What is included in the Mediterranean. Mediterranean Sea - detailed information
Historically, the most important water basin for Europeans was the Mediterranean Sea. (True, other peoples could have other seas as the main ones.) It was on its shores that the Greek and Hellenic civilization was born. On its blue waves, the Phoenicians are the best sailors ancient world- learned to swim to distant countries… What is it and how and when did it arise?
The emergence of the Mediterranean
Scientists believe that Mediterranean sea - a relic, that is, a relic of that ancient era when the single continent of the Earth - Gondwana was washed by the single ocean Tethys (by the way, the Aral, Caspian, Black and Marmara seas, which filled deep depressions on a single Gondwana, when it split and dispersed into continents).
But there is another opinion: as if once Tethys was surrounded by land. And between North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, where now, between Asia Minor and Europe, there were land bridges with river valleys. And only later they were flooded by ocean waters ... There are different assumptions and hypotheses. That's why they exist, to study them, and then either accept or reject them as untenable.
In the west, the Mediterranean Sea is connected by the Strait of Gibraltar with. In the northeast, the Dardanelles connects the Mediterranean with the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus with the Black Sea. In the southeast, people dug the Suez Canal from mediterranean sea in, and from it - a direct path to the Indian Ocean.
The shores of the Mediterranean Sea are indented with bays and lagoons., which served a lot for the development of navigation among the ancient peoples. There are also large bays: Valencia, Lyons, Genoese, Taranto, Sidra (Great Sirte), Gabes (Small Sirte). Find them yourself on the map.
Mediterranean islands
Islands in the Mediterranean - many, especially in its northern part. The most significant of them: Sicily, then Sardinia, Corsica, Crete, Cyprus and the Balearic Islands. Some historians believe that once in the Mediterranean Sea was the island of the state of Atlantis, disappeared as a result of a terrible volcanic eruption. Only the majority of authors indicated the location of Atlantis in different ways, starting from the coast South America to the North Sea and from the Yucatan to Mongolia…
version that the island of Atlantis was in the Mediterranean, said the Russian traveler and scientist, academician Abraham Norov, who lived in the 19th century. It is this assumption that has gained the most popularity.
Atlantis is being sought to this day. It is known, for example, that an entire civilization, the so-called Minoan culture, which existed for one and a half thousand years BC, somewhere in the region of the islands of Crete and Tyre, died as a result of major disaster. The French oceanologist Jacques Yves Cousteau discovered fragments of structures at the bottom of the underwater island of Thira, indicating that the city really died there. It is not known only whether it was Atlantis ...
At the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea there are several deep basins with relatively steep continental slopes. The shelf strip is narrow, expanding only between the coast of Tunisia and Sicily and in the Adriatic Sea. The Mediterranean basin includes many coastal seas. You must know them from history or from mythology. There were many different events going on. Look at the map and find them yourself one by one.
Weather and climate of the Mediterranean
The main wealth of the Mediterranean is the climate: mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. In winter, the pressure of the atmosphere over the sea decreases, and this determines the unstable weather with frequent storms and rains. Local winds often blow. In summer, an anticyclone is established in most of the Mediterranean basin with clear weather, with little cloudiness and occasional rain. AT Mediterranean Sea from Africa, the south wind of the sirocco sometimes brings a dusty mist. And in the Strait of Messina you can often see mirages, the so-called veil - morgana.
The Mediterranean Sea is located between Europe, Asia Minor and Africa. It is surrounded by land on all sides, with the exception of two narrow straits - the Strait of Gibraltar (connects the Mediterranean Sea with the North Atlantic) and the Bosphorus (connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Black Sea) - and the Suez Canal (connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea).
area of the mediterranean sea 2965.5 thousand km2, Average depth 1500 m; the deepest (5092 m) is the depression of the Ionian Sea, located to the west of the Peloponnese peninsula (part of the Hellenic depression). The shallow threshold of the Sicilian Strait and the narrow Strait of Messina divide the Mediterranean Sea into two parts - eastern and western (and, accordingly, into two basins). The boundaries of the seas that make up the Mediterranean Sea are set arbitrarily.
In the western part of the Mediterranean Sea there are the Alboran, Balearic, Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas, in the eastern part - the Adriatic, Ionian, Aegean and Marmara, located between the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus. The Mediterranean Sea is characterized by numerous small islands, especially in the Aegean and Ionian Seas.
