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Our Russia is washed on all sides by seas and oceans, it has seventeen access to large waters, which makes it simply a unique world power. Some seas are located in the southern part of the country and belong to the resort area, while northern Russian waters abound with fish and other commercial species of marine life. Most often, our compatriots visit the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov, which we will compare today.

Sea of ​​Azov: brief description

The Sea of ​​Azov is located in the southern part of Russia, it is a semi-enclosed type of sea and is related to the Atlantic Ocean basin. The sea is connected to the ocean by a chain of straits and various seas. The salinity of the water is ensured by the influx of water masses from the Black Sea, but for the most part they are diluted by river runoff. IN last years people are active on the sea coast, so the influx of fresh water has decreased significantly. This fact affected the population of marine life.

Black Sea: briefly about the main thing

The Black Sea is an inland sea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean and is connected to the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas by various straits. The water area has long been inhabited by people; now Russia, Turkey, Georgia and Bulgaria have access to the waters of the Black Sea.

One of the features of the water area is the impossibility of life existing at great depths. This is due to the release of hydrogen sulfide at a depth of more than one hundred and fifty meters; moreover, this feature does not allow different layers of water to mix with each other. Therefore, large temperature differences are observed at shallow depths in the Black Sea.

Where did the Sea of ​​Azov come from?

In ancient times, the Sea of ​​Azov did not exist; this territory was swampy. Scientists believe that the water area was formed approximately five thousand six hundred years BC as a result of the Black Sea flood. This version was expressed by ancient philosophers and is supported by modern hydrologists and oceanologists.

During its existence, the Sea of ​​Azov changed its name many times. Using them, you can even trace the history of the development of the reservoir itself, because the ancient Greeks classified it as lakes, and the Romans as swamps. Although the Scythians already used the word “sea” in their name for the water area.

Scientists have counted more than fifty different names. Every nation that chose the shores of the Sea of ​​Azov sought to give it a new name. It was only in the eighteenth century that the familiar word “Azov” became established in the Russian language. Although back in the first century AD, some Greek scientists mentioned a name that sounded close to the modern pronunciation.

History of the Black Sea

Hydrologists believe that a freshwater lake has always existed on the site of today’s Black Sea. It is worth noting that at that time it was the largest in the world; the filling of the water area with sea water occurred as a result of the same Black Sea flood, thanks to which the Sea of ​​Azov was formed. A large flow of salt water caused a massive death of freshwater inhabitants of the lake, which became the source of the release of hydrogen sulfide from the depths of the sea.

I would like to note that the Black Sea almost always had names close to today’s. It is believed that the Scythian tribes who lived on the coast called the sea “dark”. The Greeks, in turn, changed the name and began to call the water area the “Inhospitable Sea.” This is associated with frequent storms and difficulties in passing the fairway. Some hydrologists have put forward a hypothesis according to which sailors since ancient times have noticed that anchors, when lifted from the depths, acquire a deep black color. This served as the prerequisite for the name of the sea.

Where are the Black and Azov Seas located: coordinates and dimensions

The Black Sea has an area of ​​more than four hundred thousand square kilometers, the length of the surface between the two most distant points is approximately five hundred and eighty kilometers. The volume of water in the water area is equal to five hundred and fifty cubic kilometers. The coordinates of the Black Sea lie between forty-six degrees thirty-three minutes and forty degrees fifty-six minutes north latitude and between twenty-seven degrees twenty-seven minutes and forty-one degrees forty-two minutes east longitude.

The area of ​​the Sea of ​​Azov is thirty-seven square kilometers, the length between the most distant points is equal to three hundred and eighty kilometers. The sea coordinates lie between 45°12′30″ and 47°17′30″ north latitude and between 33°38′ and 39°18′ east longitude.

Depth

The Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov differ significantly from each other. The first thing that strikes the average person is the difference in depth. The fact is that the depth of the Azov Sea is constantly changing. Scientists are seriously concerned about the trend towards shallowing of the Azov waters. At the moment, the sea is one of the smallest in the world, and the process of shallowing is gaining momentum and becoming more active every year. According to the latest data, the average depth of the Sea of ​​Azov is only seven meters, the most deep place thirteen and a half meters are marked throughout the entire water area.

The Black Sea has a heterogeneous bottom topography. Therefore, the depth in different areas differs significantly. The maximum depth reaches two thousand meters. In the Yalta area, the average depth is five hundred meters, and this mark is reached already several kilometers from the coast.

It's amazing how interconnected everything is in our world. This also applies to the seas. Every schoolchild knows that the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov are connected to each other. It is a narrow strip of water, not exceeding four kilometers in width. The average depth of the strait is five meters.

Those who often visited the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov in Soviet times know that there is an absolutely unique place where you can see the contact of the two seas. If you come to Tuslova Spit, then on one side of you there will be the Sea of ​​Azov, and on the other - the Black Sea. Tourists claim that this spit is an unusually good place to relax. There are practically no people here, and the opportunity to swim in both seas at once cannot but delight unspoiled vacationers.

It is worth noting that in comparison with the Sea of ​​Azov, the waters of the Black Sea look lighter. Scientists find it difficult to say what this is connected with.

What does the sea coast look like?

The coasts of the Black and Azov Seas are significantly different from each other. Azov is represented by flat beaches with slightly indented relief. Most of the beaches are covered with sand; the Russian part is two hundred and fifty kilometers of coastal strip. A special feature of the coast of the Sea of ​​Azov are the alluvial spits; they usually protrude deeply into the water area and do not exceed five kilometers in width.

