Bathymetric map of the Red Sea with the Bab-el-Mandeb at the bottom right
The strait derives its name from the dangers attending its navigation or, according to an Arab legend, from the numbers who were drowned by an earthquake that separated the Arabian Peninsula from the Horn of Africa.[2]
In "Bab-el-Mandeb", "Bab" refers to "gate" while "Mandeb" refers to "lamentation" or "grief".
Geography
The Bab-el-Mandeb acts as a strategic link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. In 2006, an estimated 3.3 million barrels (520,000 m3) of oil passed through the strait per day, out of a world total of about 43 million barrels per day (6,800,000 m3/d) moved by tankers.[3]
The distance across is about 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Ras Menheli in Yemen to Ras Siyyan in Djibouti. The island of Perim divides the strait into two channels, of which the eastern, known as the Bab Iskender (Alexander's Strait), is 5.37 kilometres (3.34 mi) wide and 29 metres; 96 feet (16 fathoms) deep, while the western, or Dact-el-Mayun, has a width of 20.3 kilometres (12.6 mi) and a depth of 310 metres; 1,020 feet (170 fathoms). Near the coast of Djibouti lies a group of smaller islands known as the "Seven Brothers". There is a surface current inwards in the eastern channel, but a strong undercurrent outwards in the western channel.[2]
Paleo-environmental and tectonic events in the Miocene epoch created the Danakil Isthmus, a land bridge forming a broad connection between Yemen and Ethiopia.[4] During the last 100,000 years, eustatic sea level fluctuations have led to alternate opening and closing of the straits.[5] According to the recent single origin hypothesis, the straits of Bab-el-Mandeb were probably witness to the earliest migrations of modern humans. It is presumed that the oceans were then much lower and the straits were much shallower or dry, which allowed a series of emigrations along the southern coast of Asia.
According to Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church tradition, the straits of Bab-el-Mandeb were witness to the earliest migrations of Semitic Ge'ez speakers into Africa, occurring c. 1900 BC, roughly around the same time as the Hebrew patriarch Jacob.[6] The Kingdom of Aksum was a major regional power in the Horn of Africa. It extended its rule across the strait with the conquest of the Himyarite Kingdom shortly before the rise of Islam.
The British East India Company unilaterally seized the island of Perim in 1799 on behalf of its Indian empire. The government of Britain asserted its ownership in 1857 and erected a lighthouse there in 1861, using it to command the Red Sea and the trade routes through the Suez Canal.[2] It was used as a coaling station to refuel steamships until 1935 when the reduced use of coal as fuel rendered the operation unprofitable.[7]
The British presence continued until 1967 when the island became part of the People's Republic of South Yemen. Before the handover, the British government had put forward before the United Nations a proposal for the island to be internationalized[8][9] as a way to ensure the continued security of passage and navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb, but this was refused.
In 2008 a company owned by Tarek bin Laden unveiled plans to build a bridge named Bridge of the Horns across the strait, linking Yemen with Djibouti.[10] Middle East Development LLC issued a notice to construct a bridge passing across the Red Sea that would be the longest suspended passing in the world.[11] The project was assigned to engineering company COWI in collaboration with architect studio Dissing+Weitling, both from Denmark. It was announced in 2010 that Phase 1 had been delayed; however, as of mid-2016, nothing more has been heard about the project.
^ abcBaynes, T. S., ed. (1878), "Bab-el-Mandeb" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 3 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 179
^World Oil Transit Chokepoints February 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Energy Information Administration, US Department of Energy
^Henri J. Dumont (2009). The Nile: Origin, Environments, Limnology and Human Use. Monographiae Biologicae. Vol. 89. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 603. ISBN9781402097263.
^Climate in Earth History. National Academies. 1982. p. 124. ISBN9780309033299.
