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"Mediterranean" redirects here. For other uses, see Mediterranean (disambiguation).
"Mediterranean sea" redirects here. For the oceanographical term, see Mediterranean sea (oceanography). For the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa, see the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia. This article is about the body of water For other uses see SEA and Seas. The Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. It covers an approximate area of 2. 5 million km² (965,000 sq mi), but its connection to the Atlantic (the Strait of Gibraltar) is only 14 km (9 mi) wide. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The Strait of Gibraltar ( Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the Strait that connects the Atlantic In oceanography, it is sometimes called the Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea or the European Mediterranean Sea to distinguish it from mediterranean seas elsewhere. Oceanography (from the greek words Ωκεανός meaning Ocean and γράφω meaning to write also called oceanology or For the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa, see the Mediterranean Sea.

It was an important route for merchants and travelers of ancient times, allowing for trade and cultural exchange between emergent peoples of the region — the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Semitic, Persian, Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek, Levantine, Roman and Moorish cultures. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now In Linguistics and Ethnology, Semitic (from the Biblical " Shem " Hebrew שם translated as "name" Arabic: ساميّ The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of Muslim (and earlier non-Muslim people of Berber and Arab descent The history of the Mediterranean region is crucial to understanding the origins and development of many modern societies. The history of the Mediterranean region is the History of the interaction of the cultures and peoples of the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea

Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea.
Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea. This article is about artificial satellites For natural satellites also known as moons see Natural satellite.

Contents

Name

The term Mediterranean derives from the Latin word mediterraneus meaning, "middle of the Earth" (medius, "middle" + terra, "land, earth"). Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. To the ancient Romans, the Mediterranean was the centre of the Earth. This is a list of topics related to ancient Rome that aims to include aspects of both the ancient Roman Republic and Roman Empire.

The Mediterranean Sea has been known by a number of alternative names throughout human history. It was, for example, commonly called Mare Nostrum (Latin, "Our Sea") and occasionally Mare Internum by the Romans (Sallust, Jug. Mare Nostrum ( Latin for Our Sea) was a Roman name for the Mediterranean Sea. For the philosopher see Sallustius; for other uses see Sallust (disambiguation. 17). The Greeks name it Mesogeios (Μεσόγειος), meaning "inland, interior" (μεσο, "middle" + γαιος, "land, earth")[1]. The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions In the Old Testament, on the west coast of the Holy Land, and therefore behind a person facing the east, it is called the "Hinder Sea", sometimes translated as "Western Sea", (Deut. 11:24; Joel 2:20), and also the "Sea of the Philistines" (Exod. 22:81), because that people occupied a large portion of its shores near the Israelites. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. The Holy Land ( Arabic: الأرض المقدسة al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah;Ancient Aramaic: ארעא קדישא Ar'a Qaddisha; Hebrew: ארץ_הקודש Deuteronomy (Greek deuteronomion, Δευτερονόμιον "second law" is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament The Book of Joel is part of the Jewish Tanakh, and also the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Exodus ( Greek: έξοδος eksodos = "departure" is the second book of the Jewish Torah and of the Christian Old Testament. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. Mostly, however, it was the "Great Sea" (Num. 34:6,7; Josh. 1:4, 9:1, 15:47; Ezek. 47:10,15,20), or simply "The Sea" (1 Kings 5:9; comp. The Book of Numbers, ( Bamidbar, meaning in the wilderness) is the fourth book of the Torah, the Tanakh, and the Old Testament. The Book of Joshua ( Hebrew: Sefer Y'hoshua ספר יהושע is the sixth book in both the Hebrew Tanakh and the Old Testament of the Christian The Book of Ezekiel is a book of the Hebrew Bible (of the Books of the Bible) named after the prophet Ezekiel. The Books of Kings ( Sefer Melachim, ספר מלכים are a part of Judaism 's Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. 1 Macc. 14:34, 15:11). 1 Maccabees is a deuterocanonical book written by a Jewish author after the restoration of an independent Jewish kingdom probably about 100 BC. In Modern Hebrew, it is called Hayam Hatikhon (הַיָּם הַתִּיכוֹן), "the middle sea", a literal adaptation of the German equivalent Mittelmeer. In Turkish, it is Akdeniz, "the white sea". Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. In Arabic, it is Al-Baħr Al-Abyad Al-Mutawassit (البحر الأبيض المتوسط), "the middle white sea".

