Political map of the mediterranean sea. Mediterranean Sea: description, history, interesting facts. Spain and Italy

Mediterranean Sea surrounded on all sides by land. One glance at the map is enough to agree with such a judgment. This was also known ancient Greek scientists.

Features of geographical location and climate

mediterranean sea named for a reason, from all sides it touches with continents.

Nowhere else in the world has one been found large indoor pool, which is connected to the ocean only by a tiny, for such a scale, jumper - Strait of Gibraltar.

Sea in your own way geographic location located between: Asia, , Africa.

Total area - 2,500 square kilometers. Max Depth is 5 121 meters.

It is connected by channels and straits with, red And Seas of Marmara.

Concerning bottom topography, then he has all typical for the sea peculiarities:

continental slope carved by canyons;
shelf narrow.

Part Mediterranean Sea includes inland seas:

Aegean;
Alboran;
Adriatic;
Balearic;
Ionian;
Ligurian;
Tyrrhenian.

in winter the weather is very changeable, regularly storms happen, and pass heavy rainfall. The temperature drops significantly due to the influence northern winds.

In summer observed here dry fog and a small amount precipitation.

Tourists come en masse to these places closer to the middle of summer. By July the reservoir warms up +27 degrees.

Countries and islands

to the mediterranean includes vast territories of countries and islands. We give examples of some of them below.

Countries

. Here are the resorts that are very fond of Russian tourists. Most of the attendants are talking in Russian, which simplifies the rest in a foreign country for our tourists. There are many excellent beaches, inexpensive hotels and one of the best in the world kitchens. The reservoir washes the following major 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 Rome, Sicily And Milan.
Spain. Ibiza, Barcelona And Majorca- those are 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, rapidly gaining momentum yachting. To do this, the state allocates multi-million investment.
Montenegro. Especially worth a look at the beach Ada Bojana. 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.

In ancient times, it was believed that the Mediterranean Sea is located in the center of the world. Roman natives called him by inland sea , since all its shores were conquered by them.

. Here intersect 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. ancient museums, mysterious artifacts, monuments architectures that are memorable markets- on local resorts which only does not occur miracles.

Islands

Kara is clickable, click on it to enlarge.

Also exists a bunch of large and small Mediterranean islands interesting for travelers. Among them stand out:

Djerba. Located in the north Africa. Translated from ancient Arabic as "wheat city". The island is mentioned in the famous "Odyssey" Homer. pink flamingos , ancient synagogue, fireballs, local delicious rice- this is simply not to be missed if you find yourself on Djerba.
Sardinia. Located next to Dagger 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 that because of the catastrophic floods, which occurred 5.3 million years ago, just filling has occurred Mediterranean Sea. For two years such a large water basin was formed! Useful salts and No dangerous poisonous plants And animals.
Can be viewed attractions absolutely different countries the world and get to know them culture. After all, the Mediterranean Sea washes the shores of a good half continents of the world.
In the resorts of the Mediterranean is very developed resort medical infrastructure. Therefore, people suffering diseases of various origins can easily find a place for recreation and recreation.

There are no cons. Unless, of course, the scorching summer sun is not considered a disadvantage.

The Mediterranean Sea connects to the Atlantic Ocean in the west through strait of Gibraltar. This closed sea is surrounded on all sides by land. The ancient Greeks called the Mediterranean Sea - the sea in the middle of the Earth. At that time, this name was fully justified, because all the ancient European and North African civilizations appeared in the basin of this sea. And it was the Mediterranean Sea that served as the main route for contacts between them.

Interesting fact: they say that the Mediterranean Sea is the remnants of its former greatness. Previously, in its place was the ancient ocean Tethys. It extended far to the east and was much wider. Today, apart from the Mediterranean Sea, only the drying Aral Sea and Caspian Sea, as well as the Black, Azov and Marmara seas. The last three seas are included in the Mediterranean basin.

In addition, inside the Mediterranean Sea, the Alboran, Balearic, Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, Ionian, Aegean, Cretan, Libyan, Cypriot and Levantine seas are distinguished as separate seas.

Detailed physical map seas of the Mediterranean in Russian. To enlarge, just click on the picture.

The currents of the Mediterranean Sea are not quite usual. Under the influence of high temperatures, a lot of water evaporates and, therefore, the flow rate prevails. fresh water over her arrival. This, of course, leads to a decrease in the water level and it has to be drawn from Atlantic Ocean and the Black Sea. Interestingly, at a depth in more saline layers, the reverse process occurs and salty water flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

In addition to the above factors, the currents of the Mediterranean Sea are mainly caused by wind processes. Their speed in the open parts of the sea is 0.5-1.0 km/h, in the straits it can rise up to 2-4 km/h. (For comparison, the Gulf Stream moves to the North at a speed of 6–10 km/h.).