The length of the Russian part of the Black Sea coast is four hundred and fifty-seven kilometers. The coastal strip is slightly indented and is represented mainly by pebble beaches, which in some places are more than three hundred meters wide. The Black Sea is distinguished by a large number of islands, chaotically scattered throughout the water area.

Transparency and color of water masses

The Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov have different water compositions, which affects their color. If you look at the Black Sea on a sunny day, you will see how the water takes on a deep cobalt hue. This is due to the absorption of red and orange spectrum rays from the sun. The Black Sea is not one of the most transparent, but nevertheless, visibility on a clear day here reaches more than seventy meters.

The waters of the Azov Sea in calm weather have a greenish color, but the slightest wind immediately turns the water into a dirty yellow substance. This is explained by the large amount of phytoplankton that has filled the sea area. The fact is that shallow water with heated water is ideal for its development, which corresponds to the indicators of the Sea of ​​​​Azov. It is shallow depths that affect the transparency of the water; it is almost always cloudy with low visibility.

Flora and fauna of the seas

Hydrologists and oceanologists often compare the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov in terms of the richness of flora and fauna. This indicator reveals significant differences between the two water areas.

At one time, the Sea of ​​Azov had no competitors in terms of the quantity of fish; several large companies were engaged in catching it. In recent years the population marine species decreased significantly. According to oceanologists, more than one hundred and three species of fish live in the Sea of ​​Azov. Almost all of them are commercial:

• herring;
• stellate sturgeon;
• sprat;
• flounder and so on.

The Black Sea is considered relatively poor in terms of marine life, because at depth, due to hydrogen sulfide emissions, life is simply impossible. The sea is home to about one hundred and sixty species of fish and five hundred species of crustaceans. But phytoplankton is represented by six dozen species, as opposed to two species in the Azov Sea.

Despite the fact that the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov are located nearby and even have a common border, they differ significantly from each other. Some of these differences can only be determined by scientists, while some are clearly visible even to ordinary vacationers, who often prefer the coast of these seas to foreign resorts.

The area of ​​the Black Sea is 422,000 km² (according to other sources - 436,400 km²). The outline of the Black Sea resembles an oval with the longest axis about 1150 km. The greatest length of the sea from north to south is 580 km. The greatest depth is 2210 m, the average is 1240 m.

The sea washes the shores of Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Georgia. The unrecognized state entity of Abkhazia is located on the northeastern coast of the Black Sea.

A characteristic feature of the Black Sea is the complete (with the exception of a number of anaerobic bacteria) absence of life at depths above 150-200 m due to the saturation of the deep layers of water with hydrogen sulfide. The Black Sea is an important transport area, as well as one of the largest resort regions in Eurasia.

In addition, the Black Sea retains important strategic and military significance. The main military bases of the Russian Black Sea Fleet are located in Sevastopol and Novorossiysk.

The ancient Greek name of the sea is Pont Aksinsky (Greek Πόντος Ἄξενος, “Inhospitable Sea”). In Strabo's "Geography" it is assumed that the sea received this name due to difficulties with navigation, as well as the wild hostile tribes inhabiting its shores. Later, after the successful development of the shores by Greek colonists, the sea began to be called Pontus Euxine (Greek Πόντος Εὔξενος, “Hospitable Sea”). However, Strabo (1.2.10) contains references to the fact that in antiquity the Black Sea was also called simply “sea” (pontos).

In Ancient Rus' in the 10th-16th centuries, the name “Russian Sea” was found in chronicles; in some sources, the sea is called “Scythian”. The modern name “Black Sea” has found its corresponding reflection in most languages: Greek. Μαύρη θάλασσα, Bulgarian. Black Sea, cargo. შავი ზღვა, rum. Marea Neagră, English. Black Sea, tour. Karadeniz, Ukrainian Chorne more, etc. The earliest sources mentioning this name date back to the 13th century, but there are certain signs that it was used earlier. There are a number of hypotheses regarding the reasons for this name:

The Turks and other conquerors who tried to conquer the population of the sea coast met fierce resistance from the Circassians, Circassians and other tribes, for which they called the sea Karadengiz - Black, inhospitable.

Another reason, according to some researchers, may be the fact that during storms the water in the sea becomes very dark. However, storms in the Black Sea are not too frequent, and the water darkens during storms in all the seas of the earth. Another hypothesis for the origin of the name is based on the fact that metal objects (for example, anchors) lowered into sea water deeper than 150 m for a long time became covered with a black coating due to the action of hydrogen sulfide.

Another hypothesis is related to the one adopted in a number of Asian countries“color” designation of the cardinal directions, where “black” denoted the north, respectively, the Black Sea - the northern sea.

One of the most common hypotheses is the assumption that the name is associated with memories of the Bosphorus breakthrough 7500-5000 years ago, which resulted in a catastrophic rise in sea level by almost 100 meters, which in turn led to the flooding of a vast shelf zone and the formation of the Sea of ​​Azov .

There is a Turkish legend according to which a heroic sword rests in the waters of the Black Sea, which was thrown there at the request of the dying wizard Ali. Because of this, the sea is agitated, trying to throw out deadly weapons from its depths, and turns black.

The shores of the Black Sea are slightly indented and mainly in its northern part. The only large peninsula is Crimean. The largest bays are: Yagorlytsky, Tendrovsky, Dzharylgachsky, Karkinitsky, Kalamitsky and Feodosiysky in Ukraine, Varna and Burgassky in Bulgaria, Sinopsky and Samsunsky - on the southern shores of the sea, in Turkey. In the north and northwest, estuaries flood at the confluence of rivers. total length coastline- 3400 km.