History

Main article: History of the Mediterranean region

As a sea around which some of the most ancient human civilizations were arranged, it has had a major influence on the history and ways of life of these cultures. The history of the Mediterranean region is the History of the interaction of the cultures and peoples of the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea It provided a way of trade, colonization and war, and was the basis of life (via fishing and the gathering of other seafood) for numerous communities throughout the ages.

The combination of similar-shared climate, geology and access to a common sea has led to numerous historical and cultural connections between the ancient and modern societies around the Mediterranean.

Geography and climate

A satellite image taken from the side of the Strait of Gibraltar. At right, Africa; at left, Europe.
A satellite image taken from the side of the Strait of Gibraltar. The Strait of Gibraltar ( Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the Strait that connects the Atlantic At right, Africa; at left, Europe.

The Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar on the west and to the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, by the Dardanelles and the Bosporus respectively, on the east. The Strait of Gibraltar ( Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the Strait that connects the Atlantic The Sea of Marmara ( Turkish: Marmara Denizi, Greek: Θάλασσα του Μαρμαρά or Προποντίς, Bulgarian The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey See also [[Hellespont]] The Dardanelles ( Turkish: Çanakkale Boğazı Greek: Δαρδανέλλια Dardanellia) formerly The Bosporus or Bosphorus, also known as the Istanbul Strait, (İstanbul Boğazı (Βόσπορος is a Strait that forms the boundary between the The Sea of Marmara is often considered a part of the Mediterranean Sea, whereas the Black Sea is generally not. The 163 km long man-made Suez Canal in the southeast connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia.

Large islands in the Mediterranean include Cyprus, Crete, Euboea, Rhodes, Lesbos, Chios, Kefalonia and Corfu in the eastern Mediterranean; Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, and Malta in the central Mediterranean; and Ibiza, Majorca and Minorca (the Balearic Islands) in the western Mediterranean. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the For the mythological figure see Euboea (mythology Euboea ( Modern Greek, Εύβοια - Évia &mdash Rhodes (Ρόδος Ródos, ˈɾo̞ðo̞s Rodi ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes) is a Greek island Lesbos (Λέσβος also transliterated Lesvos, Midilli is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. Chios (Χίος pronounced ˈçio̞s alternative transliterations Khíos and Híos) is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated The island of Kefalonia, also known as Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia (Ancient Greek Κεφαλληνία Modern Corfu (Κέρκυρα Kérkyra, ˈkʲe̞ɾkʲiɾa Κέρκυρα or Κόρκυρα Corcyra Corfù is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea Sardinia (sɑrˈdɪnɪə Sardegna Sardigna or Sardinnya is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily) Corsica (Corse Corsican and Italian: Corsica) is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Ibiza (Eivissa is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea about 80 km off the coast of Spain Majorca ( Spanish and Mallorca is the largest island of Spain. Minorca ( Catalan and Spanish: Menorca; from Latin Balearis Minor, later Minorica "minor island" is one of the The Balearic Islands ( Catalan and official Illes Balears; Spanish: Islas Baleares) are an Archipelago in the western Mediterranean

The climate is typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide Crops of the region include olives, grapes, oranges, tangerines, and cork. The Olive ( Olea europaea) is a Species of small Tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern For the Tokyo University supercomputer see Gravity Pipe. GRAPE, or GRA phics P rogramming E nvironment is An orange —specifically the sweet orange —is the Citrus fruit Citrus sinensis ( syn The tangerine ( Citrus reticulata) is an orange - or red -colored Citrus Fruit. Cork material is a Prime-subset of generic cork tissue, harvested for commercial use primarily from the Cork Oak tree Quercus

Oceanography

Predominant currents for June.
Predominant currents for June.