Most major islands : Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, Corsica and Crete. The main rivers flowing into the Mediterranean Sea are the Rhone, the Nile and the Po. The waters of the rivers that flow into the Black Sea enter the Mediterranean Sea through the Bosporus and Dardanelles.
Bottom relief
The Mediterranean Sea has many morphological features characteristic of the ocean basin. Continental shallows are rather narrow (less than 25 miles), moderately developed. Continental slopes are usually very steep and cut by submarine canyons. canyons Cote d'Azur France and off the western coast of Corsica are among the most studied.
Alluvial fans are located at the foot of the mainland near the large deltas of the Rhone and Po rivers. The alluvial fan of the Rhone extends out to sea towards the Balearic abyssal plain. This abyssal plain, with an area of over 78,000 km2, occupies most of the western basin.
The steepness of the slopes of this plain suggests that the deposition of sediments brought by turbidity flows from the Rhone occurs to a large extent through channels that cut through the alluvial fan. However, sedimentary material to some extent comes to the Balearic abyssal plain from the canyons of the Côte d'Azur and the canyons of the North African coast (Algeria region).
In the Tyrrhenian Sea there is a central abyssal plain with several small plateaus, on which the highest seamount rises 2850 m above the seabed (depth above the mountain 743 m). There are many other seamounts in this sea; on the mainland slopes of Sicily and Calabria, the peaks of some of them rise above the surface of the sea and form islands. Soil cores taken from the central abyssal plain clearly show layers of ash that correspond to historical volcanic eruptions on the Apennine Peninsula.
Bottom morphology the eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea differs markedly from the bottom morphology of the western basin. In the western basin, apart from a small abyssal plain in the center of the Ionian Sea, no other large areas with horizontally lying and undeformed terrigenous sediments have been found. Extensive areas of the bottom represent either a complexly dissected median ridge or a series of collapsed depressions located along an arc parallel to the Hellenic archipelago.
deep sea trenches stretch from ionian islands and pass south of the islands Crete and Rhodes in the Gulf of Antalya (Hellenic Depression). The greatest depth of the Mediterranean Sea - 5092 m - has one of these depressions with a flat bottom (filled with sediments). Precipitation began to fill another depression south of the island of Rhodes (depth 4450 m).
There are well-developed channels on the Nile alluvial fan, which form a large branched system. The channels lead to a very narrow abyssal plain located at the base of the alluvial fan, in contrast to the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea, where the Rhone alluvial fan feeds the large Balearic abyssal plain. At present, the narrow abyssal plain at the base of the Nile fan is actively deforming; some of its sections are a median ridge, or a series of collapsed depressions located along an arc parallel to the Hellenic archipelago. Apparently, in the recent past, the process of sedimentation was slower than the tectonic deformation of large parts of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Hydrological regime. The Mediterranean Sea is surrounded by countries with a dry climate. As a result, the amount of evaporation significantly exceeds the amount of precipitation and river flow. The emerging water deficit is replenished through the Strait of Gibraltar by the inflow of North Atlantic surface waters. An increase in the salinity of water due to evaporation causes an increase in its density. The denser water sinks deeper; thus, the western and eastern basins are filled with a homogeneous and relatively warm water mass.
temperature and salinity deep and intermediate waters fluctuate within very small limits: from 12.7 to 14.5 ° C and from 38.4 to 39 prom.
water circulation
North Atlantic surface waters entering the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait of Gibraltar move along the coast of North Africa and gradually spread over the surface of the Mediterranean Sea; part of the waters extends into the Lugirian Sea, part into the Tyrrhenian Sea. There, cooling due to evaporation and the influence of dry polar air masses coming from Europe, the waters sink, forming a certain type of water mass in the western Mediterranean. North Atlantic waters through the Strait of Sicily also enter the eastern sector of the Mediterranean Sea. where some of them deviate north into the Adriatic Sea. As a result of evaporation, they also cool here and sink to a depth. North Atlantic waters sporadically overflow through the threshold of the Strait of Otranto, forming a deep water mass in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The distribution of dissolved oxygen in the deep waters of the Ionian Sea testifies to their counterclockwise circulation.
The North Atlantic waters remaining on the surface, now very much changed by evaporation, continue to move into eastbound to the island of Cyprus, where they dive during the winter months.