A number of sections of the sea coast have their own names: the southern coast of Crimea in Ukraine, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus in Russia, the Rumelian coast and the Anatolian coast in Turkey. In the west and north-west the banks are low-lying, steep in places; in Crimea - mostly lowland, with the exception of the southern mountainous shores. On the eastern and southern shores, the spurs of the Caucasus and Pontic mountains come close to the sea.

There are few islands in the Black Sea. The largest are Berezan and Zmeiny (both with an area of ​​less than 1 km²).

The following largest rivers flow into the Black Sea: Danube, Dnieper, Dniester, as well as smaller Mzymta, Bzyb, Rioni, Kodor (Kodori), Inguri (in the east of the sea), Chorokh, Kyzyl-Irmak, Ashley-Irmak, Sakarya (in the south ), Southern Bug (in the north). The Black Sea fills an isolated depression located between Southeast Europe and the Asia Minor peninsula. This depression was formed in the Miocene era, during the process of active mountain building, which divided the ancient Tethys Ocean into several separate bodies of water (from which, in addition to the Black Sea, the Azov, Aral and Caspian seas were subsequently formed).

One of the hypotheses for the origin of the Black Sea (in particular, the conclusions of the participants in the international oceanographic expedition on the scientific vessel “Aquanaut” in 1993) states that 7,500 years ago it was the deepest freshwater lake on earth, the level was more than a hundred meters lower than the modern one . At the end of the Ice Age, the level of the World Ocean rose and the Bosphorus Isthmus was broken. A total of 100 thousand km² (the most fertile lands already cultivated by people) were flooded. The flooding of these vast lands may have become the prototype of the myth of the Great Flood. The emergence of the Black Sea, according to this hypothesis, was supposedly accompanied by the mass death of all the freshwater living world of the lake, the decomposition product of which - hydrogen sulfide - reaches high concentrations on the bottom of the sea.

The Black Sea depression consists of two parts - western and eastern, separated by a rise, which is a natural continuation of the Crimean peninsula. The northwestern part of the sea is characterized by a relatively wide shelf strip (up to 190 km). The southern coast (belonging to Turkey) and the eastern (Georgia) are steeper, the shelf strip does not exceed 20 km and is cut by a number of canyons and depressions. Depths off the coast of Crimea and the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus are increasing extremely quickly, reaching levels of over 500 m already a few kilometers from the coastline. The sea reaches its maximum depth (2210 m) in the central part, south of Yalta.

The composition of the rocks that make up the seabed in the coastal zone is dominated by coarse sediments: pebbles, gravel, sand. As they move away from the coast, they are replaced by fine-grained sands and silts. Shell rocks are widespread in the northwestern part of the Black Sea; Pelitic silts are common on the slope and bed of the sea basin.

Among the main mineral resources, deposits of which are found on the seabed: oil and natural gas on the northwestern shelf; coastal placers of titanomagnetite sands (Taman Peninsula, Caucasus coast). The Black Sea is the world's largest meromictic (with unmixed water levels) body of water. The upper layer of water (mixolimnion), lying down to a depth of 150 m, is cooler, less dense and less saline, saturated with oxygen, separated from the lower, warmer, saltier and dense layer saturated with hydrogen sulfide (monimolimnion) by a chemocline (the boundary layer between aerobic and anaerobic waters). zones). There is no single generally accepted explanation for the origin of hydrogen sulfide in the Black Sea. There is an opinion that hydrogen sulfide in the Black Sea is formed mainly as a result of the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria, pronounced stratification of water and weak vertical exchange. There is also a theory that hydrogen sulfide was formed as a result of the decomposition of freshwater animals that died during the penetration of salty Mediterranean waters during the formation of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles.

Some studies in recent years suggest that the Black Sea is a gigantic reservoir of not only hydrogen sulfide, but also methane, most likely also released during the activity of microorganisms, as well as from the bottom of the sea.

The water balance of the Black Sea consists of the following components:

• atmospheric precipitation (230 km³ per year);
• continental runoff (310 km³ per year);
• water supply from the Sea of ​​Azov (30 km³ per year);
• evaporation of water from the sea surface (-360 km³ per year);
• removal of water through the Bosphorus Strait (-210 km³ per year).

The amount of precipitation, inflow from the Sea of ​​Azov and river runoff exceeds the amount of evaporation from the surface, as a result of which the level of the Black Sea exceeds the level of the Marmara Sea. Thanks to this, an upper current is formed, directed from the Black Sea through the Bosphorus Strait. The lower current observed in lower layers of water is less pronounced and is directed through the Bosphorus in the opposite direction. The interaction of these currents additionally supports the vertical stratification of the sea, and is also used by fish for migration between seas.

It should be noted that due to the difficult exchange of water with the Atlantic Ocean, there are practically no ebbs and flows in the Black Sea. The circulation of water in the sea covers only the surface layer of water. This layer of water has a salinity of about 18 ppm (in the Mediterranean - 37 ppm) and is saturated with oxygen and other elements necessary for the activity of living organisms. These layers in the Black Sea are subject to circular circulation in an anticyclonic direction along the entire perimeter of the reservoir. At the same time, in the western and eastern parts of the sea there are water circulations in the cyclonic direction. The temperature of the surface layers of water, depending on the time of year, ranges from 8 to 30 °C.

