California, Gulf of definition of California, Gulf of in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

California, Gulf of, or Sea of Cortés, arm of the Pacific Ocean, c.700 mi (1,130 km) long and 50 to 130 mi (80–209 km) wide, NW Mexico; separates Baja California Baja California or Lower California, peninsula, c.760 mi (1,220 km) long and from 30 to 150 mi (48–241 km) wide, NW Mexico, separating the Gulf of California from the Pacific Ocean. The peninsula is divided at lat.
..... Click the link for more information. from the Mexican mainland. The gulf is part of a depression in the earth's surface that extends inland to the Coachella Valley, S Calif. The Imperial Valley Imperial Valley, fertile region in the Colorado Desert, SE Calif., extending S into NW Mexico. Once part of the Gulf of California, most of the region is below sea level; its lowest point is −232 ft (−71 m) at the southern shore of the Salton Sea.
..... Click the link for more information. and the Salton Sea Salton Sea (sôl`tən), saline lake, 370 sq mi (958 sq km), northern part of the Imperial Valley, SE Calif.
..... Click the link for more information. , once part of the gulf, have been cut off from it by the growth of the Colorado 1 kŏlərăd`ə, –răd`ō, –rä`dō 2 kŏlərā`də, –rä`də).

1 Great river of the SW United States, 1,450 mi (2,334 km) long, rising in the Rocky Mts. of N Colo.
..... Click the link for more information. River delta. The gulf deepens from north to south; its greatest depth is c.8,500 ft (2,590 m). The coastline is irregular, with numerous islands; Tiburon, inhabited by aboriginal tribes, is the largest. Storms and tidal currents hinder navigation in the gulf. Once a rich commercial and sport fishing ground, the gulf now suffers from overfishing. The region is a developing tourist center; La Paz, Guaymas, and Mazatlán are major cities. The area was first explored in 1538 by the Spaniard Francisco de Ulloa Ulloa, Francisco de (fränthēs`kō thā
..... Click the link for more information. .