The Mediterranean Sea is a unique basin that separates three continents. The countries of the Mediterranean include the countries of the European Union, Asia and Africa. Tourists always associate the Mediterranean with mild climate, warm water, delicious food and good rest. The area of this largest sea in the world is more than 3 million square meters. km, and it includes the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Consider which countries are washed by the waters of the Mediterranean and where it is better to relax according to your interests.
It washes 21 states. All these countries are located on the gentle coasts of the largest sea in the world, and the coastal zone of these countries is distinguished by comfortable beaches and warm gentle waters. Consider where the Mediterranean Sea is located on the world map with the countries around it. On the coastline mediterranean sea there are resorts of the following countries:
- Morocco - Tangier and Saidia.
- Spain - Alicante, Almeria, Barcelona, Cartagena, Ibiza, Malaga.
- Algeria - Bejaia, Oran, Annaba.
- France - Cote d'Azur, Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Corsica.
- Tunisia - Kelibia, Monastir, Bizerte.
- Italy - Alghero, Sardinia, Syracuse.
- Libya - Tripoli, Kufra, Misrata, Ubari, Tobruk.
- Monaco - The whole state is one whole resort.
- Egypt - Alexandria, Dellis, El Alamen, Baltim.
- Malta - Valletta, Sliema, St. Julian's, Bujiba.
- Israel - Nahariya, Haifa, Ashdod, Akko, Herzliya.
- Slovenia - Portorož, Izoloa.
- Lebanon - Juni, Tyre.
- Croatia - Dalmatia, Istria.
- Syria - Latakia, Badrousseikh, Al-Samra.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina - Neum.
- Turkey - Izmir, Bodrum, Marmaris, Kemer, Antalya, Alanya, Belek.
- Montenegro - Budva, Milocer, Petrovac.
- Cyprus - Larnaca, Limassol, Protaras, Tuscany.
- Albania - Vlora, Himara, Saranda.
- Greece - Crete, Kitira, Methoni, Rhodes.
Also exit to sunny beaches have such countries on the Mediterranean Sea as the Palestinian state and the Northern region of Cyprus, as well as Dakelia, Gibraltar and Akrotiri. Undoubtedly, Greece, Spain, Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Italy and France are recognized as the most favorite among tourists from this list of states. This is where lovers go beach holiday from all over the planet, because the best beaches and resort areas are equipped here.
Depth of the Mediterranean Sea - maximum and average
The depth of the Mediterranean Sea is quite diverse and depends on the region. Conventionally, the Mediterranean can be divided into three main basins - western, central and eastern. What depth in each of the basins can be seen on the depth map, because the bottom topography of such a huge reservoir differs in structure in each region. The maximum depth is observed near southern Greece in a deep trench and is 5120 m. However, the average depth of the Mediterranean Sea does not exceed 1540 m.
The length and width of the Mediterranean Sea is not indicated exactly, the fact is that the basin is constantly changing its boundaries and it is almost impossible to calculate the exact values. The length of the Mediterranean Sea from the northernmost to the southernmost section is approximately 3200 km, and from the western to the easternmost point 1200 km. total area is 2,500 sq. km. The water temperature in the winter months is 12C°, and in the high summer season 25C°.
An interesting fact, scientists believe that the Mediterranean basin is nothing more than the remains of the ancient prehistoric oceanic basin Tethys, which covered the main part of the planet with water. In addition to the Mediterranean, these remnants also include the Aral and the Caspian. Today, the Mediterranean is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by a strait called Gibraltar, everyone knows this, but not many people know that this strait passes between two rocks that were on Earth in the time of ancient heroes and were then called the Pillars of Hercules.
To understand what washes the Mediterranean Sea, you should look at the geographical images of the planet. On satellite imagery and paper maps, you can see that the four largest peninsulas crash into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, these are the Apennine, Balkan, Iberian Peninsulas and Asia Minor. Also in the Mediterranean there is an accumulation largest islands, which are also loved by tourists, in the first place are Sicily, Ibiza, Crete, Mallorca, Malta and Rhodes.
Countries and resorts of the Mediterranean Sea: maps, photos and videos. Holidays in the Mediterranean, hotels, beaches, water temperature off the coast of resorts.
