Arafura Sea
- 9135Koordinaten: 9 ° S, 135 ° E
The Arafura Sea is a tropical sea that lies between the Australian continent and the island of New Guinea.
Geography
It is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean, but occasionally due to their location also seen as part of the Indian Ocean and covers an area of approximately 650,000 km ².
The Arafura Sea forms part of the Australasian Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered to the west by the Timor Sea and in the east of the Torres Strait to the Coral Sea. The northern boundary form belonging to the Indonesian Moluccas Tanimbarese and Aru Islands, which separate the Arafura Sea from the Banda Sea and the Ceram Sea in the western part. Further east are the south coast of the Indonesian province of Papua and Papua New Guinea to the edge of the sea as the southern shores of the Arafura Sea are part of the Australian state of Queensland and the Northern Territory. They are divided distinctly marked by the two great peninsulas of Cape York and Arnhem Land. Deeply embedded in the Australian continent area between the two peninsulas called the Gulf of Carpentaria.
The sea is for the most part on the Arafura base and has an average depth of about 150 m. The relatively shallow depth explained by the fact that the Arafura Sea in the last ice age, along with New Guinea and Australia formed the continent Sahul. About the former landmass, the Aborigines could immigrate from Asia. The deepest point is 3,680 m with the Arutief. The water surface is very warm throughout the year.
Use
The Arafura Sea is an important fishing area for the adjacent regions but now endangered by overfishing and pollutants. Are mainly caught tuna, mackerel, sardines different types and shrimp are also exported. Under the shelf rich deposits of oil and natural gas are suspected.
To protect the water and the organisms living in in 2003 a coalition of governmental and non -governmental organizations under the name "The Arafura and Timor Seas Experts Forum ( ATSEF ) " has been formed, the research and cooperation between states in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor coordinated.
After the Arafura Sea, the Arafura Games are named.