The Mediterranean Sea is divided into subdivisions each with their own name and attributes. Today is the Mediterranean Sea Day and in celebration of that day here are some fun facts about some major subdivisions of the Mediterranean.
The Alboran Sea
The coastline of the Alboran sea stretches across three countries: Spain, Morocco and Algeria. There is a water exchange from and to the MediterraneanSea and the Atlantic Ocean, which led to a vertical rotary circulation in the AlboranSea called "The gyre". And due to its location between the two regions it has mixed species from both sides. The Alboran Sea has mountains that are mainly made of continental crust and this area is always prone to earthquakes. The AlboranSea is also home to multiple islands that are usually inhabited by military staff. Because of its ports the Alboran Sea is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
The Balearic Sea
The Balearic Sea is situated in the Mediterranean Sea between the coast of Spain and the Balearic Islands. It is often confused with the Alboran Sea or the Iberian shelf waters. The Ebro River flows into the Balearic Sea.
The Ligurian Sea
The Liguran Sea is located between the Italian Riviera and the Island of Corsica. It is believed that the name of this Sea comes from the ancient Ligures people. The ligurian Sea borders France, Italy and Monaco. The Sea includes the Gulf of Genoa in the North and is also connected to the Tyrrhenian Sea through the Tuscan Archipelago in the Southeast. The Sea's Northwest coast climate stands out and its scenic beauty is outstanding. The bordering countries established the Ligurian Sea as a SPAMI in order to protect the different species.
The Tyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea is situated on the western coastline of Italy and is in the larger part of the Mediterranean Sea. The Tyrrhenian Sea stands out in history in terms of international trade. The location of this Sea is very strategic and allows ships to connect with different continents such as Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. During the Napoleonic period, Napoleon used the Tyrrhenian waters to launch one of his warships. A unique trait to this sea is the four exists it contains. Unfortunately, the Tyrrhenian Sea encounters challenges as well. The main one reported is overfishing because of a high demand for fish in the area, which leads to a decrease in fish.
The Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is one of the 7 most massive bodies of water in the world. It has its name from Adria, a once famous port in Venice, Italy. There are 1246 islands in the Adriatic Sea, most located along the coast of Croatia but only 69 of them are inhabited. There are 450 different marine species in the Sea but because of overfishing over 100 of them are low in numbers. Eleven streams from rivers discharge water into the Adriatic.
To this day, the Adriatic Sea is useful as a sea route since its facilitate passage of ships going from central Europe to the East of Europe.
The Ionian Sea
The deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea is located in the Ionian Sea and is called "Calypso Deep". The Ionian Sea is the world's most seismically active locations. It separates Southern Italy, Calabria and Sicily from Albania and the west coast of Greece. It is believed that this Sea acquired its name from Ionians who sailed from the East. It is also believed that the name is connected to the myth of lo as well. All the major islands in the Sea belong to Greece and are called Ionian Islands. In ancient times, the Ionian sea witnessed a lot of battles between Rome and Greece.
The Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea lies between Greece and Turkey and is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea in the North and to the Ionian Sea to the West. The current coastline dates back to around 4000 BC. The Aegean Sea is a fusion of 2 great early civilizations: Those of Crete and Greece. Around 1400 islands surround the Aegean Sea and Crete is the largest one of them all. Many of the Aegean Islands are extensions of the mountains on the mainland and most of them are rocky, volcanic and barren but they also have safe harbors and bays. The Aegean Sea is part of the most famous Greek myths, Plato used it extensively in his dialogues.
By Lynn Feghali
July, 8, 2020