Key Facts about Laccadive Sea

About Laccadive Sea

• The Laccadive Sea, also known as the Lakshadweep Sea, is a body of water bordering India (including its Lakshadweep islands), the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
• It is part of the Indian Ocean, the world's third-largest body of water.
• Collectively, the Lakshadweep Sea is 303,476 square miles in area.
• Boundaries:
  • To its south, the Lakshadweep Sea touches the Nine Degree Channel.
  • To its west, it meets the larger Indian Ocean that it is also a part of.
  • To the north, the Lakshadweep Sea meets the Arabian Sea (also part of the Indian Ocean), while to the northeast, it borders the Kerala state of India.
  • Along the more southern eastern portion of the Lakshadweep Sea, it meets the Maldives islands and Sri Lanka.
• With an average depth of 6,329 feet, the Lakshadweep Sea is only half as deep as the average depth of the entire Indian Ocean.
• This warm sea has a stable water temperature throughout the year and is rich in marine life; the Gulf of Mannar alone hosts about 3,600 species.
  • Considering the coral reefsof the Lakshadweep Sea alone, there are nearly 120 observed living species.
• Major cities: Major cities along its shores include Trivandrum and Kochi in India, Quilon and Colombo in Sri Lanka, and Malé in the Maldives.

Related Topics:

• Gulf of Oman
• Persian Gulf
• Gulf of California

Q1: What is a Gulf?

The Gulf is a portion of the sea that is almost surrounded by land except one narrow opening. Gulfs are formed when a giant rock collapses or when a piece of land sinks. This causes a big indentation in the area, and the water eventually fills it up. Gulfs are also formed through a natural process of erosion.

Source: Three new fish species spotted using tools in the Laccadive Sea