A gulf is a large inlet from the ocean into the landmass, typically with a narrower opening than a
bay
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a na ...
, but that is not observable in all geographic areas so named. The term gulf was traditionally used for large highly-indented navigable bodies of salt water that are enclosed by the coastline. Many gulfs are major shipping areas, such as the
Persian Gulf,
Gulf of Mexico,
Gulf of Finland, and
Gulf of Aden.
See also
*
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Bodies of water
Coastal and oceanic landforms
Coastal geography
Oceanographical terminology