Joseph Bonaparte Gulf () is a large body of water off the coast of the Northern Territory, Australia and Western Australia. It was named after Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon and King of Naples (1806-1808) and then Spain (1808-1813) by French explorer and naturalist Nicholas Baudin in 1803.[1] It is also often referred to in Australia as the "Bonaparte Gulf".
The Ord River and Victoria River drain into the gulf. The Legune (Joseph Bonaparte Bay) Important Bird Area lies at the south-eastern end of the gulf.[2] The Bonaparte Basin is a large sedimentary basin underlying the gulf and a large part of the Timor Sea, deriving its name from the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, which has several producing and potential oilfields.
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