- Tours for May Worldwide
- Hot tours Worldwide
The cradle of civilizations, the apple of discord and the oldest trade routes - all this is the "sea in the middle of the earth", whose waves wash the shores of 22 states, most of which have managed to derive direct tourist benefits from this remarkable neighborhood. It is on the numerous coasts of the Mediterranean Sea that the most famous world resorts are located, which are stormed every year by millions of vacationers from all over the world. The countries of two continents - Africa and Eurasia, as well as numerous islands and archipelagos provide all the conditions for a full-fledged beach holiday: albeit not always warm, but enough clear waters, sandy or pebbly coastline with a remarkably wide coastline, lush, fruit-bearing nature and a wealth of historical ruins in the vicinity. What is especially pleasant - rest in the Mediterranean bushes can be classified as a budget one: a little more expensive than domestic "souths" and at the same time a whole range of entertainment and so far, alas, a service level that is mostly unattainable at home.
Mediterranean countries
Let's not cheat by saying that the Mediterranean is one of those successful tourism destinations in all respects that can offer almost everything to a demanding tourist, immediately and at affordable prices. What is there on the hospitable shores of the "Middle Sea": both vegetable rest in slippers and a swimsuit, and interesting excursions to the sights of almost any period known to historical science, and authentic items of souvenir interest, and rich opportunities for learning foreign languages "with immersion", and terribly tasty, and most importantly healthy Mediterranean cuisine, on whose dishes more than one generation of centenarians has been brought up.
One more salient feature Mediterranean, a balm for the heart of an attentive tourist, an exceptional diversity of nationalities, languages, cultures.
Everyone will find something to their liking: praying at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem or burning through what they have acquired by “overwork” at golden parties in Monaco, inhaling the smell of eternity in the Giza Valley or listening to the chirping of cicadas on emerald Corfu, following the footsteps of the Grand Duchesses on the streets of Istanbul or looking at drowning in the red midday haze Fez.
Of the other pleasant bonuses of the direction - a short flight (you can fly to most resorts in no more than 4 hours), combined visa regime(we are talking about Schengen), which allows you to easily wave to your neighbors along the coastline for an evening, in some cases - and there are no visa formalities at all - as in Tunisia or Turkey. Among other things, the Mediterranean - the most financially accessible of the resort foreign seas - you can find a vacation here, starting from 200 EUR “from the nose”. Finally, the climate here is closest to the "universal" one - the swimming season is from May to October, the absence of exhausting heat in summer and mild, moderately sunny winters. Of the minuses, perhaps the extraordinary popularity of the Mediterranean beaches, which, in terms of the number of bodies per square meter of area, easily outdo the Klondike of the times of the "gold rush". However, for fans of a secluded holiday, the Mediterranean Sea has in store a few secret corners, such as small Greek islands where nothing prevents us from consigning to oblivion everyday life.
Mediterranean Sea- the cradle of mankind! Powerful and great civilizations were born on the Mediterranean coasts, on the ruins of which the modern world developed and flourishes.
Its area can easily absorb Western Europe, color - to surprise with beauty and saturation, the sound of the waves - to calm down, and fishing - to give pleasure ...
What is this amazing part of the oceans? Where it is, what countries it washes, what depths and shores it has, what peaceful and dangerous animals and plants it hides in the abyss of its waters, what secrets it keeps - all this and a little more you will learn from this article.
1. Where is the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is located between Asia, Africa and Europe, surrounded by continents, and only with the help of the Strait of Gibraltar, is connected to northern part Atlantic, the Bosporus - with the Black Sea, and with the help of the Suez Canal - borders on the Red Sea.
2. Which countries washes
The Mediterranean Sea is named so due to its location - among the continents (lands). The waters of this sea wash the coasts of more than 22 countries from west to east, including: Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Malta, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
The coastal territory of the sea is represented by many islands, different in area and population, the largest of which are:
- O. Corsica;
- O. Balearic;
- O. Sardinia;
- O. Sicily;
- O. Cyprus;
- O. Crete.
