Gulf

{{short description|Large inlet from the ocean into the landmass}}

{{About|the large inlet from the ocean into landmass|other uses}}

{{Merge from|List of gulfs|discuss=Talk:Gulf#Proposed merge of List of gulfs into Gulf|date=March 2025}}

File:Gulf of Tunis NASA.jpg in Tunisia]]

File:486 of 'The Illustrated History of the War against Russia. Plates' (11045635933).jpg between Sweden and Finland]]

A gulf is a large inlet from an ocean or their seas into a landmass, larger and typically (though not always) with a narrower opening than a bay. The term was used traditionally for large, highly indented navigable bodies of salt water that are enclosed by the coastline.{{cite book |last=Gregory |first=George |author-link=George Gregory (British writer) |year=1816 |title=A Dictionary of Arts and Sciences |url=https://archive.org/details/60210040RX2.nlm.nih.gov/mode/2up |volume=2 |edition=First American |location=Philadelphia |publisher=Isaac Peirce |access-date=25 June 2020 |page=[https://archive.org/details/60210040RX2.nlm.nih.gov/page/n269/mode/2up?q=sea+is+a+smaller+collection+of+waters 269] |quote=A sea is a smaller collection of waters; as the Black Sea. A gulf is a part of the sea which is nearly surrounded with land; as the gulf of Venice. A bay has a wider entrance than a gulf; as the Bay of Biscay. A strait is a narrow passage that joins.}} Many gulfs are major shipping areas, such as the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Finland, and Gulf of Aden.{{Cite book |last1=Duggal |first1=Gita |editor-last=Chowdhury |editor-first=Baruna Ray |title=Madhubun ICSE Geography 6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UwBjDwAAQBAJ |location=New Delhi |publisher=Vikas Publishing House |isbn=9789325994645 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=UwBjDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA32 32] |quote=A gulf is an inlet of an ocean or a sea deep into the land with a narrow mouth. It is more highly indented, more enclosed by the coast and larger than a bay. Some examples of gulfs are Persian Gulf, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Eden and Gulf of...|access-date=25 June 2020}}