Sea of Zanj
| Sea of Zanj | |
|---|---|
| Location | Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | 7°0′S 50°0′E / 7.000°S 50.000°E |
| Type | Sea |
| Basin countries | Zanzibar, Comoros, Madagascar |
| Max. length | 2,400 km (1,500 mi) |
| Max. width | 1,500 km (930 mi) |
| References | The Meadows of Gold |
The Sea of Zanj (Arabic: بحر زنج, romanized: Baḥr Zanj; Swahili: Bahari ya Zanj) is a former name for the portion of the western Indian Ocean adjacent to the region in the African Great Lakes referred to by medieval Arab geographers as Zanj. The Sea of Zanj was deemed a fearful zone by Arab mariners and legends regarding dangers in the waters abounded, especially near its far southern limits.