The coastline of the Mediterranean has many independent water areas-seas: Ligurian, Adriatic, Tyrrhenian, Black, Ionian, Azov, Balearic, Aegean, Cretan, Levantine, Libyan Seas and the Alboran Sea.
3. History and secrets of the Mediterranean
The modern Mediterranean Sea is a remnant of the ancient Tesis basin, which once occupied the territory of Europe, North Africa, South and Western Asia. For many millions of years, the strait connecting to the ocean has repeatedly closed and opened. Subsequently, the sea dried up and could no longer fill up to its former size. The modern relief was formed due to a change in the Earth's climate.
The Mediterranean territory was one of the first to be inhabited by man, and it was here that writing was first born and many great states were formed, world religions were born.
In 1833, an Englishman, a geologist by profession C. Lyell, began to study this ancient sea.
Informative film for English language about the mediterranean
4. Natural characteristics of the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea has an area equal to 2965.5 thousand square meters. km. The average depth of the sea is 1500 m. The greatest is 5092 m and is located in the depression of the Ionian Sea (western part of the Peloponnese peninsula). The total length of the sea is 3,800 m.
The degree of salinity of some seas:
- Black Sea - 18%;
- Adriatic Sea - 36%;
- Aegean Sea - 37%;
- Ligurian Sea - 38%;
- Mediterranean Sea - 39%.
4.1 Climate
The word "climate" from the ancient Greek language is translated as "slope" and refers to the slope of the sun's rays in relation to the earth's surface. Climate is a long-term, stable weather regime, in contrast to weather conditions, which are changeable.
Climatic conditions are determined by the location of the sea - the subtropical zone defines such a climate as an independent type of "Mediterranean".
For countries washed by the waters of this sea, a decrease in atmospheric pressure is characteristic in winter, which leads to precipitation and storms. During such a period, a cyclone hangs over the sea, accompanied by clouds, winds intensify in different directions. The height of the waves can exceed 8 m. In summer, there is an anticyclone per turn, the pressure rises and clear, sunny, not rainy weather prevails during this period.
The temperature regime in the southern part of the sea in January ranges from 14 to 16 degrees, in the northern part - from 7 to 10 degrees. Summer (August) average temperature air 22 - 24 degrees in the northern part and up to 30 degrees in the southern regions.
Humidity in summer is 50 - 65%, and in winter from 65 to 80%. Cloudiness in summer from 0 to 3 points, in winter - 6 points.
Hot cities: Larnaca, Limassol, Tel Aviv and Antalya. In these regions, the water temperature in the summer months reaches 27 degrees. Next come the cities with a water temperature of no more than 25 degrees: Valencia, Malta and Heraklion. Even less hot (up to 22 degrees of water) are the coasts of Barcelona, Athens and Malaga.
4.2 Bottom topography
The bottom relief of the Mediterranean Sea is represented by rapids, basins, ridges, depressions, bays and volcanic cones. The sea basin is divided into Western and Eastern parts. So, the bottom of the western basin is more gentle, and the bottom of the eastern one is with depressions and ridges stretching from Cyprus to the Apennine Peninsula.
Here, under the water column, cones of active and extinct volcanoes and tectonic depressions lurk. Yes, most deep place in the sea - the Hellenic depression, with a depth of 5121 m. The bottom of the sea is rich in deposits of rock salt, potassium and sulfur. Natural gas and oil are produced here.
The largest bays of the Mediterranean Sea:
- Valencian;
- Lyon;
- Genoese;
- Taranto;
- Sidra or Greater Sirte;
- Gabes or Little Sirte.
It is interesting that at the bottom of the sea there are many remains of ships, the exact number of which, to this day, has not been established.
4.3 Water
The amount of evaporation of the water of the Mediterranean Sea exceeds the amount of atmospheric precipitation, since the sea is surrounded by countries with arid climates. The water deficit is replenished by the North Atlantic waters coming through the Strait of Gibraltar. In the process of evaporation, the salinity and density of water increases, which settles at a depth, which makes this water area warmer. Depending on seasonality, the density of water changes. Interestingly, the Mediterranean Sea is one of the warmest and most salty seas.
Water circulation is due to wind currents. The current speed in open sea areas reaches up to 1 km/h, in the straits - from 2 to 4 km/h. The transparency of the water is from 50 to 60 m. The water has a rich blue color.
