four. Analyst Trita Parsi tells India Today Global the exit ramp is closing fast.

Houthis enter the Israel-Iran War. More energy shocks to come?

Around 15 per cent of global trade passes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, including shipments of oil, gas, and everyday goods.

Israel faces missile attack from Yemen days after Houthis back Iran in Gulf war

The Houthis so far had stayed out of the West Asia war as the rebels have had an uneasy ceasefire for years with Saudi Arabia, which launched a war against the group on behalf of Yemen’s exiled government in 2015.

Snow in the desert? Storm hits Middle East, parts of UAE covered in thick hail

The unusual weather is being driven by a slow-moving low-pressure system drawing in moisture from both the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea.

Can Iran shut down global internet by cutting Hormuz undersea cables?

The world is facing an energy crisis as Iran blocked supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz after strikes by the US and Israel. Vital subsea cables that carry global internet traffic also pass through Hormuz. Any damage to them could trigger internet outages and hit financial systems across countries, including in India.

US carrier Ford returns to port after fire onboard during Iran deployment

The carrier, America's newest and the world's largest, is currently located in the Red Sea. It is expected to temporarily go to Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete.

Saudi Arabia offers alternative Red Sea route as Strait of Hormuz faces crisis

Saudi Arabia is now giving its long-term customers the option to receive their April oil allocations through the Red Sea port of Yanbu instead of the usual Persian Gulf terminals.

Another strait to get shut after Hormuz? Houthis ready to pull trigger in Iran war

While the Strait of Hormuz is choked amid the war on Iran, the focus is now on another strait in the region, the Bab el-Mandeb. The Yemeni Houthi group, part of Tehran's "Axis of Resistance", has warned its "fingers are on the trigger". The Houthis joining the war could choke yet another crucial artery of global trade.

US-Iran War: Just how much is America’s military bill?

Pentagon officials have reportedly said that the first week of the war cost approximately $6 billion.

In numbers: How wars kill not just people but also the environment

As of 2022, global militaries were responsible for an estimated 5.5 per cent of the total carbon footprint.

France to deploy warships in Middle East, prepares for Hormuz mission

European states have been largely sidelined as the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran has escalated, hitting Gulf Arab states and dragging Lebanon into the line of fire after Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel.

VIDEOS