The Mediterranean Sea is considered intercontinental. It washes Europe, Africa, Asia and is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar (length 65 km, minimum width 14 km). The water surface area of the intercontinental reservoir is 2.5 million square meters. km. The average depth is 1540 m. Maximum depth reaches 5267 m in the Ionian Sea, near the city of Pylos in southern Greece. The volume of water is 3.84 million cubic meters. km.

The length of the sea from west to east is 3800 km. The southernmost point of the reservoir is located in Africa in the Gulf of Sirte. The northernmost in the Adriatic Sea. The western one is in Gibraltar, and the eastern one is in Iskanderun Bay (southern Turkey).

Taking into account its shape, the intercontinental reservoir is divided into 2 basins. Western from Gibraltar to Sicily, and eastern from Sicily to the coast of Syria. The minimum width of sea waters is 130 km and runs between Cape Granitola (Sicily) and Cape Bona (Tunisia). The maximum width is 1665 km between Trieste (a city in Italy) and Greater Sirte (a bay on the coast of Libya).

To the pool Mediterranean Sea include such seas as Marmara, Black and Azov. Communication with them is carried out through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits. Through the Suez Canal, a huge body of water is connected to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

The intercontinental body of water itself has its own internal sea - the Adriatic. It is located between the Apennine and Balkan peninsulas. The Adriatic Sea is connected to the main waters by the Strait of Otranto, 47 km wide.

Mediterranean coast

Geography

Countries

The waters of a huge reservoir wash countries in which peoples live with absolutely different culture and mentality.

On the European coast there are states such as Spain (population 47.3 million people), France (66 million people), Italy (61.5 million people), Monaco (36 thousand people), Malta (453 thousand people ), Slovenia (2 million people), Croatia (4.4 million people), Bosnia and Herzegovina (3.8 million people), Montenegro (626 thousand people), Albania (2.8 million people), Greece (10.8 million people), Turkish Eastern Thrace (7.8 million people).

The following states are located on the African coast: Egypt (82.3 million people), Libya (5.6 million people), Tunisia (10.8 million people), Algeria (38 million people), Morocco (32.6 million people), Spanish Ceuta and Melilla (144 thousand people).

On the Asian coast there are states such as Turkey in Asia Minor (68.9 million people), Syria (22.5 million people), Cyprus (1.2 million people), Lebanon (4.2 million people), Israel (8 million people), Sinai Peninsula of Egypt (520 thousand people).

Seas

The huge body of water has its own seas. Their names and boundaries were formed historically many centuries ago. Let's look at them from west to east.

Alboran Sea located in front of the Strait of Gibraltar. Its length is 400 km and its width is 200 km. The depth varies from 1000 to 1500 meters.

Balearic Sea washes the eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. It is separated from the main body of water by the Balearic Islands. Its average depth is 770 meters.

Ligurian Sea located between the islands of Corsica and Elba. It washes France, Italy and Monaco. The average depth is 1200 meters.

Tyrrhenian Sea splashing around west coast Italy. Limited to the islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. This is a deep tectonic basin with a depth of 3 thousand meters.

Adriatic Sea lies between the Balkan and Apennine peninsulas. It washes Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy. In the northern part, the depth of the reservoir is only a few tens of meters, but in the south it reaches 1200 meters.

Ionian Sea located south of the Adriatic Sea between the Apennine and Balkan Peninsulas. It washes the shores of Crete, Peloponnese, and Sicily. The average depth corresponds to 2 km.

Aegean Sea located between Asia Minor and the Balkan Peninsula, limited to the south by the island of Crete. Connects through the Dardanelles with the Sea of Marmara. The depth ranges from 200 to 1000 meters.

Cretan Sea located between Crete and the Cyclades archipelago. The depth of these waters varies from 200 to 500 meters.

Libyan Sea located between Crete and North Africa. The depth of these waters reaches 2 thousand meters.

Cyprus Sea located between Asia Minor and the northern African coast. This is the warmest and sunniest part of the Mediterranean. Here the depth reaches 4300 meters. This body of water is conventionally divided into the Levantine and Cilician seas.

Mediterranean Sea on the map

Rivers

Such large rivers as the Nile (the second longest river in the world), the largest river in Italy, the Po River with a length of 652 km, the Italian Tiber River with a length of 405 km, the largest river in Spain, the Ebro (910 km) and the Rhone (812 km), flow into the Mediterranean Sea. km), flowing through Switzerland and France.