Being nearly landlocked affects the Mediterranean Sea's properties; for instance, tides are very limited as a result of the narrow connection with the Atlantic Ocean. Characteristics A tide is a repeated cycle of sea level changes in the following stages Over several hours the water rises or advances up a beach in the flood An ocean (from Greek, ''Okeanos'' (Oceanus) is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the Hydrosphere. The Mediterranean is characterized and immediately recognized by its deep blue color.

Evaporation greatly exceeds precipitation and river runoff in the Mediterranean, a fact that is central to the water circulation within the basin. Evaporation is the process by which Molecules in a Liquid state (e In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric [2] Evaporation is especially high in its eastern half, causing the water level to decrease and salinity to increase eastward. Salinity is the Saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of Water. [3] This pressure gradient pushes relatively cool, low-salinity water from the Atlantic across the basin; it warms and becomes saltier as it travels east, then sinks in the region of the Levant and circulates westward, to spill over the Strait of Gibraltar. In atmospheric sciences ( Meteorology, Climatology and related fields the pressure gradient (typically of air, more generally of any Fluid) See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the [4] Thus, seawater flow is eastward in the Strait's surface waters, and westward below; once in the Atlantic, this chemically-distinct "Mediterranean Intermediate Water" can persist thousands of kilometers away from its source. [5]

Bordering countries

Map of the Mediterranean Sea.
Map of the Mediterranean Sea.

Twenty-one modern states have a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. They are:

Several other territories also border the Mediterranean Sea (from west to east):

Andorra, Jordan, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, and the Vatican City, although they do not border the sea, are often considered Mediterranean countries in a wider sense due to their Mediterranean climate, fauna and flora, and/or their cultural affinity with other Mediterranean countries. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain located on the Mediterranean, on the North African side of the Strait of Gibraltar, which Melilla is an autonomous city of Spain located on the Mediterranean, on the North African coast The Sovereign Base Areas are military bases located on territory in which the United Kingdom is sovereign but which are separated from the ordinary British territory Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra ( Catalan: Principat d'Andorra) is a small Landlocked country in western Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Most Serene Republic of San Marino (Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino is a country in the Apennine Mountains. Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory

Subdivisions

According to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) treaties, the Mediterranean Sea is subdivided into a number of smaller seas, each with their own designation (from west to east):

A view across the straits of Gibraltar.
A view across the straits of Gibraltar. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO was originally established in 1921 as the International Hydrographic Bureau (IHB The Strait of Gibraltar ( Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the Strait that connects the Atlantic
A point between Minorca and Barcelona.
A point between Minorca and Barcelona. Minorca ( Catalan and Spanish: Menorca; from Latin Balearis Minor, later Minorica "minor island" is one of the Barcelona ( Catalan bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish baɾθeˈlona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia
Mediterranean coast in Israel.
Mediterranean coast in Israel. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

Other Seas

Although not recognized by the IHO treaties, there are some other seas that are in common use from the ancient times or in present:

Other features

Many of these smaller seas feature in local myth and folklore and derive their names from these associations. The Albran Sea is the westernmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, lying between Spain on the north and Morocco on the south Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The Balearic Sea is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea around the Balearic Islands. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Balearic Islands ( Catalan and official Illes Balears; Spanish: Islas Baleares) are an Archipelago in the western Mediterranean The Ligurian Sea (Mar Ligure Mer Ligurienne is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, between the Italian Riviera ( Liguria and Tuscany) Corsica (Corse Corsican and Italian: Corsica) is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. The Ionian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Etymology In ancient times there were various explanations for the name Aegean. The Sea of Marmara ( Turkish: Marmara Denizi, Greek: Θάλασσα του Μαρμαρά or Προποντίς, Bulgarian Etymology In ancient times there were various explanations for the name Aegean. The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The Balearic Islands ( Catalan and official Illes Balears; Spanish: Islas Baleares) are an Archipelago in the western Mediterranean The Balearic Sea is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea around the Balearic Islands. Sardinia (sɑrˈdɪnɪə Sardegna Sardigna or Sardinnya is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily) The Balearic Islands ( Catalan and official Illes Balears; Spanish: Islas Baleares) are an Archipelago in the western Mediterranean The Balearic Sea is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea around the Balearic Islands. The Tyrrhenian Sea (Mar Tirreno is part of the Mediterranean Sea off of the western coast of Italy. Sardinia (sɑrˈdɪnɪə Sardegna Sardigna or Sardinnya is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily) Th Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula (Penisola italiana or Penisola appenninica) is one of the three Peninsulas of Southern Europe Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. The Strait of Sicily is the Strait between Sicily and Tunisia. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. The Libyan Sea is a portion of the Mediterranean Sea situated north of the country of Libya and generally southerly of the island of Crete. Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the Etymology In ancient times there were various explanations for the name Aegean. The Thracian Sea (Greek Θρακικό Πέλαγος Thrakiko Pelagos; Turkish Trakya Denizi) is a sea that is part of the Aegean Sea and The Myrtoan (Mirtoan Sea is a subdivision of the Mediterranean Sea that lies between the Cyclades and the Peloponnesos. The CYCLADES Packet switching network was an extremely influential French network system in the early 1970s similar to the ARPANET. The Peloponnese or Peloponnesus ( Greek: Πελοπόννησος Pelopónnisos; see also List of Greek place names) is a large Peninsula The Sea of Crete' (Κρητικό Πέλαγος Kritiko Pelagos) is the sea south of the Aegean Sea, north of the island Crete, and south of the Geography Cilicia extended along the Aegean coast east from Pamphylia, to Mount Amanus ( Gavurdağı Mount) which separated it from Syria Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía In addition to the seas, a number of gulfs and straits are also recognised:

Geology

The geology of the Mediterranean is complex, involving the break-up and then collision of the African and Eurasian plates and the Messinian Salinity Crisis in the late Miocene when the Mediterranean dried up. Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment A strait is a narrow navigable Channel of water that connects two larger navigable bodies of water The Saint George Bay (known in Lebanon as Golfe de Saint-Georges) is located on the northern coast of the city of Beirut in Lebanon The Strait of Gibraltar ( Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the Strait that connects the Atlantic Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The Bay of Gibraltar (also known as Gibraltar Bay or more rarely Bay of Algeciras, direct translation of Spanish Bahía de Algeciras, the The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra The Gulf of Corinth or the Corinthian Gulf is a deep inlet of the Ionian Sea separating the Peloponnese from western mainland Greece. The Corinth Canal is a Canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. The Saronic Gulf ( Greek: Σαρωνικός κόλπος Saronikós kólpos) or Gulf of Aegina in Greece forms part of the Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The Myrtoan (Mirtoan Sea is a subdivision of the Mediterranean Sea that lies between the Cyclades and the Peloponnesos. The Thermaic Gulf (Θερμαϊκός Κόλπος is a gulf of the Aegean Sea located immediately south of Thessaloniki, east of Pieria and Imathia Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia Macedonia ( Μακεδονία, Makedonía,) is a geographical and historical region of Greece in southeastern Europe The Kvarner Gulf ( Croatian: Kvarnerski zaljev, Italian: Golfo del Quarnero/Quarnaro/Carnaro; sometimes also Kvarner Bay) is a Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between The Gulf of Lion (French Golfe du Lion is a wide Embayment of the Mediterranean coastline of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence in This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Gulf of Valencia (Golfo de Valencia is a gulf or Inlet of the western Mediterranean Sea, on the eastern coast of Spain, its extremes are Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Strait of Messina ( Strittu di Missina in Sicilian) is the narrow section of water between the eastern tip of Sicily and the southern Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Gulf of Genoa ( Golfo di Genova) is the northernmost part of the Ligurian Sea. The Gulf of Venice is a gulf that boarders modern day Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, and is at the far north of the Adriatic Sea between The Gulf of Trieste (Golfo di Trieste Tržaški zaliv Tršćanski zaljev Golf von Triest is a shallow bay of the Adriatic Sea, in the extreme northern part of the Mediterranean The Gulf of Taranto ( Italian: Golfo di Taranto, Latin: Sinus Tarentinus) is a gulf of the Ionian Sea, in southern Italy The Gulf of Salerno is a gulf of the Tyrrhenian Sea in the coast of the province of Salerno in south-western Italy. The Gulf of Gaeta is a body of water on the west coast of Italy and part of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Gulf of Squillace ( Italian: Golfo di Squillace; Latin: Scylleticus Sinus or Scyllaceus Sinus; Greek:) is a body of The Strait of Otranto connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Haifa Bay (מפרץ חיפה Mifratz Haifa) is a small bay along the Mediterranean coast of Northern Israel. Haifa (חֵיפָה; حَيْفَا) is the largest City in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country with For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Gulf of Sidra is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast of Libya; it is also known as Gulf of Sirte. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. The Strait of Sicily is the Strait between Sicily and Tunisia. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. The Ligurian Sea (Mar Ligure Mer Ligurienne is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, between the Italian Riviera ( Liguria and Tuscany) Corsica (Corse Corsican and Italian: Corsica) is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Strait of Bonifacio ( Bonifaccio is an older spelling from circa 1861) is the Strait between Corsica and Sardinia, named after Sardinia (sɑrˈdɪnɪə Sardegna Sardigna or Sardinnya is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily) Corsica (Corse Corsican and Italian: Corsica) is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily The Gulf of İskenderun (İskenderun Körfezi formerly the Gulf of Alexandretta, is a gulf or Inlet of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, on the İskenderun, also Iskenderon (formerly in Greek Ἀλεξανδρέττα Alexandretta; in Arabic الإسكندرون al-ʼIskandarūn Adana (the ancient Antioch in Cilicia or Antioch on the Sarus) is the capital of Adana Province in Turkey. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The Gulf of Antalya (Antalya Körfezi is an inlet of the Mediterranean Sea south of Antalya province, Turkey. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches History The nearby hamlet of Risan was a thriving Illyrian city called Rhizon as early as 229 BC and gave its name to the bay then known as Rhizonicus Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! The Messinian Salinity Crisis, also referred to as the Messinian Event, is a period when the Mediterranean Sea evaporated partly or completely dry during the The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23