Notice-to-Proceed Launches Ambitious Red Sea Crossing
Sea crossing
March 21, 2023
mandeb, gate, grief, redirects, here, album, white, ring, gate, grief, album, arabic, باب, المندب, gate, lamentation, tigrinya, ባብ, ኣል, ማንዳብ, citation, needed, gate, grief, strait, between, yemen, arabian, peninsula, djibouti, eritrea, horn, africa, connects, . Gate of Grief redirects here For the album by White Ring see Gate of Grief album The Bab el Mandeb Arabic باب المندب lit Gate of Lamentation 1 Tigrinya ባብ ኣል ማንዳብ citation needed or the Gate of Grief is a strait between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden Bab el MandebThe Bab el Mandeb as seen from space top and on a topographical map bottom LocationBetween East Africa and West AsiaCoordinates12 35 N 43 20 E 12 583 N 43 333 E 12 583 43 333 Coordinates 12 35 N 43 20 E 12 583 N 43 333 E 12 583 43 333Basin countriesDjibouti Eritrea and YemenMax length31 mi 50 km Min width16 mi 26 km Average depth609 ft 186 m IslandsSeven Brothers Doumeira Perim Contents 1 Name 2 Geography 3 History 4 Sub region 4 1 Demographics 5 Population centers 5 1 Djibouti 5 2 Yemen 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksName Edit Bathymetric map of the Red Sea with the Bab el Mandeb at the bottom right The strait derives its name from the dangers attending its navigation or according to an Arab legend from the numbers who were drowned by an earthquake that separated the Arabian Peninsula from the Horn of Africa 2 In Bab el Mandeb Bab refers to gate while Mandeb refers to lamentation or grief Geography EditThe Bab el Mandeb acts as a strategic link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal In 2006 an estimated 3 3 million barrels 520 000 m3 of oil passed through the strait per day out of a world total of about 43 million barrels per day 6 800 000 m3 d moved by tankers 3 The distance across is about 26 kilometres 16 mi from Ras Menheli in Yemen to Ras Siyyan in Djibouti The island of Perim divides the strait into two channels of which the eastern known as the Bab Iskender Alexander s Strait is 5 37 kilometres 3 34 mi wide and 29 metres 96 feet 16 fathoms deep while the western or Dact el Mayun has a width of 20 3 kilometres 12 6 mi and a depth of 310 metres 1 020 feet 170 fathoms Near the coast of Djibouti lies a group of smaller islands known as the Seven Brothers There is a surface current inwards in the eastern channel but a strong undercurrent outwards in the western channel 2 History Edit Flows of petroleum products and liquefied natural gas through the strait 2014 2018 Paleo environmental and tectonic events in the Miocene epoch created the Danakil Isthmus a land bridge forming a broad connection between Yemen and Ethiopia 4 During the last 100 000 years eustatic sea level fluctuations have led to alternate opening and closing of the straits 5 According to the recent single origin hypothesis the straits of Bab el Mandeb were probably witness to the earliest migrations of modern humans It is presumed that the oceans were then much lower and the straits were much shallower or dry which allowed a series of emigrations along the southern coast of Asia According to Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church tradition the straits of Bab el Mandeb were witness to the earliest migrations of Semitic Ge ez speakers into Africa occurring c 1900 BC roughly around the same time as the Hebrew patriarch Jacob 6 The Kingdom of Aksum was a major regional power in the Horn of Africa It extended its rule across the strait with the conquest of the Himyarite Kingdom shortly before the rise of Islam The British East India Company unilaterally seized the island of Perim in 1799 on behalf of its Indian empire The government of Britain asserted its ownership in 1857 and erected a lighthouse there in 1861 using it to command the Red Sea and the trade routes through the Suez Canal 2 It was used as a coaling station to refuel steamships until 1935 when the reduced use of coal as fuel rendered the operation unprofitable 7 The British presence continued until 1967 when the island became part of the People s Republic of South Yemen Before the handover the British government had put forward before the United Nations a proposal for the island to be internationalized 8 9 as a way to ensure the continued security of passage and navigation in the Bab el Mandeb but this was refused In 2008 a company owned by Tarek bin Laden unveiled plans to build a bridge named Bridge of the Horns across the strait linking Yemen with Djibouti 10 Middle East Development LLC issued a notice to construct a bridge passing across the Red Sea that would be the longest suspended passing in the world 11 The project was assigned to engineering company COWI in collaboration with architect studio Dissing Weitling both from Denmark It was announced in 2010 that Phase 1 had been delayed however as of mid 2016 nothing more has been heard about the project Sub region EditThe Bab el Mandeb is also a sub region in the Arab League which includes Djibouti Yemen and Eritrea citation needed Demographics Edit Bab el Mandeb 12 Country Area km2 Population 2016 est Population density per km2 Capital GDP PPP M USD GDP per capita PPP USD Yemen 527 829 27 392 779 44 7 Sana a 58 202 2 249 Eritrea 117 600 6 380 803 51 8 Asmara 9 121 1 314 Djibouti 23 200 846 687 37 2 Djibouti City 3 327 3 351Total 668 629 34 620 269 29 3 km2 Various 70 650 1841Population centers EditThe most significant towns and cities along both the Djiboutian and Yemeni sides of the Bab el Mandeb Djibouti Edit Khor ʽAngar Moulhoule FagalYemen Edit At Turbah Cheikh SaidSee also EditBridge of the HornsStrait Red Sea DamRegion Horn of Africa MashriqReferences Edit Wehr s Arabic English Dictionary 1960 a b c Baynes T S ed 1878 Bab el Mandeb Encyclopaedia Britannica vol 3 9th ed New York Charles Scribner s Sons p 179 World Oil Transit Chokepoints Archived February 18 2015 at the Wayback Machine Energy Information Administration US Department of Energy Henri J Dumont 2009 The Nile Origin Environments Limnology and Human Use Monographiae Biologicae Vol 89 Springer Science amp Business Media p 603 ISBN 9781402097263 Climate in Earth History National Academies 1982 p 124 ISBN 9780309033299 Official website of EOTC Archived June 25 2010 at the Wayback Machine Gavin p 291 Halliday Fred 1990 Revolution and Foreign Policy the Case of South Yemen 1967 1987 Cambridge University Press p 11 ISBN 0 521 32856 X Hakim pp 17 18 Tarek Bin Laden s Red Sea bridge BBC News Tom Sawyer May 1 2007 Notice to Proceed Launches Ambitious Red Sea Crossing Engineering News Record CIA World Factbook The World Factbook Langley Virginia Central Intelligence Agency External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bab el Mandeb Bab el Mandeb Encyclopaedia Britannica vol 3 11th ed 1911 p 91 Notice to Proceed Launches Ambitious Red Sea Crossing Sea crossing Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bab el Mandeb amp oldid 1142657752, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