Islands

There are many islands. These are Cyprus, Crete, Euboea, Rhodes, Lesvos, Lemnos, Corfu, Chios, Samos, Kefalonia, Andros, Naxos. All of them are located in the eastern Mediterranean. In the central part there are islands such as Corsica, Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, Cres, Korcula, Brac, Pag, Hvar. In the western part there are Balearic Islands. These are 4 large islands: Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca, Formentera. Near them there are small islands.

Climate

The climate is strictly specific, Mediterranean. It is characterized by hot and dry summers and mild winters. In winter, the sea experiences frequent storms and rain. Local winds, bora and mistral, dominate. Summer is characterized by clear weather, minimal clouds and light precipitation. There are fogs. Sometimes there is a dusty haze, which is blown out of Africa by the Sirocco wind.

The average winter temperature in the southern part of the reservoir is 14-16 degrees Celsius. In the northern part of the reservoir it is 8-10 degrees Celsius. In summer, average temperatures in the north are 22-24 degrees Celsius, and in the south, respectively, 26-30 degrees Celsius. The minimum precipitation occurs in August, and the maximum occurs in December.

View of the Mediterranean Sea from space

Sea level rise

According to experts, by 2100 the level of Mediterranean waters may rise by 30-60 cm. As a result, the most of islands of Malta. 200 square meters will be flooded. km in the Nile Delta, which will force 500 thousand Egyptians to leave their ancestral lands. The salt level in groundwater will increase, which will reduce the amount drinking water along the entire Mediterranean coast. In the 22nd century the level sea water may rise another 30-100 cm. This will cause significant economic, political and natural changes in the Mediterranean.

Ecology

IN last years There was extremely high pollution of sea water. According to the UN, 650 million tons of wastewater, 129 tons of mineral oils, 6 tons of mercury, 3.8 tons of lead, and 36 thousand tons of phosphates were discharged into the Mediterranean Sea annually. Many marine species are on the verge of destruction. This primarily concerns white-bellied seals and sea turtles. At the bottom is great amount garbage. Most of the seabed is dotted with it.

Environmental problems have hit the fishery. Fish such as bluefin tuna, hake, swordfish, red mullet, and sea bream are on the verge of destruction. The size of commercial catches is decreasing from year to year. Tuna has been fished in the Mediterranean for thousands of years, but currently stocks are extremely low. Over the past 20 years they have decreased by 80%.

Tourism

Unique climate, beautiful coastline, rich history and culture attract millions of tourists to the Mediterranean every year. Their number is one third of all tourists in the world. Hence the enormous economic importance of tourism for this region.

But large financial flows cannot justify the degradation of the marine and coastal environment. Huge crowds of tourists pollute the Mediterranean coast. The situation is aggravated by the fact that visitors from all over the world are concentrated in those areas where there is the most high level natural resources. All this causes irreparable damage to flora and fauna. Their destruction and destruction will reduce the flow of tourists. They will begin to look for new places on the planet where they can once again destroy the unique gifts of nature with impunity.

One of the largest seas in size. The adjective “Mediterranean” is widely used to describe peoples, countries, climates, vegetation; For many, the concept of “Mediterranean” is associated with a particular way of life or with an entire period in human history.

It divides Europe, Africa and Asia, but it also closely connected Southern Europe, Northern Africa and Western 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. A number of Asian countries – Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel – reach the sea from the east. Finally, on the southern coast are Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. The area of the Mediterranean Sea is 2.5 million square meters. km, and since it is connected with other bodies of water only by narrow straits, it can be considered an inland sea.

In the west, through the Strait of Gibraltar, which is 14 km wide and up to 400 m deep, it has access to the Atlantic Ocean. In the northeast, the Dardanelles Strait, narrowing in places to 1.3 km, connects it with the Sea of Marmara and, through the Bosporus Strait, with the Black Sea. In the southeast there is an artificial structure - Suez Canal– connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea. These three narrow water passages have always had very great importance for trade, navigation and strategic purposes. IN different time they were controlled - or sought to be controlled - by the British, French, Turks and Russians. The Romans of the Roman Empire called the Mediterranean Sea mare nostrum ("our sea").

Coastline Mediterranean Sea strongly indented, and numerous protrusions of land divide it into many semi-isolated water areas that have their own names. These seas include: Ligurian, located south of the Riviera and north of Corsica; Tyrrhenian Sea, enclosed between peninsular Italy, Sicily and Sardinia; the Adriatic Sea, washing the shores of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Yugoslavia and Albania; Ionian Sea between Greece and southern Italy; Cretan Sea between the island of Crete and peninsular Greece; Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece. There are also a number of large bays, for example Alicante - off the eastern coast of Spain; Lyon - off the southern coast of France; Taranto - between the two southern protrusions 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 - respectively, off the southeastern and northeastern coasts of Tunisia.

