The Red Sea, a salt water inlet of the Indian Ocean between Asia and Africa, is the northernmost of the world's tropical waters. It stretches 1400 miles (2250 km) from the Gulf of Suez to the tip of Yemen. At its widest point, the Red Sea is only 221 miles (355 km) across. The Red Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. - It receives little rainfall and the dry desert climate causes the sea water to evaporate quickly. Few rivers and streams flow into the Red Sea. It is connected to the Indian Ocean via the very narrow Gulf of Aden making it almost entirely closed. - The Red Sea was formed 40 million years ago when the Arabian Peninsula split from Africa and in time will likely become an ocean. Its coral reefs, more than 5000 years old, are home to over 1200 species of fish and 200 types of corals. And while the origin of the sea's name is unclear - some say it was named for the color of the nearby mountains, others suggest the word red was a reference to the sea's southerly location - it has nothing to do with the color of its water.