Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The Arabian Sea is significantly saltier than the Bay of Bengal.
| Factor | Arabian Sea | Bay of Bengal |
|---|---|---|
| Evaporation | High (hot, dry winds from Arabia) | Lower (more cloud cover, humidity) |
| Precipitation | Low | Very high (monsoon rains, cyclones) |
| River Input | Minor (Indus, small seasonal rivers) | Massive (Ganges, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Irrawaddy) |
| Circulation | Restricted exchange with open ocean; high salinity water sinks | Strong influx of low-salinity water; surface stratification |
The Arabian Sea's high salinity drives dense water formation, influencing deep-water circulation in the Indian Ocean. The Bay of Bengal's low-salinity surface layer affects monsoon dynamics, cyclone intensification, and marine productivity.