Arabian Sea: Relative Location and Bordering Nations

The Arabian Sea is a northwestern arm of the Indian Ocean, strategically positioned between two major landmasses.

Relative Location

• Northwest of the main Indian Ocean basin.
• Between the Arabian Peninsula (west) and the Indian subcontinent (east).
• North: Pakistan, Iran (Makran coast).
• West: Oman, Yemen, Somalia (Guardafui Channel).
• East: India (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala).
• South: Opens to Indian Ocean (line from Cape Guardafui to Kanyakumari).

Bordering Countries (7)

1. India
2. Pakistan
3. Iran
4. Oman
5. United Arab Emirates (small coast near Fujairah)
6. Yemen
7. Somalia

Key Features

• Area: 3.86M km² (1.49M mi²).
• Max depth: 4,652 m (Wheatley Deep).
• Major gulfs: Gulf of Aden (west), Gulf of Oman (northwest), Gulf of Khambhat, Gulf of Kutch (east).
• Indus River delta (Pakistan), Narmada/Tapi (India).
• Strategic chokepoints: Strait of Hormuz (via Gulf of Oman), Bab el-Mandeb (via Gulf of Aden).

Economic Importance

• Oil/gas shipping lanes (40%+ world tanker traffic).
• Fisheries (sardines, tuna, shrimp).
• Ports: Mumbai, Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Kandla, Karachi, Gwadar, Salalah, Duqm, Chabahar.

The Arabian Sea is the maritime crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa.