Gulf

Large inlet from the ocean into the landmass

This article is about the large inlet from the ocean into landmass. For other uses, see Gulf (disambiguation).

It has been suggested that List of gulfs be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since March 2025.

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Gulf of Tunis in Tunisia Map of the Gulf of Bothnia between Sweden and Finland

A Gulf is a large, deep inlet from the ocean into the landmass, typically larger and more enclosed than a bay, with a narrower opening to the sea.[1][2]

## Definition and Formation

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Gulfs form through various geological processes:

* Tectonic plate movements such as rifting or subduction can create vast inlets.[3]
* Erosion and land subsidence also contribute to their formation.
* They are often partially enclosed by peninsulas or islands and may connect to larger oceans via narrow straits.[2][4]

## Characteristics

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1. Size and Shape
* Generally larger and deeper than bays; they have highly indented coastlines with narrow openings.[2]
* Example: The Gulf of Mexico spans approximately 1.6 million km² and reaches depths over 4,000 m.[5]
2. Hydrodynamics
* Narrow entrances lead to distinctive tidal and water circulation patterns.
* Some gulfs contain river deltas that influence salinity and marine ecosystems, such as the Shatt al-Arab in the Persian Gulf.[4][6]
3. Economic and Ecological Importance
* Rich in natural resources, including offshore oil and gas (notably in the Persian Gulf) and fisheries.[4][6]
* Serve as strategic maritime routes and often host major ports and trade centers.[2][7]

## Major Gulfs of the World

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Gulf  | Area (km²)  | Location  | Notes

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Gulf of Bengal (Bay of Bengal)  | ~2,268,000  | Bay of Bengal  | World’s largest “gulf” by area[6]
Gulf of Mexico  | ~1,567,000  | North America  | Encloses U.S., Mexico, Cuba; depth > 4,000 m [5]
Hudson Bay  | ~820,000  | Canada  | Largest gulf in Canada[6]
Gulf of Guinea  | ~730,000  | West Africa  | Deepest gulf (~6,363 m)[8]
Gulf of Alaska  | ~355,000  | Southern Alaska  | Deep fjords and glacial outlets [5]
Gulf of Carpentaria  | ~328,000  | Northern Australia  | Shallow, reef-lined [5]
Gulf of Thailand  | ~295,000  | Southeast Asia  | Warm tropical waters[6]
Gulf of Aden  | ~278,500  | Between Yemen and Somalia  | Major shipping route [5][9]
Gulf of Saint Lawrence  | ~250,600  | Eastern Canada  | Gateway to Great Lakes[1][7][10]
Persian Gulf  | ~251,000  | West Asia  | Major oil region; ecological concerns [4][11]

## Notable Examples

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* Gulf of Mexico: Semi-enclosed basin supporting complex oceanic currents (e.g., Gulf Stream) and massive maritime trade.[5]
* Persian Gulf: Critical for global energy supplies; experiences intense industrialization and ecological stress.[4][11]
* Gulf of Aden: Connects to Red Sea via Bab-el-Mandeb, with ~21,000 ships passing annually.[5][9]

## Geographic vs. Terminological Usage

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The boundary between "gulf," "bay," and "sea" is largely conventional:

* A gulf implies greater size/depth and enclosure compared to a bay or bight. [2][5]
* Some small seas (e.g., Sea of Marmara) are technically gulfs.[1]

## See also

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* List of gulfs
* Bay
* Strait
* Sea
* Coastal landforms

## References

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1. ^ a b c "Gulf | Definition, Characteristics, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
2. ^ a b c d e "Gulf". education.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
3. ^ "Plate Tectonics". education.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
4. ^ a b c d e "Definition of GULF". www.merriam-webster.com. 2025-06-15. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
5. ^ a b c d e f g h "Major Gulfs of the World". WorldAtlas. 2019-07-02. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
6. ^ a b c d e Jiang, Daoyuan; Yang, Qiao; Fang, Yang; Zhang, Xiaoling; Song, Jing (2025-05-12). "A Bibliometric Review of Environmental Pollution Research in Major Global Gulfs". Water. 17 (10): 1455. Bibcode:2025Water..17.1455J. doi:10.3390/w17101455. ISSN 2073-4441.
7. ^ a b Ayoob (2024-02-07). "Top 10 Largest Gulfs". Free Source Library. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
8. ^ Lahoty, Rajshree (2025-05-19). "Largest Gulfs in the World: An Overview". Leverage Edu. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
9. ^ a b "Gulf Of Aden". WorldAtlas. 2021-04-07. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
10. ^ "Gulf of St. Lawrence". WorldAtlas. 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
11. ^ a b "Persian Gulf". WorldAtlas. 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2025-06-20.

## External links

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* Media related to Gulfs at Wikimedia Commons

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Coastal geography

Landforms|

* Anchialine pool
* Archipelago
* Atoll
* Avulsion
* Ayre
* Barrier island
* Bay
* Bight
* Bodden
* Brackish marsh
* Cape
* Channel
* Cliff
* Coast
* Coastal plain
* Coastal waterfall
* Continental margin
* Continental shelf
* Coral reef
* Cove
* Dune
* cliff-top
* Estuary
* Firth
* Fjard
* Fjord
* Freshwater marsh
* Fundus
* Gat
* Geo
* Gulf
* Gut
* Hapua
* Headland
* Inlet
* Intertidal wetland
* Island
* Islet
* Isthmus
* Liman
* Lagoon
* Machair
* Mudflat
* Natural arch
* Peninsula
* Reef
* Ria
* Salt marsh
* Shoal
* Skerry
* Sound
* Spit
* Stack
* Strait
* Strand plain
* Submarine canyon
* Tidal island
* Tidal marsh
* Tide pool
* Tied island
* Tombolo
* Waituna
* Windwatt

Beaches|

* Beach cusps
* Beach evolution
* Beach ridge
* Beach wrack
* Beaches in estuaries and bays
* Beachrock
* Coastal morphodynamics
* Pocket beach
* Raised beach
* Recession
* Shell beach
* Shingle beach
* Storm beach
* Wash margin

River mouths|

* Debouch
* Mouth bar
* River delta
* mega
* regressive

Processes|

* Blowhole
* Cliffed coast
* Coastal biogeomorphology
* Coastal erosion
* Concordant coastline
* Current
* Cuspate foreland
* Discordant coastline
* Emergent coastline
* Feeder bluff
* Flat coast
* Graded shoreline
* Ingression coast
* Large-scale coastal behaviour
* Longshore drift
* Marine regression
* Marine transgression
* Raised shoreline
* Rip current
* Rocky shore
* Sea cave
* Sea foam
* Shoal
* peresyp
* Steep coast
* Submergent coastline
* Surf break
* Surf zone
* Surge channel
* Swash
* Undertow
* Volcanic arc
* Wave-cut platform
* Wave shoaling
* Wind fetch
* Wind wave

Management|

* Accretion
* Coastal management
* Integrated coastal zone management
* Submersion

Related|

* Bulkhead line
* Coastal engineering
* Grain size
* boulder
* clay
* cobble
* granule
* gravel
* pebble
* sand
* shingle
* silt
* Intertidal zone
* Littoral zone
* Physical oceanography
* Region of freshwater influence
* River plume

* Category

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