The lower layer, due to its saturation with hydrogen sulfide, does not contain living organisms, with the exception of a number of anaerobic sulfur bacteria (the waste product of which is hydrogen sulfide). Salinity here increases to 22-22.5 ppm, the average temperature is ~8.5°C.

The climate of the Black Sea, due to its mid-continental position, is mainly continental. Only the southern coast of Crimea and the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus are protected by mountains from cold northern winds and, as a result, have a mild Mediterranean climate.

The weather over the Black Sea is significantly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, over which most of the cyclones originate, bringing bad weather and storms to the sea. On the north-eastern coast of the sea, especially in the Novorossiysk region, low mountains are not a barrier to cold northern air masses, which, passing through them, cause a strong cold wind (bora), local residents call it Nord-Ost. Southwestern winds usually bring warm and fairly humid Mediterranean air masses to the Black Sea region. As a result, most of the sea area is characterized by warm, wet winters and hot, dry summers.

The average January temperature in the northern part of the Black Sea is −3 °C, but can drop to −30 °C. In the territories adjacent to the southern coast of Crimea and the Caucasus coast, winter is much milder: temperatures rarely drop below 0 °C. Snow, however, periodically falls in all areas of the sea. The average July temperature in the north of the sea is 22-23°C. Maximum temperatures are not so high due to the softening effect of the water reservoir and usually do not exceed 35 °C.

The greatest amount of precipitation in the Black Sea region falls on the coast of the Caucasus (up to 1500 mm per year), the least in the northwestern part of the sea (about 300 mm per year). Cloud cover for the year averages 60% with a maximum in winter and a minimum in summer.

The waters of the Black Sea, as a rule, are not subject to freezing, with the exception of the coastal part in the north of the reservoir. Coastal waters in these places freeze for up to a month or more; estuaries and river branches - up to 2-3 months.

The flora of the sea includes 270 species of multicellular green, brown, and red bottom algae (Cystoseira, Phyllophora, Zostera, Cladophora, Ulva, Enteromorpha, etc.). The phytoplankton of the Black Sea contains at least six hundred species. Among them are dinoflagellates - armored flagellates (prorocentrum micans, ceratium furca, small Scrippsiella trochoidea, etc.), dinoflagellates (dinophysis, protoperidinium, alexandrium), various diatoms, etc. The fauna of the Black Sea is noticeably poorer than the Mediterranean. The Black Sea is home to 2.5 thousand species of animals (of which 500 species are unicellular, 160 species of vertebrates - fish and mammals, 500 species of crustaceans, 200 species of mollusks, the rest are invertebrates of various species), for comparison, in the Mediterranean - about 9 thousand .species. Among the main reasons for the relative poverty of the marine fauna: a wide range of water salinities, moderately cold water, and the presence of hydrogen sulfide at great depths.

In this regard, the Black Sea is suitable for the habitat of fairly unpretentious species, at all stages of development of which great depths are not required.

The bottom of the Black Sea is inhabited by mussels, oysters, pecten, as well as the predator mollusk rapana, brought with ships from the Far East. Numerous crabs live in the crevices of the coastal rocks and among the stones, there are shrimps, various types of jellyfish are found (the most common are Corneros and Aurelia), sea anemones, and sponges.

Among the fish found in the Black Sea: various types of gobies (bighead goby, whip goby, round goby, martovy goby, rotan goby), Azov anchovy, Black Sea anchovy, dogfish shark, glossa flounder, mullet of five species, bluefish, hake (hake), sea ruff, red mullet (common Black Sea mullet), haddock, mackerel, horse mackerel, Black Sea-Azov herring, Black Sea-Azov sprat, etc. There are sturgeon (beluga, stellate sturgeon, Black Sea-Azov ( Russian) and Atlantic sturgeon).

Among the dangerous fish of the Black Sea are the sea dragon (the most dangerous - the spines of the dorsal fin and gill covers are poisonous), the Black Sea and noticeable scorpionfish, the stingray (sea cat) with poisonous spines on the tail.

The most common birds are gulls, petrels, diving ducks, cormorants and a number of other species. Mammals are represented in the Black Sea by two species of dolphins (the common dolphin and the bottlenose dolphin), the Azov-Black Sea harbor porpoise (often called the Azov dolphin), and the white-bellied seal.

Some species of animals that do not live in the Black Sea are often brought into it through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits by currents or swim on their own.

The history of the study of the Black Sea began in ancient times, along with the voyages of the Greeks, who founded their settlements on the seashore. Already in the 4th century BC, peripluses were compiled - ancient sailing directions of the sea. Subsequently, there is fragmentary information about the voyages of merchants from Novgorod and Kyiv to Constantinople.

Another milestone on the path to exploring the Black Sea was the voyage of the ship “Fortress” from Azov to Constantinople in 1696. Peter I, equipping the ship for voyage, gave the order to carry out cartographic work along the route of its movement. As a result, a “direct drawing of the Black Sea from Kerch to Tsar Grad” was drawn up, and depth measurements were taken.

More serious studies of the Black Sea date back to the end of the 18th-19th centuries. In particular, at the turn of these centuries, Russian scientists, academicians Peter Pallas and Middendorf, studied the properties of the waters and fauna of the Black Sea. In 1816, a description of the Black Sea coast appeared, made by F. F. Bellingshausen, in 1817 the first map of the Black Sea was published, in 1842 - the first atlas, in 1851 - the Black Sea navigational guide.