The Mediterranean Sea has an average depth of 1,500 metres (4,920 ft) and the deepest recorded point is 5,267 meters (about 3. 27 miles) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea. The Ionian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. The coastline extends for 46,000 kilometres (28,600 mi). A shallow submarine ridge (the Strait of Sicily) between the island of Sicily and the coast of Tunisia divides the sea in two main subregions (which in turn are divided into subdivisions), the Western Mediterranean and the Eastern Mediterranean. The Strait of Sicily is the Strait between Sicily and Tunisia. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. The Western Mediterranean covers an area of about 0. 85 million km² (0. 33 million sq mi) and the Eastern Mediterranean about 1. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 65 million km² (0. 64 million sq mi).

Geodynamic

The geodynamic evolution of the Mediterranean Sea was provided by the convergence of European and African plates. Geodynamics is a subfield of Geophysics dealing with dynamics of the Earth masses This process was driven by the differential spreading along the Atlantic ridge, which led to the closure of the Tethys Ocean and eventually to the Alpine orogenesis. The Tethys Ocean was a Mesozoic era Ocean that existed between the continents of Gondwana and Laurasia before the opening of the Indian The Alpine orogeny (sometimes also called Alpide orogeny) is an orogenic phase in the Tertiary that formed the mountain ranges of the Alpide belt However, the Mediterranean also hosts wide extensional basins and migrating tectonic arcs, in response to its land-locked configuration. Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere

Eastern Mediterranean

In middle Miocene times, the collision between the Arabian microplate and Eurasia led to the separation between the Tethys and the Indian Oceans. The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 Continental drift is the movement of the Earth 's Continents relative to each other The Arabian Plate is one of three Tectonic plates (the African Arabian and Indian crustal plates) which have been moving northward over millions of The Eurasian Plate is a Tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia (a landmass consisting of the traditional Continents of Europe The Tethys Ocean was a Mesozoic era Ocean that existed between the continents of Gondwana and Laurasia before the opening of the Indian The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface This process determined profound changes in the oceanic circulation patterns, which shifted global climates towards colder conditions. The Hellenic Arc, which has a land-locked configuration, underwent a widespread extension for the last 20 Myr due to a slab roll-back process. In addition, the Hellenic Arc experienced a rapid rotation phase during the Pleistocene, with a counterclockwise component in its eastern portion and a clockwise trend in the western segment. The Pleistocene ('plaɪstəsin is the epoch from 18 million to 10000 years BP covering the world's recent period

Central Mediterranean

The opening of small oceanic basins of the central Mediterranean follows a trench migration and back-arc opening process that occurred during the last 30 Myr. This phase was characterized by the counterclockwise rotation of the Corsica-Sardinia block, which lasted until the Langhian (ca. 16 Ma), and was in turn followed by a slab detachment along the northern African margin. Subsequently, a shift of this active extentional deformation led to the opening of the Tyrrenian basin.

Western Mediterranean

Since Mesozoic to Tertiary times, during convergence between Africa and Iberia, it developed the Betic-Rif mountain belts. The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. The chuprichondira geological time interval covers roughly the time span between the demise of the non- avian Dinosaurs and beginning of the most recent Ice Age, approximately Tectonic models for its evolution include: rapid motion of Alboran microplate, subduction zone and radial extentional collapse caused by convective removal of lithosferic mantle. The Isla de Alborán is a small Island in the Alborán Sea, part of the western Mediterranean, about 50 kilometres north of the Moroccan coast and A Microtiter plate (spelt Microtitre in Europe or microplate is a flat plate with multiple "wells" used as small test tubes In Geology, a subduction zone is an area on Earth where two tectonic plates meet and move towards one another with one sliding underneath the other The development of these intramontane Betic and Rif basins led to the onset of two marine gateways which were progressively closed during the late Miocene by an interplay of tectonic and glacio-eustatic processes.

Paleoclimatic

Because of its peculiar latitudinal position and its land-locked configuration, the Mediterranean is especially sensitive to astronomically induced climatic variations, which are well documented in its sedimentary record. Since the Mediterranean is involved in the deposition of eolian dust from the Sahara during dry periods, whereas riverine detrital input prevails during wet ones, the Mediterranean marine sapropel-bearing sequences provide high-resolution climatic information. The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest Sapropel (a contraction of ancient Greek words sapros and pelos, meaning Putrefaction and mud respectively is a term used in Marine geology These data have been employed in reconstructing astronomically calibrated time scales for the last 9 Ma of the earth's history. Furthermore, the exceptional accuracy of these paleoclimatic records improved our knowledge of the earth's orbital variations in the past.

Paleoenvironmental analysis

Its semi-enclosed configuration makes the oceanic gateways critical in controlling circulation and environmental evolution in the Mediterranean Sea. Water circulation patterns are driven by a number of interactive factors, such as climate and bathymetry, which can lead to precipitation of evaporites. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Evaporites (iˈvæpəraɪt are water-soluble Mineral sediments that result from the Evaporation of bodies of surficial Water. During late Miocene times, a so-called "Messinian Salinity Crisis" (MSC hereafter) occurred, which was triggered by the closure of the Atlantic gateway. The Messinian Salinity Crisis, also referred to as the Messinian Event, is a period when the Mediterranean Sea evaporated partly or completely dry during the Evaporites accumulated in the Red Sea Basin (late Miocene), in the Carpatian foredeep (middle Miocene) and in the whole Mediterranean area (Messinian). The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 Messinian is the last Age of the Miocene epoch. It spans the time between 7 An accurate age estimate of the MSC—5. 96 Ma—has recently been astronomically achieved; furthermore, this event seems to have occurred synchronously. The beginning of the MSC is supposed to have been of tectonic origin; however, an astronomical control (eccentricity) might also have been involved. In the Mediterranean basin, diatomites are regularly found underneath the evaporitic deposits, thus suggesting (albeit not clearly so far) a connection between their geneses. The present-day Atlantic gateway, i. e. the Strait of Gibraltar, finds its origin in the early Pliocene. The Strait of Gibraltar ( Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the Strait that connects the Atlantic However, two other connections between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea existed in the past: the Betic Corridor (southern Spain) and the Rifian Corridor (northern Morocco). Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The former closed during Tortonian times, thus providing a "Tortonian Salinity Crisis" well before the MSC; the latter closed about 6 Ma, allowing exchanges in the mammal fauna between Africa and Europe. Tortonian is a Age of the late Miocene epoch that spans the time between 11 Nowadays, evaporation is more relevant than the water yield supplied by riverine water and precipitation, so that salinity in the Mediterranean is higher than in the Atlantic. These conditions result in the outflow of warm saline Mediterranean deep water across Gibraltar, which is in turn counterbalanced by an inflow of a less saline surface current of cold oceanic water.

