Gulf of Papua at a glance
- 165 maverage depth
- 60 mmedian depth
- 1,552 mmaximum depth
- 36,848 km²water area
Gulf of Papua is a gulf. Inside its outline the GEBCO grid has about 36,848 km² of water, with an average depth of about 165 m (the middle value is 60 m) and a maximum of 1,552 m, found at 8.95° S, 145.97° E.
Open the map at the deepest cell and tap to read the depth.
How deep is each part of the Gulf of Papua?
The bar splits the Gulf of Papua's water by depth. Each colour is a depth band, and the shares add up to 100%.
- 0 to 200 m: 85.3%
- 200 to 1,000 m: 9.8%
- 1,000 to 4,000 m: 5%
- 4,000 to 6,000 m: 0%
- below 6,000 m: 0%
Named features near the deepest point: Waria Canyon (241 km), Francisco Canyon (243 km), Eia Canyon (247 km), Gira Canyon (251 km).
The Gulf of Papua if sea level dropped
The slider on the map lowers the sea in steps. This table shows how much of the Gulf of Papua's water would be land at each step.
| Sea level lowered by | Becomes land | Share of its water |
|---|---|---|
| 10 m | 7,927 km² | 21.5% |
| 20 m | 13,015 km² | 35.3% |
| 50 m | 17,086 km² | 46.4% |
| 80 m | 23,116 km² | 62.7% |
| 120 m | 30,160 km² | 81.8% |
| 200 m | 31,413 km² | 85.3% |
| 500 m | 32,391 km² | 87.9% |
| 1,000 m | 35,022 km² | 95% |
| 2,000 m | 36,848 km² | 100% |
| 3,000 m | 36,848 km² | 100% |
| 4,000 m | 36,848 km² | 100% |
| 6,000 m | 36,848 km² | 100% |
A simple bathtub model: it lowers the sea everywhere by the same amount and does not simulate how water would really drain.
Nearby seas
- Bismarck Sea average depth about 1,629 m
- Solomon Sea average depth about 2,825 m
- Gulf of Carpentaria average depth about 41 m
- Arafura Sea average depth about 191 m
- Ceram Sea average depth about 1,196 m
- Coral Sea average depth about 2,553 m
Nearest by the centre of each outline. All oceans and seas
Frequently asked questions
How deep is the Gulf of Papua?
On average about 165 m in the GEBCO grid (the middle value is 60 m). The deepest cell inside its outline is 1,552 m, at 8.95° S, 145.97° E.
How big is the Gulf of Papua?
About 36,848 km² of water inside its Natural Earth outline, counted from the grid cells that are below sea level.
How much of the Gulf of Papua would be land if sea level dropped?
With the sea 10 m lower, about 7,927 km² (21.5%) of its water would be land. At 6,000 m lower, 100% would be. This is a simple bathtub model that lowers the sea evenly everywhere.
Data: depths from the GEBCO_2026 grid, statistics worked out inside the Natural Earth outline of the gulf. See data sources and licences. The GEBCO Grid should NOT be used for navigation or for any other purpose involving safety at sea.