Which gulf lies between Trinidad and Venezuela?

The gulf between Trinidad and Venezuela is the Gulf of Paria. This shallow, semi-enclosed body of water separates Trinidad from Venezuela’s northeastern coast and is shared by both countries. At its narrowest, the two shores are only about 15 kilometres apart.

The gulf connects with the Caribbean Sea through the Dragon’s Mouths to the north and with the Atlantic Ocean through the Columbus Channel, also called the Serpent’s Mouth, to the south. Its waters receive substantial sediment and freshwater influence from the Orinoco River delta, creating brackish conditions and extensive mangrove habitats.

Christopher Columbus reportedly called it the Gulf of the Whale after encountering whales there in 1498. Later maps sometimes used the name Gulf Triste, or “Sad Gulf.” The modern name comes from Venezuela’s Paria Peninsula. Gulf of Venezuela is a different water body, lying west of the Paraguaná Peninsula, while the Gulf of Fonseca and Gulf of Darién are elsewhere in Central America.