4.4 Ebb and flow
Are there tides in the sea (periodic fluctuations in the water level up and down, as a result of changes in the position of the sun and moon relative to the Earth)? Yes, they are not large on average from 1 to 2 cm in both directions. This is due to the fact that the sea is cut off by the narrow Strait of Gibraltar from the Atlantic and, accordingly, the gravitational force of the moon does not act on it.
You can read more about high and low tides on the Wikipedia pages.
Also, the tides are affected by the depth, salinity of the water, Atmosphere pressure, coastal relief. The largest tides are observed in the Gulf called Gabes, which is located in the northern part of Africa and this is due to its huge shape (100 km long and wide).
The peak of the tide is when the sun and moon are located either on the same side of the Earth (new moon) or on opposite sides (full moon) and the forces of attraction of these objects are combined, which affects the appearance of tides.
You can find the forecast of the height of the Mediterranean wave, tides on the Mediterranean coast of Israel on the website of the Oceanographic and Limnological Research https://isramar.ocean.org.il/isramar2009/TideHadera/default.aspx
5. Life in the Mediterranean
The fauna of the Mediterranean Sea is represented by animals and flora, which is associated with the geological history of the sea and habitat conditions.
5.1 Flora
Despite the meager phytoplankton located in the upper layers of the sea, the vegetation here is diverse: more than 800 species of green, brown, red algae and plants. Notable is the largest sea grass in the world, which has bred in colonies (more than 700 km), “oceanic posidonia”. This is one of the oldest plants, whose age is more than 100 thousand years.
5.2 Animal life
The fauna of the Mediterranean Sea is diverse, but the number of species of inhabitants is not large, which is associated with the poor development of plankton in Mediterranean waters.
Plankton- various organisms floating freely in the water (bacteria, algae, invertebrate larvae, small molluscs, etc.). You can find more information about this type of life on the pages of Wikipedia.
The fauna is represented by more than 800 species of various mollusks: squid, cuttlefish, octopus, crabs, shrimps and others.
5.3 Fishes of the Mediterranean
The winter period is the most massive for the accumulation of different types of fish, since in other months (spring-summer) they spawn and feed, therefore they are more dispersed.
Among the inhabitants there are more than 700 species of various fish, more than 290 of which live in the coastal waters of Israel:
The blue shark also lives in the Mediterranean Sea. There are more than 40 species of Mediterranean sharks. There are also rays, moray eels, reaching 0.5 m in length, dolphins, seals, porpoises and killer whales. There are also sea turtles, which are represented by 3 species.
A detailed list of fish living in the Mediterranean Sea can be found on the pages of Wikipedia
There are 4 types of flying fish off the Israeli coast:
- exocoetus obtusirostris;
- exocoetus volitans;
- hirundichthys rondeletii;
- parexocoetus mento.
5.4 Dangerous inhabitants of the Mediterranean
sharks- not only frightening inhabitants of the sea, but also irreplaceable cleaners of the sea expanses from various types of sick, weak inhabitants. Their population is declining. For example, the hammerhead shark was last observed only in 1955.
Stingray- has poisonous spikes located in the tail of the body.
Electric Stingray- able to give any attacker an electric current.
6. Features of the coast
north coast has a complex relief: the coast is high, rocky and steep with not small bays.
South coast- even. Mountains stretch from the western part, and in the east they disappear and the coast becomes flat and sandy (almost deserted).
The total length of the Mediterranean coast is 46 thousand km. It is interesting that this area of water would be enough to easily swallow Western Europe!
6.1 Sea coast of Israel
The coast of Israel is washed by the western waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean area extends from northern border Israel to the Gaza Strip. Also on the coast is a plain called "Coastal", stretching for 187 km from Lebanon to the Gaza Strip. The plain is divided into cultural and geographical regions and has many sandy beaches.
The coast of the Mediterranean Sea consists not only of plains and beaches, but of rocky shores and reefs.
6.2 Port cities of Israel
- adaptation to the Mediterranean climate - unhurried summer walks along the sunny coast;
- apply sunscreen;
- beware of marine life;
- do not forget about high waves, rocky bottom and very dangerous rip currents.
