The
Gulf of Suez Rift is a continental
rift zone that was active between the Late
Oligocene (ca. 28
Ma) and the end of the
Miocene (ca. 5 Ma). It represented a continuation of the
Red Sea Rift until break-up occurred in the middle Miocene, with most of the displacement on the newly developed Red Sea
spreading centre being accommodated by the
Dead Sea Transform. During its brief post-rift history, the deepest part of the remnant rift topography has been filled by the sea, creating the
Gulf of Suez.