Guardafui Channel

Guardafui Channel
مضيق غواردافوي (Arabic)
The Guardafui Channel, between the Puntland region of Somalia and Socotra Archipelago of Yemen.
The Guardafui Channel shaded in dark blue
LocationMidst of Somali sea–Arabian Sea-Gulf of Aden
Coordinates11°49′N 51°15′E / 11.817°N 51.250°E / 11.817; 51.250
TypeStrait
Part ofGulf of Aden, Indian ocean
Basin countriesSomalia
Yemen
Max. depth2,500 metres (8,200 ft) near OligoceneMiocene floor
Salinity35.3 ‰
Max. temperature26 °C (78 °F)
Min. temperature14 °C (57 °F)
IslandsSocotra, Abd al Kuri, Darsah and Samhah

The Guardafui Channel (Arabic: مضيق غواردافوي, Somali: Marinka Gardafuul) is an oceanic strait off the tip of the Horn of Africa that lies between the Puntland region of Somalia and the Socotra governorate of Yemen to the west of the Arabian Sea.[1] It connects the Gulf of Aden to the north with the Indian Ocean to the south. Its namesake is Cape Guardafui, the very tip of the Horn of Africa. Notable places of interest include the Alula Lagoon.

  1. ^ Schott, Friedrich A., and Jürgen Fischer. "Winter monsoon circulation of the northern Arabian Sea and Somali Current." Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 105.C3 (2000): 6359–6376.