You can read more about such a phenomenon as a rip current on the Wikipedia pages.
A short video on what to do if you are caught in a rip current in the Mediterranean
The ancient Mediterranean Sea had many names:
- "Akdeniz" or "White Sea" (Turks);
- "Our Sea" or "Inland" (ancient Romans);
- Sunset Sea (Babylonians).
- "Great Sea" (Hebrew הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל, Ha-Yam Ha-Gadol).
This sea includes in its expanses many small seas and various islands, which in ancient times were independent states.
The Mediterranean Sea is famous for the habitat of such an animal as the “sponge”, which later received the name “toilet”, since the dried skeletons of this inhabitant were used as a washcloth.
In 2016, Spanish archaeologists discovered a ship from the time of the Roman Empire at a depth of 70 m, which sank more than 1.5 thousand years ago.
In the Strait of Messina, you can see a mirage.
And what will happen if this Great Basin is drained? You will find the answer to this question if you watch this entertaining film (published by I. Garkalikov)
9. Useful links
- in the book of general delusions, a lot is written interesting facts about the Mediterranean.
— interesting article characterizing the Mediterranean Sea.
- an informative article about the currents and tides of the Mediterranean Sea, temperature, flora and fauna.
The Mediterranean is the most popular resort region in Europe. The choice of beaches is great - from dramatic Greek beaches to hot beaches on the African continent, from the picturesque Turkish coasts to the southwestern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. Every year, various authoritative publications create lists of the best beaches, but these beaches are timeless and out of ratings, as they have always been and remain the best in the Mediterranean.
The snow-white beach, chosen by the rare Caretta Caretta turtles, is one of the most southern beaches Italy. It is much closer to Africa than to Europe and boasts stunning scenery: rocks protect it from the winds, and the purest sea water shimmers in many shades. The beach is one of the most popular in the area, so there are a lot of people here until late in the evening and quite noisy.
Ses Illetas beach (Formentera island,)
South of the capital of Mallorca, where the amazingly clear sea merges with the horizon, and the sandy strip stretches for several kilometers, this wonderful beach is located. It is rightfully considered the best on the island, and, perhaps, on all the Balearic Islands. Only wealthy people who live in luxury hotels nearby have a rest on Ses Illetas.
The most famous beach of Crete became famous due to the fact that the sand on it is not white, but light pink. It is located in the southwest of the island, where a huge massacre took place in 1824 - the Turks killed about 700 local residents, because of which, according to legend, the beach will always remind you of this with its color. In fact, the remains of corals and starfish give the pink color to the sand.
The famous beach of Turkey is one of the most popular places for excursions. It is located at the confluence of the Dalyan River and is so named because of the large turtles that come here to spawn. The beach has a particularly picturesque view when viewed from a height.
The most famous beach in Cyprus is located in Protaras and takes its name from the centuries-old fig tree growing here. The beach is closed from the wind by rocks in which there are underwater caves.
Palomabaja - best beach Corsica. The same island where the future Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was born. The beach is amazing - azure waters, the cleanest White sand and picturesque surroundings. How can one hatch plans to take over the continent, having been born in such a beautiful place? Sit on the shore and catch your fish ...
In the northwest of the most knightly island of all European islands lies the Golden Bay beach. This is indeed a bay protected from the wind. However, sometimes there are storms here, during which the place becomes especially dramatic.
Mersa Matruh ()
The Egyptian city on the Mediterranean coast has been known since the time of the Ptolemaic dynasty, and even then it was prestigious resort. Not far from the city there is a bay in which, according to legend, Cleopatra herself loved to relax. Mersa Matruh has a stunning azure sea and a great beach. Today, mostly Egyptians rest here.
Mdik - small resort town on the shores of the Mediterranean. It is located at zero altitude above sea level. local beach- a flat sandy strip and calm waters. Mostly Moroccans rest here, and in city hotels there are quite budget prices for them.