Systematic scientific research of the Black Sea began with two events at the end of the 19th century - the study of the Bosphorus currents (1881-1882) and the conduct of two oceanographic depth-finding expeditions (1890-1891).

Since 1871, a biological station has been operating in Sevastopol (now the Institute of Biology south seas), engaged in systematic research of the living world of the Black Sea. At the end of the 19th century, an expedition led by I. B. Spindler discovered the saturation of the deep layers of the sea with hydrogen sulfide; Later, a member of the expedition, the famous Russian chemist N.D. Zelinsky, gave an explanation for this phenomenon.

The study of the Black Sea continued after the October Revolution of 1917. In 1919, an ichthyological station was organized in Kerch (later transformed into the Azov-Black Sea Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, now the Southern Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography (YugNIRO)). In 1929, a marine hydrophysical station was opened in the Crimea, in Katsiveli (now a branch of the Sevastopol Marine Hydrophysical Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine).

In Russia, the main research organization conducting the study of the Black Sea is the Southern Branch of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Gelendzhik, Blue Bay) and a number of others.

The Black Sea is of great transport importance for the economies of the states washed by this body of water. A significant volume of maritime traffic consists of tanker flights that ensure the export of oil and petroleum products from the ports of Russia (primarily from Novorossiysk and Tuapse) and the ports of Georgia (Batumi). However, the volumes of hydrocarbon exports are significantly limited by the limited throughput capacity of the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits. The largest oil terminal for receiving oil as part of the Odessa-Brody oil pipeline was created in Ilyichevsk. There is also a project for the construction of the Burgas - Alexandroupolis oil pipeline bypassing the Black Sea straits. Novorossiysk oil terminals are capable of receiving supertankers. In addition to oil and its products, metals, mineral fertilizers, machinery and equipment, timber, lumber, grain, etc. are exported from the Russian and Ukrainian ports of the Black Sea. The main volumes of imports into the Black Sea ports of Russia and Ukraine are consumer goods, food products, a number of raw materials, etc. Container transportation is widely developed in the Black Sea basin, and there are large container terminals. Transportation using lighters is developing; There are railway ferry crossings Ilyichevsk (Ukraine) - Varna (Bulgaria) and Ilyichevsk (Ukraine) - Batumi (Georgia). Marine passenger transportation is also developed in the Black Sea (however, after the collapse of the USSR, its volume decreased significantly). The international transport corridor TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe - Caucasus - Asia, Europe - Caucasus - Asia) passes through the Black Sea. The Black Sea ports are the end points of a number of Pan-European transport corridors. The largest port cities on the Black Sea: Novorossiysk, Sochi, Tuapse (Russia); Burgas, Varna (Bulgaria); Batumi, Sukhumi, Poti (Georgia); Constanta (Romania); Samsun, Trabzon (Türkiye); Odessa, Ilyichevsk, Yuzhny, Kerch, Sevastopol, Yalta (Ukraine). Along the Don River, which flows into the Sea of ​​Azov, there is a river waterway connecting the Black Sea with the Caspian Sea (via the Volga-Don Shipping Canal and the Volga), with the Baltic Sea and the White Sea (via the Volga-Baltic Waterway and the White Sea-Baltic Canal) . The Danube River is connected to the North Sea through a system of canals. A unique deep-sea gas pipeline, the Blue Stream, connects Russia and Turkey, is laid along the bottom of the Black Sea. The length of the underwater part of the gas pipeline running between the village of Arkhipo-Osipovka to Black Sea coast Caucasus and the coast of Turkey 60 km from the city of Samsun, - 396 km. There are plans to expand the capacity of the gas pipeline by laying an additional branch of the pipe.

The following fish species are of commercial importance in the Black Sea: mullet, anchovy (anchovy), mackerel, horse mackerel, pike perch, bream, sturgeon, herring. Main fishing ports: Odessa, Kerch, Novorossiysk, etc.

In the last years of the 20th - early 21st centuries, fishing decreased significantly due to overfishing and deterioration of the ecological state of the sea. Prohibited bottom trawling and poaching are also a significant problem, especially for sturgeon. Thus, in the second half of 2005 alone, specialists from the Black Sea State Basin Department for the Protection of Aquatic Living Resources of Ukraine (“Chernomorrybvod”) uncovered 1,909 violations of fishery protection legislation in the Crimea and seized 33 tons of fish caught with illegal fishing gear or in prohibited places.

Favorable climatic conditions in the Black Sea region determine its development as an important resort region. The largest resort areas on the Black Sea include: the southern coast of Crimea (Yalta, Alushta, Sudak, Koktebel, Feodosia) in Ukraine, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus (Anapa, Gelendzhik, Sochi) in Russia, Pitsunda, Gagra and Batumi in Georgia, Golden Sands and Sunny Beach in Bulgaria, Mamaia, Eforie in Romania.

The Black Sea coast of the Caucasus is the main resort region of the Russian Federation. In 2005, about 9 million tourists visited it; in 2006, according to the forecasts of officials of the Krasnodar Territory, at least 11-11.5 million vacationers should have visited this region. There are over 1,000 boarding houses, sanatoriums and hotels on the Russian Black Sea coast, and their number is constantly growing. A natural continuation of the Russian Black Sea coast is the coast of Abkhazia, the most important resorts of which Gagra and Pitsunda were popular back in Soviet times. The development of the resort industry on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus is hampered by the relatively short (for example, compared to the Mediterranean) season, environmental and transport problems, and in Abkhazia, also by the uncertainty of its status and the threat of a new outbreak of military conflict with Georgia.

