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Bab el-Mandeb Strait
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Map showing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, with surrounding countries Yemen to the northeast, Djibouti to the south, and Eritrea to the northwest. The map labels key locations including Mokha, Dhubab, Ta'izz, and Aden in Yemen; Djibouti city in Djibouti; Assab in Eritrea; and features islands such as Perim (Mayun), Greater Hanish, Lesser Hanish, and Jabal Zuqar. A small inset globe shows the strait's location at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. Map highlighting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in Africa. Surrounding countries and key bodies of water, including the Gulf of Aden, Persian Gulf, and Mediterranean Sea, are labeled for regional context. An inset globe in the upper right shows the strait's location within the larger region. World map comparing two shipping routes from Dalian, China, to Rotterdam, Netherlands: the Suez Canal route, shown in blue, passing through the Strait of Malacca, Red Sea, and Mediterranean Sea, covering about 11,000 nautical miles and taking 48 days; and the alternate route, shown in red, traveling around the Cape of Good Hope at Africa's southern tip, covering about 14,500 nautical miles and taking 57 days.
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water glass on white background. (drink; clear; clean water; liquid)
Water and its Varying Forms
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Bab el-Mandeb Strait: References & Edit History

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  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

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Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Media added. Sep 17, 2026
Added mention of the Houthi advance on the strait in September 2026. Sep 11, 2026
Added mention of the attacks in the Red Sea by Houthi forces in July 2026. Jul 23, 2026
Article revised. Mar 31, 2026
Added Top Questions. Mar 26, 2026
Article expanded. Mar 26, 2026
Add new Web site: National Geographic - This small strait is essential to global shipping. Now it's the center of headlines. Mar 21, 2026
Media added. Jan 18, 2024
Map added. Aug 21, 2023
Added new Web site: Lunar and Planetary Institute - Bab el-Mandeb. Dec 28, 2006
Added new Web site: The Encyclopedia of Earth - Bab el-Mandeb. Dec 28, 2006
Article revised. Feb 18, 2005
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
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