Describe the Mediterranean Sea. Map of the Mediterranean seas: islands, countries, seas, water. Mediterranean Sea: geographical map in Russian, map of currents, resorts. Holidays in Israel will be provided by resort towns
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 most southern point 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. Minimum width sea waters is 130 km long 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 where peoples with completely different cultures and mentalities live.
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 rivers flow into the Mediterranean Sea large rivers like the Nile (the second longest river in the world), the largest river in Italy, the Po with a length of 652 km, Italian river The Tiber, with a length of 405 km, is the longest big river Spain's Ebro (910 km) and Rhone (812 km), flowing through Switzerland and France.
Islands
There are many islands. These are Cyprus, Crete, Euboea, Rhodes, Lesbos, 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 are the 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 carried 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 of this, most of the island of Malta will disappear. 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, sea water levels may rise by 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 Mediterranean coast. The situation is aggravated by the fact that visitors from all over the world are concentrated in those areas where the highest level of natural resources is observed. 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.
Mediterranean Sea surrounded on all sides by earth. One glance at the map is enough to agree with this judgment. This was also known ancient Greek scientist.
- Countries and islands
- Countries
- Islands
- Eastern Mediterranean
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Features of geographical location and climate
Mediterranean Sea it's not named in vain, from all sides it touches with continents.
Nowhere else in the world has this been found large indoor pool, which is connected to the ocean by only a tiny, for this scale, bridge - Strait of Gibraltar.
The sea in its own way geographical location is between: Asia, Europe, Africa.
Total area - 2,500 square kilometers. The maximum depth is 5,121 meters.
It is connected by channels and straits with Black, Red And Seas of Marmara.
Concerning bottom relief, then everything he has is typical for the sea peculiarities:
Part Mediterranean Sea includes inland seas:
- Aegean;
- Alboran;
- Adriatic;
- Balearic;
- Ionian;
- Ligurian;
- Tyrrhenian.
When planning a vacation on the Adriatic Sea, find out detailed information about its resorts from this article
in winter the weather is very changeable, regularly there are storms, and pass heavy rainfall. The temperature drops significantly due to the influence northern winds.
In summer observed here dry fog and not a large number of precipitation.
Tourists come en masse to these places closer to mid-summer. By July the reservoir warms up to +27 degrees.
Countries and islands
To the Mediterranean include vast territories of countries and islands. We give examples of some of them below.
Countries
- Türkiye. There are resorts here that are very popular Russian tourists. Most of the service staff are talking in Russian, which simplifies holidays in a foreign country for our tourists. There are a lot of excellent ones here beaches, inexpensive hotels and one of the best in the world kitchens. The reservoir washes the following large Turkish cities – Mersin, Istanbul, Antalya And Izmir.
- Italy. It is located in the western Mediterranean. People come here to eat delicious pizza And spaghetti and also enjoy warm sun. Resort towns are considered Rome, Sicily And Milan.
- Spain. Ibiza, Barcelona And Majorca- these are exactly the ones settlements, where travelers come who want to have fun and have a good time. Especially it concerns youth, loving noisy parties.
- Croatia. A country attractive for tourists, first of all, quickly gaining momentum yachting. For this purpose the state allocates multi-million dollar investment.
- Montenegro. The beach is especially worth a look Ada Boyana. Here the purest sand, which can only be found throughout Adriatic. In addition, tourism is actively developing here among nudists.
- Albania. Chic kitchen, beautiful landscapes– this is how local resorts are characterized.
- Morocco. Intersect here European And Islamic traditions and cultures. This fact attracts tourists. According to statistics, people also come here to see cultural attractions. Particularly popular Casablanca.
- Tunisia. Ancients museums, mysterious artifacts, monuments architecture, memorable markets– at local resorts you can’t find any miracles.
Italy - beautiful place for relaxation not only in summer, but also in winter. Read about winter resorts of this country here
In ancient times it was believed that the Mediterranean Sea was located in the center of the world. The Roman aborigines called it Inland Sea, since all its shores were conquered by them.
Islands
Also in the Mediterranean a bunch of big and small islands, interesting for travelers. Among them stand out:
- Djerba. Located in the north Africa. Translated from ancient Arabic as "wheat town". The island is mentioned in the famous "Odyssey" Homer. Pink flamingos, ancient synagogue, fireballs, local delicious rice– something like this simply cannot be missed if you find yourself in Djerba.
