Countries Bordering the Red Sea

The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Eight countries share its coastline:

African Coast (West)

• Egypt — Sinai Peninsula and mainland coast; Suez Canal connection to Mediterranean.
• Sudan — Long, undeveloped coast; historic ports (Suakin).
• Eritrea — Strategic ports (Massawa, Assab); Dahlak Archipelago.
• Djibouti — Bab-el-Mandeb strait chokepoint; major foreign military bases.
• Somalia — Short northern coast (Gulf of Aden/Red Sea transition).

Asian Coast (East)

• Saudi Arabia — Longest Red Sea coastline (~1,800 km). NEOM, Red Sea Project, Jeddah Islamic Port.
• Jordan — Tiny 26 km coast at Aqaba; only sea access.
• Israel — ~12 km coast at Eilat; coral reefs, port, tourism.

Geopolitical and Economic Significance

• Shipping: ~12% of global trade passes through (Suez Canal → Red Sea → Bab-el-Mandeb → Gulf of Aden → Indian Ocean).
• Resources: Oil/gas, minerals, fisheries, coral reefs (tourism/diving).
• Security: Piracy (historically), Houthi attacks (recent), naval patrols (EU, US, China, India, others).
• Environment: Unique high-salinity, high-temperature coral ecosystems; vulnerable to warming and desalination brine.

The Red Sea is a geopolitical artery—where Africa meets Asia, and the world's trade flows.