The tides are usually less than one meter, but there are places where, together with wind surges, it can reach up to four meters (for example, north coast the islands of Corsica or the Strait of Genoa). In the narrow straits Strait of Messina), tides can cause strong currents. In winter, waves reach their maximum and the height of the waves can reach 6-8 m.

The water of the Mediterranean Sea has an intense blue color and a relative transparency of 50-60 m. It belongs to the saltiest and warmest seas in the world. In summer, the water temperature varies from 19 to 25 degrees, while in the east it can reach 27-3°C. in winter average temperature water decreases from north to south and varies between 8-17°C in the east and in the central part of the sea. Meanwhile, in the west temperature regime more stable and the temperature is kept within 11-15°C.

In the Mediterranean Sea there are many large and not very big islands and almost every one of them is an attraction for many tourists. To name just a few of them:

Majorca and Ibiza in Spain, Sardinia and Sicily in Italy, Corfu, Crete and Rhodes in Greece, Corsica in France, as well as Cyprus and Malta.

Mediterranean is the most popular resort region Europe. The choice of beaches is great - from dramatic Greek beaches to hot beaches on the African continent, from the picturesque Turkish coasts to the southwestern tip Iberian Peninsula. Every year, various authoritative publications create lists of the best beaches, but these beaches are timeless and out of ratings, as they have always been and remain the best in the Mediterranean.

The snow-white beach, chosen by the rare Caretta Caretta turtles, is one of the most southern beaches Italy. It is much closer to Africa than to Europe and boasts stunning scenery: rocks protect it from the winds, and the purest sea water shimmers in many shades. The beach is one of the most popular in the area, so there are a lot of people here until late in the evening and quite noisy.

Ses Illetas beach (Formentera island,)

South of the capital of Mallorca, where the amazingly clear sea merges with the horizon, and sand strip stretches for several kilometers, this wonderful beach. It is rightfully considered the best on the island, and, perhaps, on all the Balearic Islands. Only wealthy people who live in luxury hotels nearby have a rest on Ses Illetas.

Most famous beach Crete became famous due to the fact that the sand on it is not white, but light pink. It is located in the southwest of the island, where a huge massacre took place in 1824 - the Turks killed about 700 local residents, because of which, according to legend, the beach will always remind you of this with its color. In fact, the remains of corals and starfish give the pink color to the sand.

The famous beach of Turkey is one of the most popular places for excursions. It is located at the confluence of the Dalyan River and is so named because of the large turtles that come here to spawn. The beach has a particularly picturesque view when viewed from a height.

The most famous beach in Cyprus is located in Protaras and takes its name from the centuries-old fig tree growing here. The beach is closed from the wind by rocks in which there are underwater caves.

Palomabaja - best beach Corsica. The same island where the future Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was born. The beach is stunning azure waters, purest White sand And scenic surroundings. How can you hatch plans to conquer the continent, born in such great place? Sit on the shore and catch your fish ...

In the northwest of the most knightly island of all European islands lies the Golden Bay beach. This is indeed a bay protected from the wind. However, sometimes there are storms here, during which the place becomes especially dramatic.

Mersa Matruh ()

Egyptian city on mediterranean coast known since the time of the Ptolemaic dynasty, and even then he was prestigious resort. Not far from the city there is a bay in which, according to legend, Cleopatra herself loved to relax. Mersa Matruh has a stunning azure sea and a great beach. Today, mostly Egyptians rest here.

Mdik is a small resort town on the Mediterranean coast. It is located at zero altitude above sea level. The local beach is a flat sandy strip and calm waters. Mostly Moroccans rest here, and in city hotels there are quite budget prices for them.

Monastir is located on the site of an ancient Roman settlement and is modern resort for budget travelers. Here they are not beautiful beaches like in Mahdia. However, for undemanding tourists Monastir - perfect place to relax in comfort, basking in the sun and swimming in warm waters Mediterranean Sea.

Mediterranean Sea- Mediterranean, intercontinental sea of the Atlantic Ocean, connected to it in the west by the Strait of Gibraltar.

The seas of the Mediterranean basin wash the shores of the states: Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Algeria, Morocco.