- Sardinia. Located next to Dirk And Sicily. Archaeologists constantly find various tombs And ziggurats. These are the main attractions of the island.
- Vulcano. Tourists come here to see the numerous volcanic craters.
Scientists have found out that due to the catastrophic floods, which occurred 5.3 million years ago, is precisely filling occurred Mediterranean Sea. In two years such a large water basin was formed!
Eastern Mediterranean
Most often to Eastern Mediterranean include the shores of Greece, Italy and Turkey, this the opinion is wrong. If we approach this issue from a geographical point of view and look at the map, it turns out that the Eastern Mediterranean includes:
Have you decided to relax in Cyprus? Find out what others think about the island's hotels in this article
Pros and cons of holidays on the Mediterranean Sea
On the Mediterranean Sea ideal to relax in September. At this time already the heat subsides, and the water remains warm. An additional advantage is that the reservoir contains a large amount healthy salts And No dangerous poisonous plants And animals.
Can be inspected attractions absolutely different countries world and get to know them culture. After all, the Mediterranean Sea washes the shores of a good half continents of the world.
In Mediterranean resorts there is a very developed resort and medical infrastructure. Therefore, people suffering diseases of various origins, can easily find a place for relaxation and recovery.
There are no cons. Unless, of course, you consider the scorching summer sun a disadvantage.
The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea. Located between Europe, Africa and Asia. This sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely surrounded by land: in the north it is bordered by Southern Europe and Greece, to the south by North Africa and to 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 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 of Gibraltar is called the Strait of 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 deep point located in the composite Ionian Sea at a depth of 5,267 meters. The total length of the coastline is about 46,000 kilometers.
Mediterranean countries
The Mediterranean Sea acts as a water territorial boundary 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 important route for merchants and travelers of ancient times, which had a beneficial effect on trade and cultural exchange between the peoples living 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 Israelis - the Sea of the Philistines, in Hebrew - the Near Sea, the Arabs - the Byzantine Sea, and the Turks - the White Sea.
Video about the sea
His total area is 2,500,000 km², and the deepest point is off the coast of Greece, and is 5,121 m. However, the average depth of the sea is approximately 1,500 m. The Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the narrow Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and Morocco, which is only 22 km wide.
The Mediterranean Sea has had a historically important role in international trade, which has been a strong factor in the development of the region around it.
History of the Mediterranean
The region around the Mediterranean Sea has a long history that dates back to ancient times. For example, tools from Stone Age times have been discovered by archaeologists along its shores, and it is believed that the Egyptians began sailing it in 3000 BC. e. The region's early people used the Mediterranean Sea as a trade route and a way to move around or colonize other regions. As a result, the sea was controlled by several ancient civilizations. These include the Minoan, Phoenician, Greek and later Roman civilizations.
However, in the 5th century. BC e. The Roman Empire fell, and the Mediterranean Sea and the region around it came to be controlled by the Byzantines, Arabs and Ottoman Turks. By the 12th century, trade in the region grew as Europeans began their exploration expeditions. Although trade in the region declined in the late 1400s as European traders opened new waterways to India and Far East. However, in 1869, after the opening of the Suez Canal, trade in the region began to increase again.
In addition, the opening of the Suez Canal, connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas, has also become an important strategic location for many European countries. As a consequence, the United Kingdom and France began to build colonies and naval bases along the seashores.
Today the Mediterranean Sea is one of the busiest seas in the world. Trade and shipping are very well developed, and fishing in the sea waters is also significant. In addition, tourism is most economy of the region, thanks to its mild climate, beautiful beaches, developed cities and ancient historical sites.
Geography of the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a very large sea that is bounded by Europe, Africa and Asia, and extends from the Strait of Gibraltar in the West to the Dardanelles and Suez Canal in the East. Since the Mediterranean Sea is connected to the ocean only by the narrow Strait of Gibraltar, it is characterized by very weak tides, and its waters are warmer and saltier than those of the Atlantic Ocean. This is due to the fact that evaporation exceeds precipitation and runoff, and the circulation of sea water is less active than if the sea were more connected to the ocean. However, a sufficient amount of water flows into the sea from the Atlantic Ocean, due to which the sea level is not subject to large fluctuations.
