Bab-el-Mandeb

Bab-el-Mandeb
The Bab-el-Mandeb as seen from space (top) and on a topographical map (bottom).
LocationBetween Northeast Africa and West Asia
Coordinates12°35′N 43°20′E / 12.583°N 43.333°E / 12.583; 43.333
Basin countriesDjibouti, Eritrea and Yemen
Max. length31 mi (50 km)
Min. width16 mi (26 km)
Average depth609 ft (186 m)
IslandsSeven Brothers, Doumeira, Perim

The Bab-el-Mandeb (Arabicباب المندب, lit.'Gate of Lamentation',[1] Tigrinya: ባብ ኣል ማንዳብ), the Gate of Grief or the Gate of Tears,[2] is a strait between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and by extension the Indian Ocean.

  1. ^ Wehr's Arabic-English Dictionary, 1960.
  2. ^ "BP pauses all Red Sea shipments after rebel attacks". BBC News. December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.