The Black Sea coast and the river basins flowing into it are areas with high anthropogenic impact, densely populated by people since ancient times. The ecological state of the Black Sea is generally unfavorable.

Among the main factors that disturb the balance in the ecological system of the sea, the following should be highlighted:

Severe pollution of rivers flowing into the sea, especially with runoff from fields containing mineral fertilizers, especially nitrates and phosphates. This entails overfertilization (eutrophication) of sea waters, and, as a consequence, rapid growth of phytoplankton (“blooming” of the sea - intensive development of blue-green algae), a decrease in water transparency, and the death of multicellular algae.

Water pollution with oil and oil products (the most polluted areas are the western part of the sea, which accounts for the largest volume of tanker traffic, as well as port waters). As a consequence, this leads to the death of marine animals caught in oil spills, as well as atmospheric pollution due to the evaporation of oil and petroleum products from the surface of the water.

Pollution of sea waters with human waste - discharge of untreated or insufficiently treated wastewater, etc.

Massive fishing.

Prohibited but widely used bottom trawling, which destroys bottom biocenoses.

Change in composition, reduction in the number of individuals and mutation water world under the influence of anthropogenic factors (including the replacement of indigenous species of the natural world with exotic ones that appear as a result of human impact). For example, according to experts from the Odessa branch of YugNIRO, in just one decade (from 1976 to 1987) the number of Black Sea bottlenose dolphins decreased from 56 thousand to seven thousand individuals.

According to a number of experts, the ecological state of the Black Sea has deteriorated over the last decade despite a decrease in economic activity in a number of Black Sea countries.

The President of the Crimean Academy of Sciences, Viktor Tarasenko, expressed the opinion that the Black Sea is the dirtiest sea in the world.

To protect the environment in the Black Sea region, the ACCOBAMS agreement (“Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantik Area”) was adopted in 1998, where one of the main issues is the protection of dolphins and whales. The main international document regulating the protection of the Black Sea is the Convention for the Protection of the Black Sea from Pollution, signed by six Black Sea countries - Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine in 1992 in Bucharest (Bucharest Convention). Also in June 1994, representatives of Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and the European Union, the Convention on Cooperation for the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Danube River was signed in Sofia. As a result of these agreements, the Black Sea Commission (Istanbul) and the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (Vienna) were created. These bodies perform the function of coordinating environmental programs implemented within the framework of the conventions. Every year on October 31, all countries of the Black Sea region celebrate International Black Sea Day.

Seas washing the territory of Russia

Russia is a great maritime power. Its territory is washed by the waters of three oceans:

• Arctic;
• Atlantic;
• Quiet.

And almost in the center of the continent is the largest sea-lake in the world - the Caspian. It belongs to the Eurasian internal drainage basin. The seas washing the territory of the country are located within four lithospheric plates:

• Eurasian (Eurasian);
• North American;
• Okhotsk Sea;
• Amurskaya.

Due to the vast area of ​​Russia, these seas are located at different latitudes and, accordingly, under different climatic conditions. They have different origins and bottom structures. The temperature and salinity of waters and climate determined the uniqueness of the organic world of the seas.

Typology of the seas

In physical geography, all seas of the World Ocean are divided into two groups: marginal and internal.

Definition 1

Marginal seas are parts of the World Ocean adjacent to the mainland and only slightly separated by land.

Their nature (bottom structure, water temperature and salinity, composition and abundance of the organic world) is largely determined by the nature of the ocean of which they are a part. For example, marginal seas include:

• Barencevo sea;
• Kara Sea;
• Japanese Sea.

Definition 2

Inland seas are seas that are largely separated by land from the oceans.

The nature of inland seas depends on the nature of the surrounding land and the rivers flowing into them. Inland seas are:

• White Sea;
• Baltic Sea;
• Black Sea;
• Sea of ​​Azov.

White Sea

Of all the seas of the Arctic Ocean, only the White Sea can be called inland, since it protrudes deeply into the land. The basin of this sea is a submerged area of ​​land. His connection with Barents Sea quite limited. Because of this, warm Atlantic waters do not penetrate into it. Therefore, despite its more southern position compared to the Barents Sea, the White Sea is much colder and freezes completely in winter (another reason is its relatively shallow depth).

Such large rivers as the Northern Dvina, Onega, and Mezen flow into the White Sea. The water salinity does not exceed $26$ ‰. The weather is characterized by frequent storms. The reduced salinity and richness of the water in oxygen determined the originality and richness of the organic world of the White Sea. Until recently, a unique soft pearl fishery was widespread here. But with the deterioration of the environmental situation, soft pearls ceased to form.

Inland seas of the Atlantic Ocean

The territory of Russia is washed by three seas belonging to the Atlantic Ocean:

• Baltic;
• Black;
• Azovskoe.

All of them belong to the inland seas because they extend deep into the mainland. In this regard, they have a rather unique hydrological regime. Communication with the World Ocean is mediated by a number of straits and other seas. The climate of the seas is significantly determined by the western transport of air masses and the influence of adjacent land areas.

The westernmost sea of ​​Russia is the Baltic Sea. It arose in Quaternary time in a tectonic trough at the junction of the East European lithospheric plate and the Baltic shield. The maximum sea depth is $470$ m (near Stockholm). Off the coast of Russia, depths are about $50$ m.

The climate is formed under the influence of Atlantic air masses. Weather conditions are characterized by frequent cyclones and heavy rainfall. The Gulf of Finland In winter it can freeze completely.