In the last few centuries, mankind has done much to alter Mediterranean geology. Structures have been built all along the coastlines, exacerbating and rerouting erosional patterns. Many pollution-producing boats travel the sea that unbalance the natural chemical ratios of the region. Beaches have been mismanaged, and the overuse of the sea's natural and marine resources continues to be a problem. This misuse speeds along and/or confounds natural processes. The actual geography has also been altered by the building of dams and canals.

The Mediterranean was once thought to be the remnant of the Tethys Ocean. The Tethys Ocean was a Mesozoic era Ocean that existed between the continents of Gondwana and Laurasia before the opening of the Indian It is now known to be a structurally younger ocean basin known as Neotethys. The Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. Neotethys formed during the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic rifting of the African and Eurasian plates. The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 251 to 199 Ma (million years ago The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Ma (million years ago to  Ma that is from the end of the Triassic to the beginning In Geology, a rift is a place where the Earth 's crust and Lithosphere are being pulled apart and is an example of Extensional tectonics Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere

Ecology and global warming

As a result of the drying of the sea during the Messinian Salinity Crisis[7], the marine biota of the Mediterranean are derived primarily from the Atlantic Ocean. The Messinian Salinity Crisis, also referred to as the Messinian Event, is a period when the Mediterranean Sea evaporated partly or completely dry during the The North Atlantic is considerably colder and more nutrient-rich than the Mediterranean, and the marine life of the Mediterranean has had to adapt to its differing conditions in the five thousand years since the basin was reflooded.

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 created the first salt-water passage between the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. The Red Sea is higher than the Eastern Mediterranean, so the canal serves as a tidal strait that pours Red Sea water into the Mediterranean. The Bitter Lakes, which are hypersaline natural lakes that form part of the canal, blocked the migration of Red Sea species into the Mediterranean for many decades, but as the salinity of the lakes gradually equalized with that of the Red Sea, the barrier to migration was removed, and plants and animals from the Red Sea have begun to colonize the Eastern Mediterranean. The Great Bitter Lake ( Arabic: البحيرة المرة الكبرى transliterated: al-Buhayrah al-Murra al-Kubra is a salt water lake between the north and south The Red Sea is generally saltier and more nutrient-poor than the Atlantic, so the Red Sea species have advantages over Atlantic species in the salty and nutrient-poor Eastern Mediterranean. Accordingly, Red Sea species invade the Mediterranean biota, and not vice versa; this phenomenon is known as the Lessepsian migration (after Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French engineer) or Erythrean invasion. Lessepsian migration (also called Erythrean invasion) is the ongoing migration of marine species across the Suez Canal, usually from the Red Sea to the The construction of the Aswan High Dam across the Nile River in the 1960s reduced the inflow of freshwater and nutrient-rich silt from the Nile into the Eastern Mediterranean, making conditions there even more like the Red Sea and worsening the impact of the invasive species. Aswan (Assuan is a city on the first cataract of the Nile in Egypt. The Nile (النيل, Ancient Egyptian iteru or Ḥ'pī, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing River Introduced species|Weed Invasive species is a phrase with several definitions