Monastir is located on the site of an ancient Roman settlement and is a modern resort for budget travelers. Here they are not beautiful beaches like in Mahdia. However, for undemanding tourists Monastir - perfect place to relax in comfort, basking in the sun and swimming in the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
One of the largest seas. The adjective "Mediterranean" is widely used in describing peoples, countries, climate, vegetation; for many, the concept of "Mediterranean" is associated with a particular way of life or with a whole period in the history of mankind.
Divides Europe, Africa and Asia, but it also closely connected Southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia. The length of this sea from west to east is approx. 3700 km, and from north to south (at its widest point) - approx. 1600 km. On the northern coast are Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Albania and Greece. From the east to the sea there are a number of Asian countries - Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Finally, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco are located on the south coast. The area of the Mediterranean Sea is 2.5 million square meters. km, and, since only narrow straits connect it with other bodies of water, it can be considered an inland sea.
In the west, through the Strait of Gibraltar, 14 km wide and up to 400 m deep, it has access to the Atlantic Ocean. In the northeast, the Dardanelles, narrowing in places to 1.3 km, connects it with the Sea of Marmara and through the Bosporus with the Black Sea. In the southeast, an artificial structure - the Suez Canal - connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red. These three narrow water passages have always been of great importance for trade, navigation and strategic purposes. V different time they were controlled - or sought to be controlled - by the British, the French, the Turks and the Russians. The Romans of Roman times referred to the Mediterranean as mare nostrum ("our sea").
Coastline mediterranean sea it is strongly indented, and numerous protrusions of the land divide it into many semi-isolated water areas that have their own names. These seas include: the Ligurian, located south of the Riviera and north of Corsica; the Tyrrhenian Sea, enclosed between peninsular Italy, Sicily and Sardinia; the Adriatic Sea, washing the shores of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Yugoslavia and Albania; the Ionian Sea between Greece and southern Italy; the Cretan Sea between the island of Crete and peninsular Greece; Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece. There is also a row large bays, for example, Alicante east coast Spain; Lyon - at south coast France; Taranto - between the two southern ledges of the Apennine Peninsula; Antalya and Iskenderun - off the southern coast of Turkey; Sidra - in the central part of the coast of Libya; Gabes and Tunisian - off the southeastern and northeastern coasts of Tunisia, respectively.
Contemporary is a relic of the ancient Tethys ocean, which was much wider and stretched far to the east. The relics of the Tethys Ocean are also the Aral, Caspian, Black and Marmara Seas, confined to its most deep depressions. Probably, Tethys was once completely surrounded by land, and between North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, in the region of the Strait of Gibraltar, there was an isthmus. The same land bridge connected southeastern Europe with Asia Minor. It is possible that the Bosporus, Dardanelles and Gibraltar straits were formed on the site of flooded river valleys, and many island chains, especially in the Aegean Sea, were connected to the mainland.
In the Mediterranean Sea, the western and eastern depressions are distinguished. The border between them is drawn through the Calabrian ledge of the Apennine Peninsula, Sicily and the underwater bank Adventure (up to 400 m deep), stretched almost 150 km from Sicily to Cape Bon in Tunisia. Within both basins, even smaller ones are isolated, usually bearing the names of the corresponding seas, for example, the Aegean, Adriatic, etc. The water in the western basin is slightly colder and fresher than in the eastern one: in the west, the average temperature of the surface layer is approx. 12° C in February and 24° C in August, and in the east - 17° C and 27° C, respectively. One of the coldest and most stormy areas mediterranean sea is the Gulf of Lyon. The salinity of the sea varies widely, since less salty water comes from the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar.
tides here they are low, but quite significant in very narrow straits and bays, especially during the full moon. However, rather strong currents are observed in the straits, directed both into the Mediterranean Sea and out of it. Evaporation is higher than Atlantic Ocean or in the Black Sea, therefore, surface currents arise in the straits, carrying fresher water to the Mediterranean Sea. At a depth below these surface currents, countercurrents occur, but they do not compensate for the influx of water near the surface.
Bottom The Mediterranean Sea in many places is composed of yellow carbonate silt, below which lies blue silt. Near the mouths of large rivers, blue oozes are overlain by deltaic deposits, which occupy large area. Depths mediterranean sea very different: the highest mark - 5121 m - was recorded in the Hellenic deep-water trench at the southern tip of Greece. The average depth of the western basin is 1430 m, and its shallowest part - the Adriatic Sea - has average depth only 242 m.