More than $250 rivers flow into the Baltic. This determines the low salinity of the water (about $7-8$ ‰). The desalination of the waters caused the poverty of plankton. The main fish wealth is herring, Baltic sprat, cod, whitefish, duck, lamprey, smelt, and salmon.

The Black Sea is almost equal in area to the Baltic Sea. It is connected to the Atlantic through a system of inland seas and straits. It is located in a tectonic depression of the oceanic type (the bottom has an oceanic type of crust). The maximum sea depth is $2210$ m. The shelf zone is most developed off the coast of Ukraine.

The climate over the Black Sea is close to the Mediterranean. But in winter the influence of eastern continental air masses is felt. Flows into the Black Sea a large number of rec. The largest are the Danube and the Dnieper. The average water salinity is $17-18$ ‰. The waters are rich in fish resources (beluga, stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, herring, mullet, mackerel, horse mackerel, red mullet, sprat, anchovy, tuna, stingray, ram, pike perch, bream).

The unique nature of the Black Sea is that water masses deeper than $200$ m are saturated with hydrogen sulfide and poor in oxygen. This is an almost lifeless layer.

Note 1

The smallest sea on our planet is the Sea of ​​Azov. The ancient Greeks considered it a lake. Its maximum depth is about $13$ m. It is connected to the Black Sea by the narrow Kerch Strait. Due to its small size and shallow depths, the Sea of ​​Azov has virtually no influence on the formation of the coastal climate. On the contrary, it is influenced by the climatic conditions of the land.

Two large rivers, the Don and the Kuban, flow into the Sea of ​​Azov. The salinity of the water is approximately $11$ ‰. But recently the salinity of the water has been increasing. Thanks to the shallow depths, the water warms up well. Therefore, the Sea of ​​Azov was distinguished by high bioproductivity. The most important fish species are sprat, pike perch, anchovy, bream, and sturgeon.

Alexander Green recalled in “Autobiographical Tale” that he learned to read by looking at a geographical map, and the first word he read was “sea.”

“The sea smelled like watermelon,” we read in the story of the great master of epithets and comparisons, Ivan Bunin. But Anton Chekhov liked the simple children’s definition most of all: “The sea was big.”

In fact, is it possible to say more precisely about this “model of the universe”? As a happy moment in life, we remember the day when we first saw the Black Sea, so we are drawn to it, so in the middle of winter we count the days until our vacation. But if not us, then our children and grandchildren need to know something about the sea, besides the fact that it is “big”!

Origin of the Black Sea

The origin of the Black Sea is closely connected with the history of the entire earth. At the dawn of its history, the earth was a red-hot ball of fire. Then the earth began to cool, moisture began to condense, and heavy rains began to fall over its surface, which began to fill all the depressions and dry land. Groundwater began to collect. This is how the world's seas and oceans were born.

Initially, sea water was not salty. But over the past millions of years, sea water has become salty. Water, evaporating from the sea surface, left all the salts and minerals, while at the same time being replenished with water from deep rivers, which eroded young rocks, enriching them with salts. Thus, the world's oceans filled with minerals and became salty.

Sea water contains all the elements of the periodic table known on earth. But the first place in content is occupied by sodium chloride, known as table salt, and magnesium sulfate - bitter salt. Thanks to them, sea water has a salty taste.

The Black Sea is the heir of the world ocean Tethys, whose waters stretched from the modern Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Millions of years passed before modern seas were formed and the mountains that divided it grew.

About twenty thousand years ago, the Black Sea basin was completely isolated from the World Ocean. Numerous fresh rivers served as a source of replenishment of water supplies. In fact, the Black Sea at that time was a lake. Only ten thousand years later did the overflowing freshwater Black Sea reservoir connect with the Sea of ​​Marmara through the Bosphorus Strait. Ocean water, enriched with salts, rushed like a stormy tsunami to actively fill it. This natural disaster is described in the Old Testament and is better known as the Great Flood.

In the depths of the sea, the water is colder and saltier than in the upper layers, and therefore cannot rise to the surface to become enriched with oxygen. Where there is a lack of oxygen, hydrogen sulfide accumulates. The Black Sea at a depth below two hundred and twenty meters is saturated with hydrogen sulfide, and at the bottom there is a thick layer of black silt. There is no life in the hydrogen sulfide layer, with the exception of hydrogen sulfide bacteria. Recent measurements of hydrogen sulfide levels in the Black Sea show that they have begun to rise.

During the entire period of formation of the modern appearance of the earth, the Black Sea has repeatedly merged with the Mediterranean Sea and the Caspian Sea. And only about six to seven thousand years ago the Black Sea became what we see it today.

History of the name of the Black Sea

The first known name of the Black Sea is “Temarinda”, which means “Dark Abyss”. That's what the Taurians, the oldest inhabitants of Crimea, called it.

The Greeks, who appeared off the coast of Crimea in the 8th century BC, called the Black Sea Pont Aksinsky - the Inhospitable Sea. For them it was a sea full of pirates, where the shores were swarming with tribes of wild aborigines. But centuries passed, enterprising Hellenes gradually settled on the Crimean shores, founded cities, developed trade, and centuries later the Black Sea was called Pont Euxine - the Hospitable Sea.

A thousand years ago the Black Sea was called the Surozh Sea. Then, through modern Sudak, and in the past Surozh, the Great Silk Road ran. It was also called the Russian Sea.