North Atlantic surface waters, bearing a large number of dissolved salts must eventually return to the North Atlantic, since the salinity of the Mediterranean Sea does not increase over time.
Outflow of water from the Mediterranean Sea occurs through the threshold of the Strait of Gibraltar at a depth below the incoming flow (300 m). Mediterranean water leaving the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait of Gibraltar, despite the higher temperature, is much more saline and denser than the Atlantic, which is at the same level. As a result, Mediterranean water, having entered the Atlantic Ocean, flows down the continental slope until, at a depth of 1000 m, it meets Atlantic deep water of the same density. The Mediterranean water then rises and spreads to the north, south and west, forming a layer that is southwardly detectable in the Atlantic for several thousand miles.
Biogenic elements. The waters of the Mediterranean Sea are poor in biogenic elements. Phosphates in them are much less than in waters. North Atlantic. This is explained by. that the waters from the North Atlantic enter the Mediterranean Sea through a shallow sill, so that only the North Atlantic surface waters, which are themselves severely depleted, pass through the Mediterranean. The accumulation of nutrients in deep waters is also prevented by the continuous outflow of waters returning back through the Strait of Gibraltar. For complete ventilation of the entire Mediterranean basin through the removal of water, about 75 children are required.
Tides in the mediterranean predominantly semidiurnal. The eastern and western basins have separate systems of standing waves. In the Adriatic Sea, there is a progressive (progressive) tide of about 1 m moving around the aifidromic point located near the center of the Mediterranean Sea. At other points in the Mediterranean, the tide is about 30 cm.
Bottom sediments near the coast they include the following components: 1) carbonates, consisting mainly of coccolithophores, as well as foraminifers and pteropods; 2) detritus carried by wind and currents; 3) volcanic substances; and 4) end products of weathering of land rocks, mainly clay minerals. The average carbon content in the cores of the soil of the eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea is about 40% and in the cores of the soil of the western basin is about 30%. The content of detritus varies from zero to a maximum; in general, it is higher in the cores of the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea. Sometimes sandy horizons can be recognized in soil columns and compared from core to core. Volcanic ash forms more or less distinct layers and is also found in non-volcanic material. Quantity volcanic products small, excluding areas close to volcanoes (Vesuvius and Etna).
The rate of sedimentation near Levanto and in the Ionian Sea is low, the same as in the central part of the North Atlantic; in the western Mediterranean it is several times larger.
The structure of the earth's crust. An analysis of seismic measurements by the method of refracted waves, performed in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea, showed that the earth's crust here has an "oceanic nature". Throughout the Balearic abyssal plain, the depth of the surface of Mohorović is less than 12 km from sea level. This value increases towards the mainland and reaches more than 50 km under the Alpes-Maritimes, which abruptly break off at the Côte d'Azur.
In the Mediterranean Sea, a layer of sediments (1–1.5 km thick) with a low longitudinal wave velocity (1.7–2.5 km/s) is underlain by a thick rock stratum with an average longitudinal wave velocity (3.0–6.0 km/s). with). Precipitation with low wave speed is much more powerful in the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea than in the eastern one. If a layer with an intermediate value of the wave velocity marks the bottom of the sedimentary mass, then their thickness is extremely small, taking into account large area, which is subject to the flow of the Rhone. (In the deep-water part of the Gulf of Mexico, the thickness of precipitation is more than 6 km.)
However, if the reflecting layer is represented by consolidated sediments or volcanic rocks within the sedimentary sequence, then it indicates a significant change in the geological history of this basin. The magnetic field in the Mediterranean Sea is surprisingly uniform, especially in the tectonically active eastern basin. Nevertheless, strong anomalies occur in the Tyrrhenian Sea above the seamounts.
A wide band of Faye's negative gravity anomalies is confined to the central part of the Hellenic Basin. They are associated with a large subsidence of crustal blocks inside this depression. Seismic studies in the northern part of the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea revealed its subsidence relative to the European mainland by 3 km. The underlying cause of such large vertical movements is not well understood. Faye's weak gravity anomalies in the western Mediterranean indicate that the basin is in isostatic equilibrium. It is extremely difficult to imagine how the modern "oceanic" Earth's crust could maintain its former uplift without any redistribution of density within the deep part of the crust or upper mantle.
