Presentation on The Philippines Sea & The Gulf of Aden

THE PHILIPPINE SEA The Philippine Sea is a section of the western North Pacific Ocean. It is lying east and north of the Philippines occupying an estimated surface area of 5 million sq. kilometers (2 million sq. miles). The Philippine archipelago to the west consists of over 7,100 islands.

BOUNDARY Philippine Sea bordered by the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, the Marianas, federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Indonesia, and Palau. Coordinates: Latitude: 7°11'N - 33°46'N Longitude: 121°15'E - 144°48'E

Flora & Fauna: The Philippine Sea hosts an exotic marine ecosystem. –About 500 species and soft of hard corals. –20 % of the worldwide known shellfish species. –Sea turtles. –Sharks. –Moray eels. –Octopuses. –Sea snakes and –Tuna are commonly be observed. The Philippine Sea serves as spawning ground for Japanese eel, tuna and different whale species. Economic Importance

Trade & Geo-political Importance: The people of the Philippines were civilized and well adapted to Malayan traditions enriched by Indian, Chinese and Arabic influences before Europeans visited. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan who made the first European contact with the local natives. At the end of the 19th century, the Philippines declared independence from Spain. The Americans then colonized the country for almost 50 years. Between June 19 and 20, 1944, the Battle of Philippines sea took place in the eastern Philippine Sea. In 1946, independence was declared also from the USA. Major economic branches around the Philippine Sea are agriculture and forestry, fishery, community and public services, sale and trade as well manufacturing.

Current: The oceanography of the Philippine Sea is dominated by the North Equatorial Current, which hits the Philippine coast from the east. The Kuroshio Current originates in the northeastern part of the Philippine Sea and flowing northward towards Japan and the China Sea. Physio-Chemical Condition Climate: The regional climate is tropical marine with wet-warm southwest Monsoon from June through October and cold-dry northeast Monsoon from November to March. Third season is the hot and dry spring from March to May.

Physio-Chemical Condition Range Factors Lower pointUpper point Temperature23°C(73.5°F)30°C(86°F) Evaporation115cm/yr250cm/yr Precipitation (rate of January) 42mm/month190mm/month Salinity33.6 %o35.4 %o Density1021kg/m31024kg/m3

THE Gulf of Aden The Gulf of Aden is a gulf located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. It shares its name with the port city of Aden in Yemen.

BOUNDARY Coordinates: Latitude: 10°27'N - 12°40'N Longitude: 43°23'E - 51°16'E Northern shore: Yemen Western shore: Djibouti Southern shore: Somalia

Economic Importance Flora & Fauna: The Gulf of Aden has a unique biodiversity that contains many varieties of fish, coral, seabirds and invertebrates. Whales, dolphins, and dugongs were once common before being severely reduced by commercial hunts. The main open-sea fish are dolphin, tuna, billfish, and sharks. The gulf provides a breeding ground for sea turtles, and rock lobster are abundant.

Trade & Geo-political Importance: Aden's strategic location and its importance made it trading center of South Arabia since ancient times. The Gulf of Aden is a vital waterway for shipping, especially for Persian Gulf oil, making it an integral waterway in the world economy. Approximately 11% of the world's seaborne petroleum passes through the Gulf. Almost all of the trade between the European Union and China, Japan, India and the rest of Asia passes through the gulf. So the convenient position between India and Europe has made Aden desirable. Annual traffic of this gulf is ships. Around 2000 Piracy off the coast of Somalia has been a threat to international shipping since the second phase of the Somali Civil War.

Physio-Chemical Condition Range Factors Lower pointUpper point Temperature25°C(77°F)31°C(88°F) Evaporation170cm/yr220cm/yr Precipitation (rate of January) 0mm/month27mm/month Salinity35.3 % o 37.1% o Density1023kg/m31025kg/m3