What is Gulf of Kutch?
[[File:Gujarat Gulfs.jpg|thumb]] The '''Gulf of Kutch''' is a large [[bay]] in the [[Arabian Sea]], on the west coast of [[India]]. It lies in the Indian state of [[Gujarat]]. The gulf is about {{Convert|180|km}} long, and {{Convert|65|km}} wide. The Gulf of Kutch is important: 41 percent of imports and exports are done through this [[waterway]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gulf of Kutch, India|url=https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2020/09/Gulf_of_Kutch_India|access-date=2021-09-25|website=www.esa.int|language=en}}</ref> The area is renowned for extreme daily tides which often cover the lower lying areas – comprising networks of creeks, wetlands and alluvial tidal flats in the interior region. The Gulf of Kutch has several ports including Okha (at the entrance of the gulf), Māndvi, Bedi, and Kandla. Kandla, visible on the northern peninsula in the left of the image, is one of the largest ports in India by volume of cargo handled. The gulf is rich in marine biodiversity. Part of the southern coast of the Gulf of Kutch was declared Marine Sanctuary and Marine National Park in 1980 and 1982 respectively – the first marine conservatory established in India. The park covers an area of around 270 sq km, from Okha in the south (not visible) to Jodiya. There are hundreds of species of coral in the park, as well as algae, sponges and mangroves.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2018-08-01|title=Marine biodiversity of Gulf of Kutch located in North-eastern Arabian Sea|url=https://medcraveonline.com/IJAWB/IJAWB-03-00108.pdf|journal=International Journal of Avian & Wildlife Biology|language=English|volume=Special Issue|issue=Marine Biology|doi=10.15406/ijawb.2018.03.00108|issn=2574-9862|last1=k Rathoure|first1=Ashok|s2cid=240320410 }}</ref> == References == <references /> {{List of seas}} [[Category:Gulfs of Asia|Kutch]] [[Category:Bodies of water of India]] [[Category:Gujarat]] [[Category:Indian Ocean]]