Geographically, the Mediterranean Sea is divided into two different basins - the Western and Eastern Basins. The Western Basin extends from Cape Trafalgar in Spain and Cape Spartel in Africa west to Cape Et-Tib in northeastern Tunisia. The Eastern Basin extends from the eastern border of the Western Basin to the shores of Syria and Palestine.
In total, the Mediterranean Sea is bordered by 22 states, as well as several different territories. Some of the countries with borders along the Mediterranean coast include: Spain, France, Monaco, Malta, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Morocco. It also borders several smaller seas and is home to more than 3,000 islands. The largest of these islands include Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Cyprus and Crete.
The landforms around the Mediterranean Sea are varied, with highly indented coastlines in northern regions. High mountains and steep, rocky cliffs are common in the region. In other areas, although the coastline is flat, deserts predominate. The water temperature of the Mediterranean Sea also varies, but in general it fluctuates between 10° and 27° C.
Environmental threats to the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is home to countless various types and, mainly, entering its waters from the Atlantic Ocean. However, because the Mediterranean Sea is warmer and saltier than the ocean, these species have had to adapt. Porpoises, bottlenose dolphins and loggerhead sea turtles are common in the sea.
There are a number of threats to the Mediterranean Sea. Invasive species are one of the most common threats, as ships from other regions often bring non-native species, as well as Red Sea inhabitants entering the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. Pollution is also a big problem, with coastal cities dumping chemicals and waste into the sea. Overfishing and tourism threaten biodiversity and integrity, as both industries put pressure on the natural environment of the Mediterranean Sea.
Mediterranean countries
Because of big size The Mediterranean Sea and its intercontinental location, it borders on 22 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. Below is a list of all Mediterranean countries, sorted by continent and with information on area, population and capitals.
Mediterranean countries of Africa
1) Algeria:
Area: 2381741 km²
Population: 40,400,000 (as of 2016)
Capital: Algiers
2) Egypt:
Area: 1010408 km²
Population: 96,492,600 (as of 2017)
Capital: Cairo
Note: Most of Egypt's territory is in Africa, with the exception of Sinai Peninsula, located in Asia.
3) Libya:
Area: 1759541 km²
Population: 6,293,253 (as of 2017)
Capital: Tripoli
4) Morocco:
Area: 710850 km²
Population: 33,848,242 (as of 2015)
Capital: Rabat
5) Tunisia:
Area: 163610 km²
Population: 11,304,482 people (as of 2016)
Capital: Tunisia
Mediterranean countries of Asia
6) Israel:
Area: 20770-22072 km²
Population: 8,816,440 people (as of 2018)
Capital: Jerusalem
7) Lebanon:
Area: 10452 km²
Population: 6,006,668 people (as of 2017)
Capital: Beirut
8) Syria:
Area: 185180 km²
Population: 17,064,854 (as of 2014)
Capital: Damascus
Mediterranean countries of Europe
10) Albania:
Area: 28748 km²
Population: 2876591 (as of 2017)
Capital: Tirana
11) Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Area: 51129 km²
Population: 3,531,159 (as of 2016)
Capital: Sarajevo
12) Croatia:
Area: 56594 km²
Population: 4,154,200 (as of 2017)
Capital: Zagreb
13) Cyprus:
Area: 9251 km²
Population: 1,170,125 (as of 2017)
Capital: Nicosia
14) France:
Area: 640679 km²
Population: 67,201,000 (as of 2017)
Capital: Paris
15) Greece:
Area: 131957 km²
Population: 11,183,716 (as of 2017)
Capital: Athens
16) Italy:
Area: 301338 km²
Population: 60,589,445 (as of 2017)
Capital: Rome
17) Malta:
Area: 316 km²
Population: 445,426 (as of 2014)
Capital: Valletta
18) Monaco:
Area: 2.02 km²
Population: 37,863 (as of 2016)
Capital: Monaco
19) Montenegro:
Area: 13810 km²
Population: 622,387 (as of 2016)
Capital: Podgorica
20) Slovenia:
Area: 20273 km²
Population: 2,065,895 (as of 2017)
Capital: Ljubljana
21) Spain:
Area: 505990 km²
Population: 46354321 (as of 2016)
Capital: Madrid
22) Türkiye:
Area: 783562 km²
Population: 79,463,663 (as of 2016)
Capital: Ankara
The Mediterranean Sea is located between Europe, Asia Minor and Africa. It is surrounded on all sides by land, with the exception of two narrow straits - the Strait of Gibraltar (connects the Mediterranean Sea with the North Atlantic) and the Bosphorus Strait (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 greatest depth (5092 m) is the depression of the Ionian Sea, located west of the Peloponnese peninsula (part of the Hellenic depression). The shallow threshold of the Strait of Sicily 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 Bosphorus straits. The Mediterranean Sea is characterized by numerous small islands, especially in the Aegean and Ionian Seas.