Invasive species originating from the Red Sea and introduced into the Mediterranean by the construction of the canal have become a major component of the Mediterranean ecosystem and have serious impacts on the Mediterranean ecology, endangering many local and endemic Mediterranean species. An introduced species (also known as naturalized species or exotic species) is an Organism that is not indigenous to a given location but Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere Up to this day, about 300 species native to the Red Sea have already been identified in the Mediterranean Sea, and there are probably others yet unidentified. In recent years, the Egyptian government's announcement of its intentions to deepen and widen the canal have raised concerns from marine biologists, fearing that such an act will only worsen the invasion of Red Sea species into the Mediterranean, facilitating the crossing of the canal for yet additional species[8]. Marine biology is the scientific study of living Organisms in the Ocean or other marine or Brackish bodies of water

Pollution in this region has been extremely high in the past couple years. In just one year, 1,000,000 tons of sewage has been dumped directly into the Mediterranean Sea. Also, many marine species, such as the Mediterranean Monk Seal, have been almost wiped out because of the pollution there. The Mediterranean Monk Seal ( Monachus monachus) is believed to be the world's rarest Pinniped and one of the most endangered Mammals of the world The Monk Seal has been placed as one of the top ten endangered species in the world. An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation

Global warming could trigger hurricanes over the Mediterranean Sea. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding [9]

References

  1. ^ entry μεσόγαιος at Liddell & Scott
  2. ^ Pinet, Paul R. A Greek-English Lexicon is a standard lexicographical work of the Ancient Greek language, begun in the nineteenth century and now in (1996) Invitation to Oceanography, St Paul, MN: West Publishing Co. , ISBN (3rd ed. ), p. 202
  3. ^ Pinet, p. 206
  4. ^ Pinet, pp. 206–7
  5. ^ Pinet, p. 207
  6. ^ IHO Codes for Oceans & Seas, and Other Code Systems Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, 3rd Edition 1953, published by the International Hydrographic Organization
  7. ^ Hsu K.J., "When the Mediterranean Dried Up" Scientific American, Vol. Kenneth J Hsu ( born July 7, 1929)，is a scientist and geologist 227, December 1972, p32
  8. ^ Galil, B. S. and Zenetos, A. (2002). A sea change: exotics in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in: Leppäkoski, E. et al. (2002). Invasive aquatic species of Europe: distribution, impacts and management. pp. 325-336.
  9. ^ Ben Hirschler (16 July 2007). Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Warming may bring hurricanes to Mediterranean. Reuters. This article is primarily about Reuters prior to its 2008 merger with Thomson

See also

External links

The Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide The Mediterranean diet is a modern nutritional recommendation inspired by the traditional dietary patterns of some of the countries of the Mediterranean Basin. Mediterranean forests woodlands and shrub is a temperate Biome, characterized by hot dry summers and mild and rainy winters The Mediterranean Games are a multi-sport games held every four years mainly for nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, where Europe Africa and Asia meet The Mediterranean race was one of the three sub-categories into which the people of Europe were divided by anthropologists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century For the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa, see the Mediterranean Sea. The Union for the Mediterranean (Union pour la Méditerranée previously known as the Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF is a hereditary inflammatory disorder that affects groups of patients originating from around the Mediterranean Sea (hence The history of the Mediterranean region is the History of the interaction of the cultures and peoples of the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea The Holy League of 1571 was arranged by Pope Pius V and included almost all the major Catholic maritime states in the Mediterranean. An inland sea is a shallow Sea that covers central areas of continents during high stands of Sea level that result in marine transgressions In modern days This is a list of Islands in the Mediterranean Sea: By area By country Croatia Croatian islands The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation Babelmed is a non profit organisation established in Rome in April 2001. Piri Reis (full name Hadji Muhiddin Piri Ibn Hadji Mehmed) (about 1465&ndash1554 or 1555 was an Ottoman-Turkish Admiral, geographer and The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, (PAM is an Organisation established with the aim of bringing together all the littoral States of the Mediterranean on an

Dictionary

Mediterranean Sea

-proper noun

  1. The sea between Europe and Africa.
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