Geotectonic development. Mediterranean Sea is a relic sea, the remnant of a huge water basin that used to stretch from Portugal to Pacific Ocean(through the Alps, Southeast Europe, Turkey, Iran, the Himalayas, South East Asia). It is thought to have been associated with the Maori geosyncline in New Zealand. This ancient sea basin Suess called the Tethys Sea.
Its history is well known from the Triassic, but even in the Paleozoic traces of such a connection are noticeable, and many authors speak of proto- or paleo-Tethys. Tethys separated the northern continents (Eurasia and possibly a continuation North America, i.e. Laurasia) from the southern continents, originally united in Gondwana.
There seems to have been constant interaction between the two giant continental blocks of the primordial "Protogen" mentioned, for at least the last half a billion years. Different authors conceive of these relationships in different ways. Proponents of continental drift, such as Argand, Wegener, believe that there was a constant convergence of the two initial earth masses, which led to the bowing of deep-sea basins and, as a result, to the formation of Alpine folding that arose at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous and resumed in several phases of the Tertiary period.
According to others (for example, Staub, Glanzho), the so-called "ebb and flow", i.e., processes of compression and tension, took place.
Today, the Mediterranean Sea washes the shores of 22 countries. Considering that the states of the Mediterranean Sea are located in the subtropical climatic zone, excellent conditions are created for the creation of resort bases. Today mediterranean coast is a favorite place for most tourists from all over the world.
Mediterranean cruises are an opportunity to see past eras with your own eyes, visiting the monuments of antiquity, the masterpieces of the Middle Ages and the outstanding creations of our time. Every day of such a journey brings new impressions, new states of the Mediterranean Sea: the sandy beaches of Tunisia and Malta, ancient Pompeii and formidable Vesuvius, the leaning tower in Pisa, the wide boulevards of Nice and Barcelona, the canals of Venice and the museums of Florence.
Cruises most often pass through European mediterranean countries. Tourists visit Italy - the country of the sun and wine, spaghetti and olive oil, high fashion and masterpieces of world architecture. And after a busy journey through her famous cities you can relax on the sunny beaches of the island of Sardinia or stroll through the gardens and olive groves of picturesque Sicily.
Beauty Spain - another one mediterranean country- a picturesque area with upscale resorts, rich nature and ancient cities. And of course, sea cruises in the Mediterranean are not complete without visiting Mallorca and Ibiza.
In France, every city is a monument of culture or historical Museum, wine center or luxury resort. Paris, Nice, Cannes, Bordeaux, Marseille, Avignon - sights here are found at every step. The landscapes of the country are no less picturesque: the snow-white peaks of the Alps, beautiful beaches Atlantic and Mediterranean, medieval castles, vast vineyards and charming old distilleries.
Malta is another amazing country included in many Mediterranean cruises. This is a contrasting island, the northeast coast of which is densely populated, and almost lifeless. South coast breaks off sheer cliffs to the waters of the Mediterranean. Here is Valletta - a medieval walled city, one of the few remaining in Europe.
Morocco is a Mediterranean country that brings an oriental touch to cruises in the western Mediterranean. It is located at the crossroads of European and Islamic cultures and lies on the border of the greenest mountains in Africa and the largest desert in the world.
No less colorful African countries Mediterranean region. For example, Tunisia is one of the world's oldest resorts with many historical monuments, sandy beaches and dynamically developing tourist infrastructure. In addition to the traditional beach holiday and modern hotels, Tunisia is ancient oriental architecture, unusual cuisine and numerous colorful markets.
Almost all countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea have their own famous resorts. Most of all, Russians love the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. The resorts of Montenegro and Croatia stand out especially.
Montenegro is a Mediterranean country famous for its resorts. Ada Boyana - south beach country, with a total length of 3.8 kilometers. The beach is covered the best sand throughout the Adriatic. The island of Ada Bojana has a triangular shape. From two sides, the coast of the island is washed by the Bojana River, and from the third - by the waters of the Adriatic Sea. On the island you can find excellent hotels, good fun - everything your heart desires. The resort town of Becici is another pride of Montenegro. The local resort is famous for its delightful Mediterranean nature, and the 2-kilometer golden pebble beach known all over the world.
Another Mediterranean country - Croatia, also has something to boast about. In particular, these are the beaches of Brela. Here the water is so clear that you can see the bottom even at a depth of 50 meters. Certainly the most popular resort Croatia, which in 2004 became the sixth in the world and the first in Europe.