Most large islands : Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, Corsica and Crete. The main rivers flowing into the Mediterranean Sea: Rhone, Nile and Po. The waters of the rivers that flow into the Black Sea enter the Mediterranean Sea through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits.
Bottom relief
The Mediterranean Sea has many morphological features characteristic of an oceanic basin. The continental shoals are quite narrow (less than 25 miles) and moderately developed. Continental slopes are usually very steep and rugged underwater canyons. Canyons Cote d'Azur France and off the western coast of Corsica are among the most studied.
At the continental foot of the large deltas of the Rhone and Po rivers there are alluvial fans. The alluvial fan of the Rhone River extends and the sea towards the Balearic Abyssal Plain. This abyssal plain with an area of over 78 thousand km2 occupies most of the western basin.
The steepness of the slopes of this plain suggests that the deposition of sediments brought by turbidity currents from the Rhone largely occurs through channels cutting through the fan. However, the Balearic Abyssal Plain receives some sediment from the canyons of the Côte d'Azur and the canyons of the coast North Africa(region of Algeria).
In the Tyrrhenian Sea there is a central abyssal plain with several small plateaus, on which the highest seamount rises 2850 m above the sea floor (depth above the mountain 743 m). There are many other seamounts in this sea; on the continental slope of Sicily and Calabria, the tops of some of them rise above the surface of the sea and form islands. In soil cores taken from the central abyssal plain, ash layers are clearly visible, which correspond to historical volcanic eruptions on the Apennine Peninsula.
Bottom morphology The eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea is noticeably different from the morphology of the bottom of the western basin. In the western basin, in addition to the small abyssal plain in the center of the Ionian Sea, other large areas with horizontally lying and undeformed terrigenous sediments were not found. Vast areas of the bottom represent either a complexly dissected median ridge, or a series of collapsed depressions located in an arc parallel to the Hellenic archipelago.
Deep Sea Depressions stretch from the Ionian Islands and pass south of the islands Crete and Rhodes in the Gulf of Antalya (Hellenic Deep). The greatest depth of the Mediterranean Sea - 5092 m - has one of these depressions with a flat bottom (filled with sediments). Sediments began to fill another depression south of the island of Rhodes (depth 4450 m).
On the Nile fan there are well-developed channels that form a large branched system. The channels lead to a very narrow abyssal plain at the base of the fan, in contrast to the western Mediterranean basin where the Rhône fan feeds the greater Balearic abyssal plain. Currently, 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 in an arc parallel to the Hellenic archipelago. Apparently, in the recent past, the process of sedimentation occurred more slowly 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 of which the amount of evaporation significantly exceeds the amount of precipitation and river flow. The resulting water deficit is replenished through the Strait of Gibraltar by the influx of North Atlantic surface water. An increase in water salinity due to evaporation causes an increase in its density. Denser water sinks to depth; 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 Sea. North Atlantic waters also enter the eastern sector of the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait of Sicily. where some of them deviate north into the Adriatic Sea. As a result of evaporation, they also cool here and sink to depth. North Atlantic waters sporadically flow over the threshold of the Strait of Otranto, forming a deep water mass in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. The distribution of dissolved oxygen in the deep waters of the Ionian Sea indicates their circulation in a counterclockwise direction.
The remaining North Atlantic waters on the surface, now very much changed under the influence of evaporation, continue to move in east direction to the island of Cyprus, where they dive during the winter months.
North Atlantic surface waters, carrying large amounts of dissolved salts, must eventually return to the North Atlantic, since the salinity of the Mediterranean Sea does not increase over time.
Outflow of waters 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 more high temperature, is significantly more salty and dense than the Atlantic, located at the same level. As a result, Mediterranean water, falling into Atlantic Ocean, flows down the continental slope until, finally, at a depth of 1000 m it encounters Atlantic deep water of the same density. The Mediterranean water then rises and spreads north, south and west, forming a layer that extends south into the Atlantic for several thousand miles.