Modern is a relic of the ancient Tethys Ocean, which was much wider and extended far to the east. Relics of the Tethys Ocean are also the Aral, Caspian, Black and Sea of Marmara, confined to its deepest depressions. It is likely that Tethys was once completely surrounded by land, and there was an isthmus between North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, in the area of the Strait of Gibraltar. 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 there are western and eastern depressions. The border between them is drawn through the Calabrian ledge of the Apennine Peninsula, Sicily and the underwater Adventure Bank (up to 400 m deep), stretching almost 150 km from Sicily to Cape Bon in Tunisia. Within both depressions, even smaller ones are isolated, usually bearing the names of the corresponding seas, for example, the Aegean, Adriatic, etc. The water in the western depression is slightly colder and fresher than in the eastern: 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 stormiest areas Mediterranean Sea is the Gulf of Lyon. The salinity of the sea varies widely, as less salty water comes from the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Tides are low here, but quite significant in very narrow straits and bays, especially during the full moon. However, quite strong currents are observed in the straits, directed both into and out of the Mediterranean Sea. Evaporation is higher than in Atlantic Ocean or in the Black Sea, therefore surface currents arise in the straits, carrying more fresh water to the Mediterranean Sea. At depths below these surface currents, countercurrents occur, but they do not compensate for the influx of water at 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, the blue silts are overlain by deltaic deposits, which occupy a large area. Depths Mediterranean Sea very different: the highest elevation - 5121 m - was recorded in the Hellenic deep-sea trench off 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 common surface bottom Mediterranean Sea In some places, significant areas of dissected relief rise, the tops 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 the 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 to the north of Sicily - Stromboli and Lipari. Within the Eastern Mediterranean Basin is the island of Malta (south of Sicily), and further to the east are Crete and Cyprus. There are numerous small islands in the Ionian, Cretan and Aegean seas; Among them are the Ionian - to the west of mainland Greece, the Cyclades - to the east of the Peloponnese Peninsula and Rhodes - off the southwestern coast of Turkey.

Large rivers flow into the Mediterranean Sea: Ebro (in Spain); Rhône (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 Aegean Sea basin includes the rivers Vardar (in Greece and Macedonia), Struma, or Strymon, and Mesta, or Nestos (in Bulgaria and Greece). The largest river in the Mediterranean basin, the Nile is the only large river, flowing into this sea from the south.

The Mediterranean Sea is famous for its calm and beauty, but like other seas, it can be rough during certain seasons, and then big waves hitting the coast. The Mediterranean has long attracted people favorable climate. The term "Mediterranean" is used to describe a climate with long, hot, clear, and dry summers and short, cool, wet winters. Many coastal areas Mediterranean Sea, especially the southern and eastern ones, are characterized by semiarid and arid climate features. In particular, semiaridity with an abundance of clear sunny days considered typical for a Mediterranean climate. However, in winter there are many cold days when damp, cold winds bring rain, drizzle and sometimes snow.

The Mediterranean is also famous for the attractiveness of its landscapes. The French and Italian Riviera, the outskirts of Naples, the Adriatic coast of Croatia with numerous islands, the shores of Greece and Lebanon, where steep mountain slopes approach the sea itself, are especially picturesque. Important trade routes and cultural spread passed through the main islands of the eastern Mediterranean - 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. the small number 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 (peridinea and diatoms predominate).

Fauna Mediterranean Sea characterized by great species diversity, however, the number of representatives of the department. there are few species. There are kaki, one type of seal (the white-bellied seal); sea turtle. There are 550 species of fish (sharks, mackerel, herring, anchovies, mullet, coryphenidae, tuna, bonito, horse mackerel, etc.). About 70 species of endemic fish, including stingrays, anchovy species, gobies, and mora. blennies, wrasse and needlefish. Of the edible shellfish, the most important are the oyster, the Mediterranean-Black Sea mussel, and the sea date. Of the invertebrates, octopuses, squids, sepia, crabs, lobsters are common; numerous species of jellyfish and siphonophores; In some areas, especially in the Aegean Sea, sponges and red coral are found.