Above the common bottom mediterranean sea in some places, significant sections of dissected relief rise, the peaks of which form islands. Many (though not all) of them are of volcanic origin. Among the islands, we note, for example, Alboran, located east of the Strait of Gibraltar, and a group of Balearic Islands (Menorca, Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera) east of the Iberian Peninsula; mountainous Corsica and Sardinia - to the west of the Apennine Peninsula, as well as a number of small islands in the same area - Elba, Pontine, Ischia and Capri; and north of Sicily, Stromboli and Lipari. Within the Eastern Mediterranean Basin is the island of Malta (south of Sicily), and further to the east - Crete and Cyprus. Small islands are numerous in the Ionian, Cretan and Aegean seas; among them stand out Ionian - to the west of mainland Greece, Cyclades - east of the Peloponnese and Rhodes - off the southwestern coast of Turkey.
Major rivers flow into the Mediterranean Sea: Ebro (in Spain); Rhone (in France); Arno, Tiber and Volturno (in Italy). The rivers Po and Tagliamento (in Italy) and Isonzo (on the border of Italy and Slovenia) flow into the Adriatic Sea. The rivers Vardar (in Greece and Macedonia), Struma or Strymon, and Mesta or Nestos (in Bulgaria and Greece) belong to the Aegean Sea basin. The largest river in the Mediterranean basin, the Nile, is the only major river flowing into this sea from the south.
The Mediterranean Sea is famous for its calmness and beauty, but, like other seas, it can be stormy in certain seasons, and then big waves crashing on the coast. The Mediterranean has long attracted people with its favorable climate. The term "Mediterranean" itself is used to refer to a climate with long hot, clear and dry summers and short cool and wet winters. Many coastal areas mediterranean sea, especially the southern and eastern ones, are characterized by semiarid and arid features of the climate. In particular, semiaridity with an abundance of clear sunny days is considered typical of the Mediterranean climate. However, there are many cold days in winter when damp cold winds bring rain, drizzle and sometimes snow.
The Mediterranean is also famous for the attractiveness of its landscapes. Particularly picturesque are the French and Italian Riviera, the environs of Naples, adriatic coast Croatia with numerous islands, the shores of Greece and Lebanon, where the steep slopes of the mountains rise to the very sea. Important trade routes passed through the main islands of the eastern Mediterranean and culture spread - from the Middle East, Egypt and Crete to Greece, Rome, Spain and France; another route ran along the southern coast of the sea - from Egypt to Morocco.
Vegetation and animal world mediterranean sea is characterized by a relatively weak quantitative development of phyto- and zooplankton, which entails a correlation. the paucity of larger animals that feed on them, including fish. The amount of phytoplankton in the surface horizons is only 8-10 mg/m?, at a depth of 1000-2000 m it is 10-20 times less. Algae are very diverse (peridine and diatoms predominate).
Fauna mediterranean sea characterized by high species diversity, but the number of representatives of the sep. species are small. There are kaki, one species of seals (white-bellied seal); sea turtle. 550 species of fish (sharks, mackerels, herrings, anchovies, mullets, dolphins, tunas, bonitos, horse mackerels, etc.). About 70 species of endemic fish, including stingrays, anchovy species, gobies, sea. blenny, wrasse and needlefish. Of the edible mollusks, the most important are the oyster, the Mediterranean-Black Sea mussel, and the sea date. Of the invertebrates, octopuses, squids, sepia, crabs, spiny lobsters are common; numerous species of jellyfish, siphonophore; sponges and red coral live in some areas, especially in the Aegean.
Coastal countries of the Mediterranean Sea:
- Spain
- France
- Monaco
- Italy
- Malta
- Montenegro
- Croatia
- Slovenia
- Bosnia
- Albania
- Greece
- Bulgaria
- Romania
- Ukraine
- Russia
- Georgia
- Turkey
- Syria
- Lebanon
- Israel
- Egypt
- Libya
- Tunisia
- Algeria
- Morocco
The largest islands in the Mediterranean:
- Balearic
- Corsica
- Sardinia
- Sicily
