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Carpentaria, Gulf of

Carpentaria, Gulf of (kärpuntâr'ēu) [key], arm of the Arafura Sea, 305 mi (491 km) wide and 370 mi (595 km) long, indenting the northern coast of Australia. On its eastern shore, near Weipa, lies a vast bauxite deposit. Willem Jansz explored the gulf in 1606.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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