Mediterranean coastal countries:

Spain
France
Monaco
Italy
Malta
Montenegro
Croatia
Slovenia
Bosnia
Albania
Greece
Bulgaria
Romania
Ukraine
Russia
Georgia
Türkiye
Syria
Lebanon
Israel
Egypt
Libya
Tunisia
Algeria
Morocco

Largest islands of the Mediterranean Sea:

Balearic
Corsica
Sardinia
Sicily

This question is asked much more often by tourism enthusiasts than by schoolchildren. This sea plays an important role in the lives of not only the modern inhabitants of its coast, it has influenced the emergence of many civilizations.

"The Sea in the Middle of the Earth"

The Mediterranean Sea began to be used long before new continents were discovered. It seemed to people that this large body of water was located in the very center of the planet. This is how the sea got its name.

“The sea in the middle of the Earth” became the most important trade route. It helped transport from Eurasia to Africa. Not only trade ties were established between peoples. Ethnic groups living on the coast sought to establish diplomatic contacts with other countries. Alliances were concluded with some, and with others they were fought fighting. But even wars to some extent had a positive effect on the development of mankind. Captured peoples adopted the experience and culture of the occupiers. As a result of cultural exchange, new civilizations emerged.

Today, the Mediterranean Sea continues to facilitate contacts between different cultures. The main source of income for the ancient inhabitants of the coast was trade with foreigners. Nowadays tourism has also been added to trade. Having learned which countries are washed by the Mediterranean Sea, tourists plan their vacation.

Where to go on a trip?

There are a huge number of countries on the sea coast. It will take more than one vacation to get to know everyone:

Malta. Many people mistakenly believe that the state consists of just one island. In fact, in addition to the main part, Malta, the state includes the island of Gozo (also called Gozo) and several sparsely inhabited islands. The small state is inhabited by only about 500,000 thousand people. Thanks to its climate in 2011, Malta was recognized as one of the... best countries to live in peace.
Italy. Here tourists will find relaxation for body and soul. In Italy you can lie on the beach and visit a huge number of museums. The rich culture of this country will not leave anyone indifferent. Italy is famous for its gastronomic delights. National cuisine is not just tasty, but also healthy. Beach holiday in this country is suitable for lovers of nudism. In 2006, being on the beach without clothes was legalized. Sunbathe In a similar way This is not possible in every country on the Mediterranean Sea. In some states, travelers and the local population will face a large fine or arrest for such behavior. More than half a million people visit Italian nudist beaches every year.
Spain. This country seems like a place for endless celebrations. Some celebrations terrify foreign tourists. Tomatina is a holiday during which people throw tomatoes at each other. Not every traveler will appreciate this way to spend free time. You can give preference to less exotic entertainment. Some tourists, returning from Spain, decide to take a flamenco or guitar course.
France. The southeast of this country is washed by the Mediterranean Sea. French culture is very diverse. The specifics of a region will be determined by its location. Being in the south of the country, travelers often feel like they are in some Spanish or Italian town. And this feeling is not far from the truth. Most Mediterranean cities are really similar to each other. Some settlements in the south of France were founded by representatives of other ethnic groups. Marseille, for example, was founded by the Greeks. It was originally called Massilia.
Türkiye. This country is most popular among Russian tourists. Europeans are much less common here. For thousands of Russians, Antalya, Mersin, Istanbul and some other Turkish cities are permanent place summer holiday during several years. Türkiye attracts with its cozy beaches, architectural attractions and local cuisine. Prices in this country are significantly lower than in Europe. The Turkish lira is cheaper than the dollar or euro. It is noteworthy that while in Turkey, you can relax not only on the Mediterranean, but also on the Black Sea.

Mediterranean- an intercontinental region that includes the Mediterranean Sea, its islands and the coastal regions of Southern Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The geographical uniqueness of the Mediterranean is that its territory, compared to other regions, lies on three continents. Countries whose territory is part of the region are called Mediterranean countries. Territories of most of the Mediterranean countries, such as France, Türkiye or countries North Africa, are only partially included in the region. Due to cultural and climatic characteristics, Portugal is also included in the Mediterranean, despite the fact that the country does not have access to the Mediterranean Sea.

