Top 31 Lessons About Arabian Sea: Facts To Learn Before You Go There!

The Arabian Sea is one of the largest seas in the world, whose maximum depth has been recorded as 15,262 ft (4652 m).

The Arabian Sea, positioned in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, is surrounded by Pakistan and Iran on the west, the Gulf of Aden, and the east, by India. Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Peninsula enclose it.

Some of the islands in the Arabian Sea are the Lakshadweep Islands of India, Socotra of Yemen, Masirah of Oman, and Astola Island Pakistan. In historical Roman times, the Arabian Sea was called the Mare Erythraeum, which translates to the Erythraean Sea.

The ancient Arab addressed this sea as the Sea of India or the Great Sea. Historians and travelers refer to the Arabian Sea with many names. Their names were the Indian Sea, Arab Samudra, Persian Sea, Arabian Sea, and Erythraean Sea.

Before you go to the Arabian sea, here are some awe-inspiring facts about the Arabian Sea and land masses surrounding the shallow waters of this sea. Afterward, also check Arabian Peninsula facts and the Arabian Ocean.

Is the Arabian sea dangerous?

Going in unaware of any territory is dangerous, and seas have the width and depth that can make our heads spin; many species live there, dangerous and unknown animals and fish, like sharks.

The Arabian Sea is dangerous as it has a monsoon climate that is quite unpredictable. The Arabian Sea has been marked as one of the world's largest oceanic oxygen minimum zones (OMZ). The eastern tropical South Pacific, Arabian Sea, and the eastern tropical North Pacific have joined the list of dead zones.

OMZ means there are very low oxygen levels, and the Arabian Sea's OMZ, especially in the Gulf of Oman, has the lowest levels of oxygen in the world. The leading causes of OMZ may include untreated sewage and high temperatures in the Arabian Sea.

Key Happenings In The Arabian Sea

The Arabian Sea is now one of the fastest-warming basins compared to other global oceans. One of the worst cyclones that killed about 4,000 people was in 1998.

We know cyclones can be vicious, unleashing catastrophic storm swells. They can be deadly and scary. Storm surge refers to rising seas that are whipped up by a storm. It forms a wall of water several meters higher than the average tide level.

There are indeed high levels of phosphates and other nutrients in the Arabian sea. Because of this, fish life in this part, the western part of the Arabian Sea, is rich, but this also causes fish death periodically. The phosphate level is high because of the upward movement of the subsurface waters, which brings nutrients settled on the seafloor.

Cool Things About The Arabian Sea

The Arabian Sea covers a massive area of 1.4 million sq mi (2.24 million sq km). It provides the main route for trade between Europe and Southeast Asia via the Strait of Hormuz, and the Arabian sea connects the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf.

While the Red Sea is connected with the Gulf of Aden through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

In some cultures, it was also referred to as the Sindh Sea, Sindhu Sagar, and Akhzar Sea. According to Indian folklore, it is also referred to as Darya, Sindhu Sagar, and Arab Samudra. The southernmost point is Addu Atoll in the Maldives, while on the eastern extremity is the Ràs Hafun. 

Roughly around 50 million years, the Sindh Sea has formed in the Indian subcontinent, named by European geographers and travelers. It stretched southeastward from Socotra, which has the submarine Carlsberg Ridge.

Seismic activity of the Indian Ocean divides the Akhzar Sea into two basin countries, the Arabian Basin and the Somali Basin. The Gulf of Oman Basin and the Arabian Basin is separated by the Murray Ridge, a submarine ridge.

Killer Sharks In The Arabian Sea

In the Arabian Peninsula, there are 138 species which is about 11% of the planet's species. This includes 68 shark varieties from 22 families. Killer sharks, more famously known as white sharks or white pointers, are the largest species of mackerel sharks. They are among the most dangerous and powerful sharks that inhabit the Arabian sea.

White sharks can live practically in all coastal and offshore seas with water temperatures between 53.6-75.2 °F (12-24 °C ). The only predators that hunt killer sharks are killer whales. Whales maintain the health and balance of the Persian Sea.

Blue whales regulate the flow of food. Unfortunately, Humpback whales are the most susceptible to entanglements in fishing gear.

Fishing effort on the Arabian coast is increasing, but the fishing industry hasn't developed from gillnets. Sperm whales and blue whales inhabit the Sea of Oman; there were many sightings of the whales in the Arabian sea. The dwarf minke whales inhabit tropical, temperate, and polar waters like the South Atlantic, South Pacific, and the Indian Ocean.

The Arabian Sea is a part of the Indian Ocean (Erythrean Sea) that connects the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. The Arabian sea has some of the busiest trade routes with the oil tankers, originating from the Persian Gulf.

Some major ports of the Arabian Sea are Jawaharlal Nehru Port, the largest port in the region. Kochi Port is located on the southwest coast, another major port in the Laccadive sea.

Astola Island, called the 'Island of the Seven Hills, is a small, uninhabited island in the Arabian Sea.

While the Laccadive sea, called the Lakshadweep Sea, surrounds the Lakshadweep islands, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. In some way, the Green sea, Indian sea, and Persian sea are all the same, while the Erythraean Sea points to the whole area of the northwestern Indian peninsula, including the Arabian Sea.

The Arabian sea is one large sea with plentiful names located in the northeastern part of the Indian peninsula. Green sea and Persian sea are sometimes used for the Arabian seas but can differ with minor changes. So, learn all you can about the mysterious Arabian sea before going there!

How did the Arabian sea get its name?

The Akhzar Sea, Bahre Fars (Persian Sea), Ocean Sea, Hindu Sea, Makran Sea, and Oman sea were all names given to this sea by Arab geographers, sailors, and nomads, including the Zakariya al-Qazwini, Al-Masudi, Ibn Hawqal, and (Hafiz-i Abru). They wrote: 'The green sea, Indian sea, and Persian sea are all one.'

The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is just the other name for the Gulf of Makran. The gulf connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then moves to the Persian Gulf.

Explorers and experts have assigned the Arabian Sea several distinct names over many years.

Some of the most famous names that have been given to this great Sea are the Indian Sea, Sindhu Sagar, Arab Samudra, Persian Sea, and Oman Sea. The Pharaohs of Egypt created numerous canals with low water levels to assist the trade through the region.

Kochi Port, located on India's southwestern coast, is one of the largest and busiest ports serving the Arabian Sea and the nearest Indian port to international shipping routes. The International Container Transshipment Terminal, India's sole facility, can be seen here.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Arabian sea facts, then why not take a look at Arabian Gulf or Arabian Desert Facts.