Mediterranean Sea

About Mediterranean Sea:

• Location:
  • It is an intercontinental sea that is bordered by the continent of Europe in the north, by Asia in the east, and by Africa in the south.
  • In the west, the Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the narrow Strait of Gibraltar.
  • In the extreme northeast, it is connected to the Black Sea via the Dardanelles Strait, the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus Strait. 
  • The Mediterranean Sea is also connected to the Red Sea via the Suez Canal in the southeast.
• History:
  • It has been regarded as the birthplace of Western civilization.
  • Many ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire, were located along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
• Bordering Countries:
  • 22 countries and one territory (Gibraltar - a British Overseas Territory) have coasts on the Mediterranean Sea.
  • The European Countries are Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece.
  • The West Asian (Middle Eastern) countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea are Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestine Gaza Strip and the divided island of Cyprus.
  • Five North African nations have coasts on the Mediterranean Sea: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.
• The Mediterranean Sea offers a staggering 46,000 km (28,600 mi) long coastline and includes 15 marginal seas, such as the Balearic Sea, the Adriatic Sea, the Levantine Sea and the Ionian Sea.
• Depth: The sea has an average depth of about 1,500 m and a maximum depth of 5,267 m at its deepest point, the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea.
• Rivers: A large number of rivers drain into the Mediterranean Sea, including the Ebro, Rhone, Po, Nile, Tiber, etc.
• Islands: Some of the large Mediterranean Islands include Corsica, Crete, Cyprus, Chios, Euboea, Lesbos, Mallorca, Rhodes, Sicily, and Sardinia. The island of Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. 
• Climate: The region is characterized by the prevailing subtropical climate known as the Mediterranean climate, with usually mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
• Mediterranean Sea waters are more saline compared to the waters of the Atlantic. There is a continuous movement of water from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean and vice versa through the Strait of Gibraltar.

 

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Q1) Which are the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea?

22 countries and one territory (Gibraltar - a British Overseas Territory) have coasts on the Mediterranean Sea. The European Countries are Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece. The West Asian (Middle Eastern) countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea are Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestine Gaza Strip and the divided island of Cyprus. Five North African nations have coasts on the Mediterranean Sea: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.

Source: 68 People Rescued From Mediterranean Sea By Russian Warship