The limitation of the Mediterranean is carried out mainly on climatological and cultural criteria, but also on a physical-geographical and political basis, which is partly interdependent. A generally accepted criterion in delineating the boundaries of the Mediterranean region is the natural and potential distribution areas of the olive tree, the so-called olive tree boundary. According to the latter characteristic, the limits of the Mediterranean are determined by the limits of the Mediterranean climate. However, due to the fact that, firstly, the olive tree is not always distributed in areas with a typical Mediterranean climate (e.g. in mountainous areas), and secondly, because some coastal regions of the Mediterranean are located in other climatic zones, the concept The Mediterranean usually delineates a slightly more significant geographical region. In addition, according to generally accepted opinion, some regions with a clearly defined Mediterranean climate, but a significant geographical distance from the Mediterranean Sea, are not considered to be Mediterranean. The latter include, for example, the coastal regions of the Black Sea and the highlands of the Zagras mountain range in Iran.

total area The Mediterranean area is about 3.85 million km2, of which about 1.35 million km2 is land, the remaining area of 2.5 million km2 is covered by the Mediterranean Sea. The northernmost point lies at the foot of the Alps in Venice, the furthest point to the west is Caba da Roca near Lisbon. In the east and south, the boundaries of the district run along the edge ( transition zones) Syrian Desert or Sahara, while the boundaries in the south are quite arbitrary, because desert climate zones in some places approach the coast itself (for example, near Port Said in the north of the Sinai Peninsula).

The Mediterranean territory lies on three continents: Europe, Africa and Asia. The European part includes (in whole or in part)

The area of the Mediterranean region is over 4 million square meters. km, with the Central Asian Highlands - over 5 million square meters. km.

The Mediterranean unites the countries of two continents - Africa and Eurasia, as well as numerous islands and archipelagos: Sicily, Sardinia, Crete, Cyprus, the Balearic Islands and many others.

Mediterranean countries share similar natural conditions. This is primarily a Mediterranean subtropical climate with hot, dry summers and warm, rainy winters. The second common feature of the region is its fragmented, mainly mountainous terrain with a predominance of low mountain ranges. The plains occupy relatively small areas mainly along the coasts. In the structure of the surface, a large role belongs to volcanic rocks, as well as limestones with their inherent karst topography.

The Mediterranean climate is very favorable for human health. The velvet season lasts from August to October. In most Mediterranean countries, life expectancy is much higher than the global average (about 83 years for men, about 85 years for women), despite quite low level life and education of the population of most Mediterranean countries. Many scientists are looking for the secret of longevity in the special diet of the region's inhabitants, which traditionally includes olive oil, other olive products, red wine (except Islamic countries), fresh herbs and (, mulberries), seafood, goat milk.

The Mediterranean area was inhabited many thousands of years ago. The long-term settlement and development of these lands are associated both with the presence of a warm sea - a source of food, a means of communication, and with climatic conditions favorable for human life.

Several thousand years ago, about 20 peoples lived here, possessing high culture. The civilizations of the Aegean culture, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Crete, and later Byzantium are widely known. Ottoman Empire. Along the Mediterranean Sea, the cradle of navigation, there was close interaction, exchange of cultural achievements and trade between the ancient civilizations that arose on its shores

Since ancient times, people have been much less afraid of water than of insurmountable mountains, dead deserts and impenetrable forests infested with predators. Therefore, paradoxically, when it came to long distances, waterways, despite storms and shipwrecks, from ancient times they functioned more regularly than land ones. Thanks to this, the Mediterranean became the only area in the world where every ethnic group and every culture could communicate not with one or two or three neighbors, but with dozens of other ethnic groups and cultures at once. This communication, naturally, was not always peaceful and often ended in wars of extermination. And yet, it greatly contributed to the interpenetration of languages and customs, the comprehensive progress of the peoples of the region, the development of competition between them, and the exchange of economic, political and cultural experience.

Yes, civilization Ancient Egypt intensively interacted with neighboring regions. The regions of Libya, Nubia, Syria, and Palestine constantly found themselves either under Egyptian rule or objects of its expansion. The Egyptians taught many things to others and learned many things themselves. Their culture, like the culture of other peoples of the Mediterranean, was created and developed under foreign influences.

And the influence of the cultures of Ancient Egypt, Aegeans, Achaeans, Phenicia, Syria, Asia Minor and ancient Persia on archaic Greece of the 11th–6th centuries BC. e.? In the same way, Ancient Rome adopted the achievements of the Carthaginians, Greeks, Hellenistic states of the East, and even earlier - the Samnites, Etruscans, Gauls and other Mediterranean peoples. These borrowings only strengthened civilization Ancient Rome, brought it to perfection, while simultaneously adding an element of pluralism to its local variants. Without such processes, it would have been impossible to create a gigantic empire that achieved for the first time (and, as it turned out, only once in history) the political unity of the entire Mediterranean.

Migrations of ethnic groups and faiths, which began in the era of the “peoples of the sea” (perhaps much earlier), continue here and now, leaving their mark on the composition and character of the population, appearance and way of life, names and adverbs, views and ideas.

List of Mediterranean countries

Northern Cyprus