Gulf of Khambhāt

Gulf of Khambhāt, inlet of the Arabian Sea, western India, between the Kathiawar Peninsula and the mainland of India. The gulf, which is cone-shaped, is 210 km (130 mi) long and about 200 km (125 mi) wide at the mouth and is noted for high tides of from 9 to 12 m (30 to 40 ft). Four rivers empty into the gulf, the Sabarmati, Mahi, Narmada, and Tapti. The city of Khambhāt at the head of the gulf was a prosperous port in the 15th century but later lost its importance when silting almost sealed it off from the gulf. Surat, a port on the mouth of the Tapti River, has also been affected by silting. The most important trading centre today is the deep-sea port of Bhavnager on the Kathiawar Peninsula. A project is underway to close the Gulf in order to create a freshwater basin, to be utilized for irrigation and industrial purposes, and to harness the tide power generated outside the reservoir. In 2001, new oil deposits were discovered in the area. The gulf has also been known as the Gulf of Cambay.