Which gulf is also known as the Sea of Cortez?

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The gulf also known as the Sea of Cortez is the Gulf of California.

The Gulf of California is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean separating Mexico's Baja California Peninsula from the mainland. It stretches for roughly 1,126 kilometres and is bordered by the Mexican states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, and Sinaloa. The name Sea of Cortez refers to Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, although the term is also commonly rendered Mar de Cortés.

The gulf formed through tectonic rifting as the Baja California Peninsula moved away from mainland Mexico along the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates. Its complex underwater geology includes active spreading centres and deep basins, with maximum depths exceeding 3,000 metres in places.

The Gulf of California is renowned for exceptional marine biodiversity, including whales, sea lions, sea turtles, reef fish, and thousands of invertebrate species. The Colorado River once delivered substantial freshwater and sediment to its northern end, though dams and water use have greatly reduced that flow. It is sometimes called the Vermilion Sea, or Mar Bermejo, because of the reddish appearance of its waters and sediments in some conditions.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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