Bab-el-Mandeb Map

The Bab-el-Mandeb is a strait bordered by Yemen, Djibouti and Eritrea. This map shows the Bab-el-Mandeb highlighted in blue on shaded relief, with the surrounding coasts, rivers, borders and major cities.

Bab-el-Mandeb Map
Bab-el-Mandeb MapPNG 2000×1660 (1 MB)Bab-el-Mandeb Map (PDF A4) (434 KB)

How to read this map

Countries with a coast on the Bab-el-Mandeb: Yemen, Djibouti and Eritrea.

The blue outline marks the Bab-el-Mandeb as mapped by Natural Earth. Towns and cities on the map include Djibouti, Ta'izz, Assab, Lahij, Tadjoura and Obock.

Greens show lower elevations; tan and brown show higher land, with pale tones toward the highest terrain. Shadows emphasize the slopes, and vertical relief is exaggerated so landforms are easier to read. Dashed lines show country borders.

The relief uses Terrain Tiles (SRTM, GMTED2010 and ETOPO1 elevation data). Rivers, lakes, borders and the outline of the Bab-el-Mandeb come from Natural Earth, and the figures on this page from Wikidata. Natural Earth draws features at a small scale, so the outline is a guide to where the Bab-el-Mandeb is, not a surveyed boundary.

Blank physical map

The blank version keeps the mapped features and removes the place labels. Download it for a geography worksheet or practice identifying the features.

Bab-el-Mandeb Map without names
Blank version of bab-el-mandeb map.PNG 2000×1660 (1 MB)Bab-el-Mandeb Map: blank (PDF A4) (427 KB)

Bab-el-Mandeb facts

FactValue
Maximum depth310 m (1,017 ft)
Coastal countriesYemen, Djibouti and Eritrea

Data sources and license

Map design and rendered images: Atlas of Maps, CC BY 4.0. Source databases retain their own licenses; the map license does not replace them.

Maps of the coastal countries: Yemen, Djibouti, Eritrea. Compare with the map of the five oceans.

Frequently asked questions

Which countries border the Bab-el-Mandeb?

Yemen, Djibouti and Eritrea.

Can I download a blank map of the Bab-el-Mandeb?

Yes. The blank version keeps the relief, rivers and borders and the highlighted sea but removes the place names. Both versions are free to download as PNG and as an A4 PDF.

Use this map

You can download, print and share this map for free, in class, in school projects, in presentations and on websites, as long as you credit the source: Bab-el-Mandeb Map · Atlas of Maps (atlasofmaps.com), license CC BY 4.0.

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