The Bay of Bengal stretches in the northeast of the Indian Ocean, between the Nicobar and Andaman Islands and the Indochina and Hindustan peninsulas. It occupies a huge area - 2,172 thousand square meters. km, so it can rightfully be considered the sea. The deepest point of the reservoir is 5258 m, and the average depth is 2590 m. It stretches for 2090 km in length and 1610 km in width.
Countries such as Sri Lanka and India are located on the western shores of the bay, Bangladesh on the north, and Myanmar (Burma) on the east. The bay received its designation from the area of Bengal, which existed earlier. A map of the Bay of Bengal shows that today Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal (India) are located in its place.
Climatic conditions
The reservoir is located in the subtropical and tropical zone in the northern hemisphere. Surface waters are at the same temperature as the waters of the Arabian Sea. In some places, the water reaches +29 degrees. The weather on the coast of the Bay of Bengal is influenced by the air masses that form over it.
In winter, spring and summer, monsoons form in the region of the Nicobar and Andaman Islands. In summer, the same winds hit northeastern India. There are huge waves in the bay during the winter months. The height of some of them reaches 20 m. If they collapse on the shore, they cause great destruction. The air in January has a temperature of about +20 degrees in the northern regions. The southern regions are even warmer. The average air temperature there is +26 degrees. In summer, the temperature is kept at +30 degrees. The salinity of the water in the bay is 30-34 ppm. The rivers Krishna, Mahanadi, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Kaveri and others flow into the Bay of Bengal. They slightly desalinate the reservoir.
Flora and fauna of the bay
The warm climate gave rise to the existence of corals. They are found near the Nicobar and Andaman Islands, as well as near the island of Sri Lanka.
A variety of animals are found in the water. In terms of the richness of its fauna, the Bay of Bengal can be compared only with Oceania and the Arabian Sea. There are crustaceans, corals, molluscs, sponges, fish, etc. The world of fish is very diverse. Among them are variegated, goby, cartilaginous and pemferous fish. The bay is home to sawnuts, garfish and barracudas.
Significance of the Bay of Bengal
Navigation is well developed in the bay. There are many ports on its shores: Chennai, Vishakhapatnam, Calcutta, Chittagong, etc. The ecological situation in the region is unfavorable. In winter and spring, a brown Asian cloud hangs over the water area. It is dirty air, which consists of exhaust, smoke and industrial emissions. This cloud is visible from space. It is created by monsoons that form during the cold season. Polluted air negatively affects human health. However, the Bay of Bengal coastline has many excellent beaches that are a huge hit with tourists.
