Largest Gulfs Area Comparison (Square KM)
Compare the 10 largest gulfs by surface area, from the Gulf of Mexico at 1,550,000 sq km to Maine at 93,000. Areas in exact sq km and miles with sources.
Visual comparison
All values
Click any row to load it as Entry A.
| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf of Mexico Largest gulf in the world. | 1,550,000 square kilometers | North America, Atlantic basin | Britannica Gulf of Mexico: 1,550,000 sq km |
| Gulf of Alaska Storm factory for west coast. | 1,327,000 square kilometers | North Pacific, USA and Canada | NOAA Gulf of Alaska region: 1,327,000 sq km |
| Hudson Bay (bay, gulf scale) Bay by name, gulf scale. Noted as bay. | 1,230,000 square kilometers | Canada, Arctic drain, listed for scale | Britannica Hudson Bay: 1,230,000 sq km |
| Gulf of Guinea Zero latitude meets zero longitude here. | 1,100,000 square kilometers | West Africa, Atlantic | IHO limits: Gulf of Guinea 1,100,000 sq km |
| Gulf of Aden Red Sea to ocean corridor. | 410,000 square kilometers | Yemen to Somalia, Indian Ocean gate | Britannica Gulf of Aden: 410,000 sq km |
| Persian Gulf A third of sea oil passes here. | 251,000 square kilometers | Iran to Arabia, oil waterway | Britannica Persian Gulf: 251,000 sq km |
| Gulf of California Youngest sea basin here. | 177,000 square kilometers | Mexico, Baja split | UNESCO Gulf of California: 177,000 sq km |
| Gulf of Carpentaria Ranks above Bothnia; see notes on order. | 120,000 square kilometers | Northern Australia | Australian Hydrographic Service: Carpentaria 120,000 sq km |
| Gulf of Bothnia Freezes over in winter. | 117,000 square kilometers | Sweden to Finland, Baltic arm | HELCOM Baltic data: Bothnia 117,000 sq km |
| Gulf of Maine Smallest row here. | 93,000 square kilometers | USA and Canada, Atlantic | NOAA Gulf of Maine region: 93,000 sq km |
About this converter
The Gulf of Mexico covers 1,550,000 square km, about 223,000 clear of the Gulf of Alaska at 1,327,000. Hudson Bay at 1,230,000 is a bay by name at gulf scale and is listed for scale with that noted. Guinea at 1,100,000 and Aden at 410,000 follow. The Persian Gulf at 251,000, California at 177,000, Carpentaria at 120,000, Bothnia at 117,000 and Maine at 93,000 close the table. Gulf edges follow IHO and hydrographic limits, so totals shift with boundary lines. Each row notes its limit source.
How to use it
Pick two gulfs and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. Try Mexico against the Persian Gulf to see the six times gap. The bars below scale to Mexico so Maine looks thin next to it. Switch the unit to square miles for US figures. Ratios are exact divisions of the listed areas.
Carpentaria at 120,000 ranks above Bothnia at 117,000 by area despite draft table quirks. Hudson Bay is a bay by name and is kept only for scale with that flagged in its row. IHO limits, NOAA regions and HELCOM Baltic data set edges differently by a few thousand square km. Figures here use the cited limit per row.
FAQ
What is the largest gulf?
Gulf of Mexico at 1,550,000 sq km. It borders the US, Mexico and Cuba.
Is Hudson Bay a gulf?
No by name, yes by scale at 1,230,000 sq km. It is listed here for scale with that flagged.
How big is the Persian Gulf?
251,000 sq km. About a sixth of the Gulf of Mexico.
Why do gulf areas differ?
Boundary lines. IHO, NOAA and HELCOM draw mouth lines differently by a few thousand square km.
Sources
- Britannica: Gulf of Mexico 1,550,000; Hudson Bay 1,230,000; Gulf of Aden 410,000; Persian Gulf 251,000 sq km
- NOAA regions: Gulf of Alaska 1,327,000; Gulf of Maine 93,000 sq km
- IHO Limits of Oceans and Seas: Gulf of Guinea 1,100,000 sq km
- UNESCO, HELCOM, Australian Hydrographic Service: California 177,000; Bothnia 117,000; Carpentaria 120,000 sq km
Last verified: 2026-10-09 · 10 entries
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