In the northeast, it is connected with the Dardanelles by the Strait of the Dardanelles. Sea of Marmara and further by the Bosporus Strait - with the Black Sea, in the southeast by the Suez Canal - with the Red Sea.

The area is 2500 thousand sq. km.

The average depth is 1541 m, the maximum depth is 5121 m.

The most significant bays: Valencia, Lyon, Genoa, Taranto, Sidra (B. Sirte), Gabes (M. Sirte).

The largest islands: Balearic, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete and Cyprus.

The large rivers Ebro, Rhone, Tiber, Po, Nile, etc. flow into the Mediterranean Sea; their total annual flow is approx. 430 cubic km.

Vegetation and animal world The Mediterranean Sea is distinguished by a relatively weak quantitative development of phyto- and zooplankton, which entails the paucity of larger animals that feed on them, including fish. The amount of phytoplankton in the surface horizons is only 8-10 mg / m3, at a depth of 1000-2000 m it is 10-20 times less. Algae are very diverse (peridine and diatoms predominate).

The fauna of the Mediterranean Sea is characterized by high species diversity, but the number of representatives of the sep. species are small. There are dolphins, one species of seals (white-bellied seal); sea turtle. 550 species of fish (sharks, mackerels, herrings, anchovies, mullets, dolphins, tunas, bonitos, horse mackerels, etc.). About 70 species of endemic fish, including stingrays, anchovy species, gobies, sea. blenny, wrasse and needlefish. From edible shellfish highest value have oyster, Mediterranean-Black Sea mussel, sea date. Of the invertebrates, octopuses, squids, sepia, crabs, spiny lobsters are common; numerous species of jellyfish, siphonophore; sponges and red coral live in some areas, especially in the Aegean.

Fishing in the Mediterranean Sea is of secondary importance compared to other basins of the Atlantic Ocean. The industrialization of the coast, the growth of cities, the development of recreational areas lead to intense pollution of the coastal strip.

Well known resorts Cote d'Azur(Riviera) in France and Italy, the resorts of the Levantine coast and Balearic Islands in Spain, etc.

Photos of the Mediterranean Sea:

Menton, France

The Mediterranean Sea is a semi-enclosed sea located at the junction of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. 22 UN member states are located on its shores, of which Spain, France, Italy and Greece have the longest coasts in the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, Turkey in Asia, Egypt, Libya and Algeria in Africa. In the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, up to eleven separate seas are distinguished, the largest of which is the Levantine Sea with an area of 320 thousand km², in the waters of which the island of Cyprus is located, and the smallest is the Ligurian Sea, with an area of 15 thousand km², however, on the shores of the Ligurian Sea there are such big port cities like Genoa and Nice.

get to mediterranean sea from Russia in different ways: by land, by air and by water. When traveling by car or bus, you will have the opportunity to visit Belarus, Poland, then to Germany, from there to France, along the way you can visit the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. The duration of such a journey depends only on the route and time for walking around the cities of Europe. When flying by aircraft of leading airlines, it all depends on the country on the coast on the coast of which you want to enjoy the waters of the Mediterranean Sea: a flight from Moscow to Monaco, Barcelona, or Athens will take about 4 hours, but direct flights to Naples, Rome or Tunisia from Moscow no, you will have to fly with at least one transfer and the flight will take from seven hours to a day. And for those who prefer sailing, a trip to the Mediterranean Sea is a great opportunity to spend a couple of months sailing. Having sailed from the Crimea, from Novorossiysk or Sochi to the Black Sea, all that remains is to get to the Bosphorus Strait, stroll around Istanbul, then to the Sea of Marmara and from there through the Dardanelles to get into the waters of the Aegean Sea and you can sail to any port of the Mediterranean Sea.

Fishing is developed in the Mediterranean Sea, and this real paradise for tourists. Moreover, it has recently appeared new opportunity for wealthy citizens to provide themselves great vacation on the islands of the Mediterranean. Because of the internal economic problems Greece began selling off its islands in the Ionian and Aegean Seas. Hollywood star Brad Pitt and his wife Angelina Jolie have already bought one. However, Greece knows the value of its islands: the "cheapest" of them costs more than three million dollars. But, if for some reason you don’t have three million bucks, or you just don’t need an island, you can rent a house in Malta for only $350 a month.

Mediterranean resorts

Storm on the coast of Crete

Resort town Budva in Montenegro on the Mediterranean coast

Shark on the Cretan beach

Monaco beach, Monte Carlo

Fish on the Mediterranean beach of Monaco loves a bun

Malta - the pearl of the Mediterranean!