The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large, shallow,
inlet of the
Arafura Sea, between
Cape York and Australia's
Northern Territory. Discovered in the early 17th century, the
gulf is named after explorer
Pieter Carpenter. More than 20
rivers empty into the
shallow gulf, the floor of which is
nowhere more than 230 feet deep.
Although rather remote, the gulf is economically important for its vast resources of bauxite, manganese, and shrimp. The population along its coast is steadily increasing as a direct result.