Nutrients. The waters of the Mediterranean Sea are poor in nutrients. There are significantly less phosphates in them than in the waters of the North Atlantic. This is explained by this. that waters from the North Atlantic enter the Mediterranean Sea through a shallow threshold, so only North Atlantic surface waters, which themselves are already greatly depleted, pass into the Mediterranean Sea. The accumulation of nutrients in deep waters is also prevented by the continuous outflow of water returning through the Strait of Gibraltar. To completely ventilate the entire Mediterranean basin by removing water, about 75 children are required.
Tides in the Mediterranean Sea mostly semi-daily. The eastern and western basins have separate systems of standing waves. In the Adriatic Sea, a progressive (forward) tide of about 1 m is observed, moving around the aifidromic point located near the center of the Mediterranean Sea. In other points of the Mediterranean Sea the tide is about 30 cm.
Bottom sediments near the coast include the following components: 1) carbonates, consisting mainly of coccolithophores, as well as foraminifera and pteropods; 2) detritus carried by wind and currents; 3) volcanogenic substances and 4) end products of weathering of land rocks, mainly clay minerals. The average carbon content in the soil cores of the eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea is about 40% and in the soil cores of the western basin is about 30%. Detritus content varies from zero to maximum; in general, it is higher in the soil cores of the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea. Sometimes it is possible to recognize sandy horizons in soil cores and compare them from core to core. Volcanic ash forms more or less distinct layers and is also found in non-volcanic material. The amount of volcanic products is small, excluding areas close to the volcanoes (Vesuvius and Etna).
The rate of sedimentation near the Levanto and in the Ionian Sea is low, the same as in the central part of the North Atlantic; in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea it is several times greater.
Structure of the earth's crust. Analysis of refracted seismic measurements carried out in the western Mediterranean showed that Earth's crust here has an “oceanic nature”. Throughout the Balearic Abyssal Plain, the depth of the Mohorovicic surface 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 end abruptly at the Côte d'Azur.
In the Mediterranean Sea, a layer of sediments (thickness 1-1.5 km) with a low velocity of longitudinal waves (1.7-2.5 km/s) is underlain by a thick layer of rocks with average speed longitudinal waves (3.0–6.0 km/s). Precipitation with low wave speed is much more powerful in the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea than in the eastern basin. If a layer with an intermediate value of wave speed marks the base of the sediment column, then its thickness is extremely small, taking into account large area, which is affected by the flow of the Rhone River. (In the deep-water part of the Gulf of Mexico, the sediment thickness is more than 6 km.)
However, if the reflector is composed of consolidated sediments or volcanic rocks within a sedimentary sequence, then it indicates a significant change in the geological history of that basin. The magnetic field in the Mediterranean Sea is remarkably uniform, especially in the tectonically active eastern basin. However, strong anomalies occur over seamounts in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The central part of the Hellenic Basin is associated with a wide strip of negative gravity anomalies. They are associated with a large subsidence of the earth's crust blocks inside this depression. Seismic studies in the northern part of the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea revealed its lowering relative to the European continent by 3 km. The underlying cause of such large vertical movements is not well understood. Weak Faya gravity anomalies in the western Mediterranean indicate that the basin is in isostatic equilibrium. It is extremely difficult to imagine how the modern "oceanic" crust could have maintained its previous uplift without some redistribution of density within the deep crust or upper mantle.
Geotectonic development. The Mediterranean Sea is a relict sea, the remnant of a huge water basin that formerly stretched from Portugal to Pacific Ocean(via the Alps, Southeast Europe, Turkey, Iran, Himalayas, Southeast Asia). It is believed to have been associated with the Maori Geosyncline in New Zealand. This ancient one sea pool Suess called the sea Tethys.
Its history is well known since 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 into Gondwana.
Between the two mentioned giant continental blocks of the primary “Protogen” there was, apparently, constant interaction for at least the last half a billion years. Different authors imagine these relationships in different ways. Proponents of continental drift, for example Argand, Wegener, believe that there was a constant convergence of the two original earth masses, which led to the subsidence of deep-sea depressions and ultimately to the formation of the Alpine folding, which arose at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous period and resumed in several phases of the Tertiary period.
According to others (for example, Staub, Glanzho), so-called “ebbs and flows” took place, i.e. processes of compression and expansion.