The Gulf of Sidra

The Gulf of Sidra lets in water from the Mediterranean Sea, and it is located on the northern coast of Libya.

The Gulf of Sidra was named after the oil port of Sidra, in Libya. Historically, the gulf has also been called ‘Greater Syrtis’ or ‘Great Sirte.’

Gulf of Sidra Facts for Kids

• The Gulf of Sidra has a maximum length of 177 kilometers (110 miles) and a maximum width of 439 kilometers (273 miles).
• The coastline of the Gulf of Sidra, on the northern part of Libya, is 310 miles long. And the entire area is mainly barren desert.
• The Gulf of Sidra covers an area of 22,007 square miles.
• The Gulf of Sidra forms a boundary between major populated areas in Libya. Two of such areas are: Cyrenaica and Tripolitania.
• The Gulf of Sidra has recorded high water temperatures in the Mediterranean, reaching as high as 88 degrees Fahrenheit in the month of August.
• Fishing is a regular activity in the Gulf of Sidra. Some of the fish that can be found in the gulf are: Luna, Groper, Hake, and Sea bass.
• The Gulf of Sidra contains Whales and Dolphins such as Sperm whales, Orcas (Killer whales), Bottlenose dolphins, and Common dolphins.
• The Gulf of Sidra also contains Rays and Sharks including the Probeagle Shark, the Shortfin Mako Shark, the Giant Devi Ray, and the Maltess Ray.
• The most common turtle in the Gulf of Sidra is the Loggerhead Turtle.
• The marine life in the Gulf of Sidra is in danger of too much fishing (overfishing), and also because of ‘bycatch’, which is the mistake made in catching other fish and species when fishing for a particular species.
• The main port of the Gulf of Sidra is located in Surt.
• Two battles occurred in the Gulf of Sidra during the Second World War. The first battle, called The First Battle of Sitre, took place in December 1941 between the Royal Navy (British) and Regia Marina (Italy). The second battle, called The Second Battle of Sirte took place in March 1942 between the Royal Navy (British) and Regia Marina (Italy).
• In 1973 the former president of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, insisted that a large portion of the Gulf of Sidra belonged to Libya. Because of this, he drew a line through the water, between Benghazi and the Gulf of Misrata, and called it the ‘Line of Death’, to prevent foreign vessels from passing.
• The City of Sitre was mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible and in other ancient literatures. The sandbanks of the city are said to have been dangerous to sailors and their ships. (A sandbank is a large amount of sand formed by the action of wind and water).
• The United States military actually began calling the gulf, Gulf of Sidra, because of the importance of the oil port located on the shores of the gulf.

QUESTIONS

1. The Gulf of Sidra covers an area of 22,007 square miles. Yes or No.

2. Some of the fish that can be found in the Gulf of Sidra are?

3. Historically, the gulf has also been called?

4. Where is the main port of the Gulf of Sidra located?

5. Write out the names of two types of Sharks that can be found in the Gulf of Sidra.

6. Two battles occurred in the Gulf of Sidra during the Second World War. Yes or No.

7. The City of what was mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible and in other ancient literatures.