The
Gulf of Gabes, also
Cabès, Cabes, Gaps, , also known as
Lesser Syrtis (from
Greek ;
Syrtis Minor in Latin), contrasting with the
Greater Syrtis in Libya, is a
gulf on
Tunisia's east
coast in the
Mediterranean Sea, off
North Africa. The gulf roughly spans the coast from
Sfax to
Djerba. At the head of the gulf is the city of
Gabès (Ghannouche) where the
tides have a large range of up to 2.1 m at
spring tides. Both Gabès and Sfax are major
ports on the gulf, supporting
sponge and
tuna fisheries, with Gabès being the
economic and administrative center.