Do you know what is the smallest sea in the world?

Do you know which is the smallest sea in the world? It is very difficult for scholars to come to a consensus. They still continue to argue about which waters are considered seas, which are lakes, and which are bays. Only one thing is certain: from the vast number of water basins only 59 are recognized by the seas. Of these, the smallest sea is the Sea of Marmara.

A bit of geography

The Sea of Marble is a connecting link between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea. The strait that connects the great Black Sea with the small Marble is called the Bosphorus. With the Aegean Sea it is connected by the strait of Dardanelles. Another sea can be considered a peculiar feature that separates Asia and Europe. The area of the water basin is less than 11 thousand square meters. Km.

This definition, like the smallest sea in the world, does not mean that it is at the same time the smallest. The fact is that the sea arose as a result of the crust of the earth's crust, which, in fact, divided the single continent into Asia, Europe and Africa. This explains why the depth in some places is very solid - up to 14 km. And because of the ongoing tectonic processes in the Marmara Sea, there are often earthquakes and, as a result, tsunamis.

A bit of history

The name of the sea gave a rich deposit of marble, discovered on the island of Marmara. It was from here that this stone was transported around the world. And since marble as a building and finishing material was very in demand, the name of the place from which it was delivered was on everyone's lips. When translating from Greek to English and Russian, the word was modified from the sea of marmara to the Sea of Marmara.

The Sea of Marmara was the intersection of the busy trade arteries between Europe and Asia. On its shores, the largest civilizations developed and disappeared. And the power over the connecting straits promised unlimited opportunities.

Temperature and other features

The smallest sea in the world has enough salt water. The salt content here is much higher than in the waters of the Black Sea. However, a more dense mass of salt water is located at a depth and does not mix with surface, less saline waters.

The Marmara Sea on the map has very rugged beaches. There are a lot of bays and bays here. The northern coast has a lot of underwater reefs, which makes navigation difficult, but attracts tourists.

In winter, the temperature of sea water does not exceed 10 ° C, and in summer can exceed 29 ° C. These data refer to surface waters, the depth of which is about 20 m. Deep water has a significantly lower temperature.

Who lives here

The Marmara Sea fauna is not too diverse. Its composition is close to the Mediterranean. Here, the catch of commercial fish species, such as:

• horse mackerel;
• mackerel;
• Pelamida;
• Forehead;
• sole;
• anchovy.

Many species of commercial fish migrate with the onset of cooling in the warmer waters of the Black Sea.

Resorts and Attractions of the Sea of Marmara

Despite the fact that it is about the world's smallest sea, there is an inexhaustible flow of tourists every year. On its banks is one of the most beautiful cities in the world - Istanbul. This city was and always will be interesting to people. Here you can see the unique intertwining of living history and modern technologies. But besides Istanbul, tourists are attracted by many more picturesque resorts of the Sea of Marmara.

A real paradise is the resorts of Bursa. Here, guests immerse themselves in a pronounced national flavor and admire a variety of natural landscapes. In a short period of time you can visit the snow-capped peaks, lie on the seashore, visit the green plains and admire the picturesque waterfalls.

The most visited resort of the Sea of Marmara is Erdek. Here is one of the most beautiful sandy beaches with a total length of almost 12 km.

Resorts of the Sea of Marmara - a mixture of styles and eras. Here everyone finds an interesting occupation. Due to the unique nature and high level of service, interest in the coast is growing every year.