Cape GuardafuiCape Guardafui (Somali: Raas Caseyr, Arabic: راس عسير) is a headland in Somalia, in the federal state of Puntland. It forms the geographical apex of the Horn of Africa. Its shore at 51°27'52"E is the second easternmost point on mainland Africa after Ras Hafun. It is named after the offshore oceanic strait of the Guardafui Channel. LocationCape Guardafui is located at 11°49′N51°15′E / 11.817°N 51.250°E / 11.817; 51.250, next to the Guardafui Channel.
Socotra GovernorateThe Socotra Archipelago (Arabic: أرخبيل سقطرىʾArḫabīl Suquṭrā), officially the Socotra Archipelago Governorate (Arabic: محافظة أرخبيل سقطرىMuḥāfaẓat ʾArḫabīl Suquṭrā), abbreviated to Socotra Governorate (Arabic: محافظة سقطرىMuḥāfaẓat Suquṭrā), is one of the governorates of Yemen. It consists of four larger islands and three small islets in the Indian Ocean south of mainland Yemen and east of the Horn of Africa.
Arabian SeaMax. width2,400 km (1,500 mi)Surface area3,862,000 km (1,491,000 sq mi) (3,600,000–4,600,000 km in various sources)Max.
Abd al KuriAbd al Kuri (Arabic: عبد الكوري) sometimes spelt Adal Kuri or Abdal Kuri is a rocky island in the Guardafui Channel. As a part of the Socotra Archipelago Governorate of Yemen, it lies about 65 miles (105 km) southwest of the main island of Socotra. Its terrain primarily consists of granite and diorite covered with limestone.
Horn of AfricaPeninsula and geopolitical regionThe Horn of Africa (HOA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region located in the easternmost part of mainland Africa. It is the fourth largest peninsula in the world and is composed of Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the partially recognised state of Somaliland. Although not common, some broader geopolitical definitions include parts or all of Kenya and Sudan.
PuntlandPuntland, officially the Puntland State of Somalia, is a semi-autonomous state located in northeastern Somalia. Despite considering itself as part of Somalia, it has rejected the legitimacy of Somalia's current governing administration since 2024. It was formed in 1998, and is a federal member state of Somalia. Its capital is the city of Garoowe in the Nugal region. The region had a population of 4,334,633 in 2016.
SomaliaCountry in East Africa This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article may require copy editing for style and cutting down content. You can assist by editing it. (August 2026) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article's lead section may be too long. Please read the length guidelines and help move details into the article's body.
Indian OceanOceanic divisionThe Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering 70,560,000 km (27,240,000 sq mi) or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by the Southern Ocean or Antarctica, depending on the definition in use.
StraitA strait is a water body connecting two seas or water basins. The surface water is, for the most part, at the same elevation on both sides and can flow through the strait in either direction, although the topography generally constricts the flow somewhat. In some straits, there is a dominant directional current. Most commonly, the strait is a narrow channel that lies between two land masses.
Gulf of AdenThe Gulf of Aden (Arabic: خليج عدن; Somali: Gacanka Cadmeed) is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Channel, the Socotra Archipelago, Puntland in Somalia and Somaliland to the south. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, and it connects with the Arabian Sea to the east.
YemenYemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in southern Arabia, the country includes the Socotra Archipelago and borders Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the northeast, the Arabian Sea to the east, the Gulf of Aden to the south, and the Red Sea to the west. It also shares maritime borders with Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia across the Horn of Africa.
Somali languageSomali ( sə-MAH-lee, soh-; Latin script: Af Soomaali, Wadaad: اف صومالِ, Osmanya: 𐒖𐒍 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘 [af soːmaːli]) is a Cushitic language belonging to wider Afroasiatic language family. Somali is spoken primarily in Greater Somalia, and the Somali diaspora as a mother tongue. It is an official language in Somalia, Somaliland, and Ethiopia. It serves as a national language in Djibouti, and is also a recognised minority language in Kenya.
Mu-qedMu-Qed was an ancient maritime trade route along the littoral of the Red Sea's northeast African coast. The term Mu-Qed had been in use since the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, and typically referred to the trade carried out between ancient Egyptians and Puntites. Mu-Qed in particular refers to the Red Sea starting from the waters off Qosair, the port serving the canal of Ro-henu (Wadi Hammamat).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.