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This rift valley sea separates northeast Africa from the Saudi Peninsula of Asia. It is over 1000 meters deep in the center, is lined with coral reefs on both sides and contains numerous small coastal islands. It has two arms in the north, the shallow Gulf of Suwayz (Suez) and the deep Gulf of 'Aqaba. The former connects via the Suwayz (Suez) Canal to the Mediterranean Sea, but the canal is not deep enough for modern oil tankers. The passage to the Gulf of 'Aqaba narrows at the Strait_of_Tiran. The sea is connected to the rest of the Indian Ocean waters via the Strait of Mandab.
west and north from the north end of the sea
north from the northeast, within the sea
northeast, from all but the southernmost part of the sea
northeast, from the southernmost part of the sea
southeast
southwest from the south end of the sea
southwest from the center of the sea
1. al-Baḥr-ah-Aḥmar in Arabic.