Today, the states of the eastern Mediterranean have greatly succeeded in the development of tourism infrastructure. The beaches of Egypt, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece annually attract tens of millions of tourists. But, for example, to Lebanon or Syria, tourists are not in a hurry to go.
If you want to have a royal rest, then the city of Limassol (Cyprus) is already waiting for you.
If you want to diversify your vacation, then in addition to already famous resorts in Greece, Turkey or Italy, you can go to Algeria or Libya. Now countries are actively equipping their resort beaches. Certainly they have potential.
Countries of the Mediterranean basin, traditions and cultures of different peoples, architecture different eras, endless sea, picturesque islands and the hot sun - all these are sea cruises in the Mediterranean, allowing you to see such different and such distant countries in a short time.
Along with this material they usually read:
For lovers of unconditionally comfortable rest created cruise ships and developed special routes and entertainment programs on board. Having bought such a cruise, you will not need anything! Your ship will carry you through the waves like a floating luxury hotel.
Everyone in school read ancient Greek legends. And if I didn’t read avidly, then I clearly heard the names of gods and heroes. A trip to Rhodes can completely immerse you in the atmosphere of past millennia, give you a chance for a miracle. Perhaps you will be lucky! Take a chance!
If you are going to New Year's tour on the Mediterranean Sea, be sure to include Greece in your itinerary. Holidays in this country will give you a feeling of an ongoing miracle, which is so important to feel at this time of the year for both adults and children.
Another country in the Mediterranean that you should definitely visit on a cruise is Israel. The Promised Land will amaze a traveler of any religion with its inner grandeur, and visiting religious shrines will be of interest not only to believers.
The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea. Located between Europe, Africa and Asia. This sea is associated with Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely surrounded by land: in the north bordered by Southern Europe and Greece, in the south by North Africa and in the east by Lebanon, this is the region of Syria, Palestine and Lebanon.
Sometimes the sea is attributed to the composition of the Atlantic Ocean, but is usually defined as a separate body of water. The name Mediterranean comes from the Latin and means "in the middle of the earth."
The sea approximately covers an area of more than 2.5 million square kilometers, and the strait connecting the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean is only 14 kilometers wide. The strait is called Gibraltar and it separates Europe from Africa from Morocco. Sometimes within the framework of oceanography the Mediterranean is called the Euro-African Sea in order to distinguish it from other Mediterranean seas, such as the Black Sea, which is also surrounded by land.
The average depth of the sea is 1,500 meters, and its deepest point is located in the composite Ionian Sea at a depth of 5,267 meters. total length coastline is about 46,000 kilometers.
Mediterranean countries
The Mediterranean Sea acts as a water territorial border for 24 countries: Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Monaco, Montenegro, Northern Cyprus, Palestine , Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Turkey, Tunisia and Mediterranean controlled territories.
Mediterranean Sea on the map
History of the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea was an important route for merchants and travelers of ancient times, which favorably affected the trade and cultural exchange between the peoples who lived in that region. The history of the Mediterranean region plays an important role in the history of the entire western ancient world.
The Mediterranean Sea historically has several names: the Carthaginians called it the Syrian Sea, the Romans - Our Sea, the Syrians - the Great Sea, the Israelites - the Philistine Sea, in Hebrew - the Near Sea, the Arabs - the Byzantine Sea, and the Turks - the White Sea.
Sea video
Countries and resorts of the Mediterranean Sea: maps, photos and videos. Holidays in the Mediterranean, hotels, beaches, water temperature off the coast of resorts.
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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 annually visited 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: although not always warm, but quite clear waters, sandy or pebbly coastlines with a remarkably wide coastline, violent fruitful nature and mass historical ruins around. 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": and vegetable rest in slippers and a bathing suit, 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.
Another one 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.
Among the other pleasant bonuses of the direction are a short flight (you can fly to most resorts in no more than 4 hours), a combined visa regime (we are talking about Schengen), which allows you to wave to your neighbors along the coastline without hassle, in some cases - even lack of visa formalities - as in Tunisia or Turkey. Among other things, the Mediterranean - the most financially accessible of the resort overseas seas - you can find a vacation here, starting from 200 EUR “from the nose”. Finally, the climate here is closest to the "universal" - bathing season 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 solitary recreation The Mediterranean Sea has in store several secret corners, such as small Greek islands where nothing prevents us from consigning to oblivion everyday life.
