{{Use mdydmy dates|date = AprilAugust 20192024}}

{{Use American English|date =August April 20192024}}

| name = Guardafui Channel

| native_name = {{native name|soar|Marinkaمضيق Gardafuulغواردافوي}}

| other_name =

| image = Socotra Archipelago MODIS.jpg

| alt =

| caption = The Guardafui Channel, between the [[Puntland]] region of [[Somalia]] and [[Socotra islandArchipelago]] of [[Yemen]].

| image_bathymetry = Guardafui Channel map.svg

| alt_bathymetry =

| location = Midst of Somali sea–[[Arabian Sea]]-[[Gulf of Aden]]

| group =

| coordinates = {{Coord|11|49|N|51|15|E|}}

| type = [[Strait]]

| etymology =

| part_of = SomaliGulf of Aden, Indian seaocean

| inflow =

| rivers =

| outflow =

| oceans =

| catchment =

| basin_countries = [[Somalia]] <br /> [[Yemen]]

| agency =

| designation =

| date-built = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} For man-made and other recent bodies of water -->

| engineer =

| date-flooded = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} For man-made and other recent bodies of water -->

| length =

| width =

| area =

| depth =

| max-depth = {{convert|2500|m}} near [[Oligocene]] – [[Miocene]] floor

| volume =

| residence_time =

| salinity = 35.3 ‰

| shore =

| elevation =

| temperature_high = 26 °C (78 °F)

| temperature_low = 14 °C (57 °F)

| frozen =

| islands = [[Socotra]], [[Abd al Kuri]], [[Darsah]] and [[Samhah]]

| islands_category =

| sections =

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The '''Guardafui Channel''' ({{lang-Langx|ar|مضيق غواردافوي}}, {{langx|so|Marinka Gardafuul}}) is an oceanic [[strait]] off the tip of the [[Horn of Africa]] that lies between the [[Puntland]] region of [[Somalia]] and the [[Socotra Governorate|Socotra governorate]] of [[Yemen]] to the west of the [[Arabian Sea]].<ref>Schott, Friedrich A., and Jürgen Fischer. "Winter monsoon circulation of the northern Arabian Sea and Somali Current." Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 105.C3 (2000): 6359–6376.</ref> It connects the [[Gulf of Aden]] to the north with the [[Indian Ocean]] to the south. Its namesake is [[Cape Guardafui]], the very tip of the Horn of Africa. Notable places of interest include the [[Alula Lagoon]].

Its width is roughy {{Convert|100|km||sp=us}} between [[Ras Asir]] ([[Gardafuul]]) and Abd al Kari,<ref>The Biology of Island Floras - Page 198, Juli Caujapé-Castells - 2011</ref> and roughly {{Convert|240|km|sp=us}} between Ras Asir and Socotra.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.youth.cn/yculture/200911/t20091118_1085530.htm|work=en.youth.cn|publisher=China Youth International|title=Socotra islands scenery in Yemen|date=25 April 2008|access-date=May 21, 2018|archive-date=September 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905190841/http://en.youth.cn/yculture/200911/t20091118_1085530.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Ras Asir, formerly named Gardafuul]], a province of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, is named after it. In its narrower sense, Marinka Gardafuul, in English called the Guardafui Channel, refers to the strait between Puntland and [[Abd al Kuri]].<ref>Schott, Friedrich, et al. "Summer monsoon response of the northern Somali Current, 1995." Geophysical Research Letters 24.21 (1997): 2565-2568.</ref>

The oceanic strait goes by many names, including the ''Ras Hafun Strait'', named after the headland of [[Ras Hafun]], near the town of [[Foar]],<ref>British possessions, II : The Congo, no. 96-99 - Page 38, Sir George Walter Prothero, 1920</ref> the ''Ras Asir-Socotra Strait'',<ref>Science and technology for a new oceans decade: proceedings, Volume 1, p 1248, Marine Technology Society - 1990, University of California</ref> the ''Cape Guardafui Strait'',<ref>Straits in International Navigation - Page 25, Kleng Lian Koh - 1982</ref> the Guardafui-Socotra Channel<ref>Nature - Page 686, Sir James Hopwood Jeans, Sir Norman Lockyer - 1928</ref> Guardafui Channel<ref>World War II Sea War, Vol 7: The Allies Strike Back - Page 23, Don Kindell - 2014</ref> Cape Guardafui Channel,<ref>The Royal Indian Navy, 1612-19501612–1950 - Page 114, D. J. Hastings - 1988</ref> ''Socotra Strait'',<ref>Seasonal and interannual variations of the nitrogen cycle, T Rixen - 2013</ref> and ''Socotra Passage''.<ref>Karl K. Turekian - 2009, Ocean Currents: A Derivative of the Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences, p 160</ref>

The oceanic strait has been regarded as a possibly dangerous pitfall both during peace and war times. It was a highly strategic region during World War Two due to its possession by an Axis power at the time, Italy,. theThe Allies attempted to secure passage through the oceanic strait in Operation Chapter. Subsequently, the Allies decided that in order to continue routing independent ships and convoys, air cover was needed.<ref>The Royal Indian Navy, 1612-19501612–1950 - Page 114, D. J. Hastings</ref> The oceanic strait also experiences cyclones that emerge from its southeast in the Somali sea.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2018/05/25/Yemen-declares-disaster-after-Cyclone-Mekunu-Oman-in-path-next/7081527247932/|title = Yemen declares disaster after Cyclone Mekunu; Oman in path next|access-date=May 26, 2018|archive-date=May 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527064355/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2018/05/25/Yemen-declares-disaster-after-Cyclone-Mekunu-Oman-in-path-next/7081527247932/|url-status=live}}</ref> There is a dispute between the Somali government and Yemen over the sovereignty of its islands.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.yemenpost.net/Detail123456789.aspx?ID=3&SubID=2698 | title=Follow Yemen Post daily updates on our Twitter page @YemenPostNews- Yemen Post English Newspaper Online | access-date=May 27, 2018 | archive-date=August 24, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824145741/http://www.yemenpost.net/Detail123456789.aspx?ID=3&SubID=2698 | url-status=live }}</ref> The presence of an archipelago has also meant that there are shores for stranded sailors to find shelter, which on occasion has subsequently resulted in their evacuations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indiablooms.com/news-details/N/40457/navy-rescues-indian-nationals-stranded-in-socotra-islands-for-10-days.html|title = Navy rescues Indian nationals stranded in Socotra Islands for 10 days &#124; Indiablooms - First Portal on Digital News Management|access-date=June 16, 2018|archive-date=June 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616180413/https://indiablooms.com/news-details/N/40457/navy-rescues-indian-nationals-stranded-in-socotra-islands-for-10-days.html|url-status=live}}</ref>