What is the largest gulf in the world by area?
Answer
Gulf of Mexico
The largest gulf in the world by area is the Gulf of Mexico.
This vast marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean covers about 1.55 million square kilometers. It is bordered by the United States, Mexico, and Cuba, and connects with the Atlantic through the Straits of Florida and with the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatán Channel.
The Gulf formed as the supercontinent Pangaea broke apart roughly 200 million years ago. Its broad, shallow continental shelves support major fisheries, while deeper areas contain the Sigsbee Deep, reaching more than 4,000 meters.
It is often confused with the Gulf of Guinea or the Caribbean Sea. The Gulf of Mexico is also famous for offshore oil production, busy ports, powerful hurricanes, and the Mississippi River watershed, which drains a large portion of the United States.