The modern name “Black Sea” was strengthened only in the Middle Ages, when tribes of nomadic Turkic peoples invaded Crimea. But it sounded different. Mare Negrum - the Genoese and Venetians called it. Karadenis - Arabs. Black sea - foreigners are now saying. But since then the name has always been the same - the Black Sea.

Currents of the Black Sea

While vacationing in Crimea, you often hear the phrase that “the tide has changed.” What kind of current is this in the Black Sea? You can conduct an experiment if somewhere in the Odessa area you set a boat freely floating, and the current will carry it to the Bosphorus Strait itself.

The currents of the Black Sea are closely connected with the large rivers flowing into it - the Dnieper, Danube, Southern Bug. There the water level rises significantly. Here it should be remembered that the globe rotates from east to west, and water flows into the Black Sea to the south, deflecting it to the west, directing it along the coasts of Turkey, the Caucasus, Crimea - and so on in a circle...

The width of the Black Sea Current is only sixty meters, the speed is half a meter per second. It is counteracted by the southwest wind (called “sweep”), which lifts deep cold layers of water to the surface. It is this southwest wind that causes a short-term cooling of sea water off the southern coast of Crimea. This phenomenon has become local residents Crimea is called “nizovka” when the sea water temperature can drop sharply from 25 to 13 degrees. But just a couple of days is enough, and the Black Sea warms up again. You can devote your free time from the sea to excursions and mountain hikes.

In the Black Sea Bosphorus Strait, two currents operate simultaneously. On the surface, the water moves from the Black Sea to Marmara. But at depth, the water moves back to the Black Sea. If you throw a container of water on a cable from a boat that is being carried by the current into the Sea of ​​Marmara, then, having dropped to a depth of about thirty meters, it will begin to move the boat along with it against the current on the surface - towards the Black Sea.

Relief of the Black Sea

The Black Sea waters connect Crimea with Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Romania, and Bulgaria. Through the Kerch Strait it is connected to the shallow Azov Sea, and through the Bosphorus Strait to the Sea of ​​Marmara and then to the world ocean.

The Black Sea is one of the deepest inland seas on the globe. The maximum depth reaches 2245 meters, while the average depth of the Black Sea is 1280 meters. The area of ​​the Black Sea is 442 thousand square kilometers. In terms of volume of water, it is six times greater than the Caspian Sea, and sixteen times the Baltic Sea, although their areas are approximately equal in size.

The largest island in the Black Sea is Zmeiny. It occupies an area of ​​only 1.5 square meters. kilometer There are no other large islands in the Black Sea.

The Black Sea is inland. The ocean ebbs and flows under the influence of lunar gravity are almost imperceptible in it.

The relief of the Black Sea bottom is characterized by three forms. This is a continental shelf - a shelf, a continental slope and a deep-sea Black Sea basin.

The sandbank occupies about 24% of the entire area of ​​the Black Sea bottom, and from the shore it descends to a depth of 100 - 140 meters. The width of the Black Sea shelf in the north-west reaches 200 - 250 kilometers, eastern shores– no more than 6 - 10 kilometers. There are places where it does not exceed 500 meters from the shore.

About ten thousand years ago, the shelf was a plain along which rivers flowed. After the melting of the glaciers, these plains were flooded by sea waters.

The continental slope off the Crimean coast is steep, reaches 30° and is considered steep. It is characterized by deep depressions, wide underwater valleys, giant underwater rocks, hills and rocky faults. Sea water slides along the continental slope at high speeds of up to 90 km per hour and destroys the soil.

At a depth of 2000 meters, the bottom of the Black Sea basin begins, which occupies about 30% of the entire water area. The shape of the basin is perfectly flat, oval, slightly inclined to the south.

The Black Sea covers land - one centimeter per year. For example, at the very cliff of the Heraclean Peninsula there was an ancient temple, which at that time stood at a safe distance from the sea. Now it is hidden in the depths of the sea. According to scientists, by the end of the 21st century the level of the Black Sea will rise by 1-2 meters. This means that in the next 50 years all city beaches will go under water.

Fauna of the Black Sea

The fauna of the Black Sea is quite diverse. First of all, these are various types of commercial and non-commercial fish - sturgeon (the largest of them is beluga), Azov flounder, mullet, pelengas, Black Sea flounder, red mullet, red mullet, sea bass, horse mackerel, mackerel, herring (in the family herrings also include anchovy, sprat, sprat), goby, sea ruffe, green fish and others - about 180 species in total. From the Mediterranean Sea, through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, tuna, swordfish, bluefish, bonito, and garfish enter the Black Sea.

Also found here are the Black Sea shark - katran, three species of dolphins - the bottlenose dolphin (the largest of them, up to 3 m long and weighing up to 400 kg), the white sided dolphin and the azovka (the smallest), there are two types of stingrays, jellyfish, mussels, rapana, crabs and other inhabitants of the deep sea.

The Black Sea monk seal once lived on the Crimean shores. The last time it was seen in the Novy Svet bays was in 1927. But off the coast of Turkey and Bulgaria it has survived to this day.
There were once oysters in the Black Sea, but the Pacific brine, which accidentally entered the Black Sea from the Far East about fifty years ago, practically destroyed them. It's a pity. And the red mullet received its second name - sultana - because it was considered the favorite fish of the Turkish sultans due to its delicate, delicate taste. Today red mullet is served in the most sophisticated Crimean restaurants.

Very often the question arises about Black Sea jellyfish - what are they? We will answer. There are two types of jellyfish found in the Black Sea: Aurelia and Cornerot. Aurelia has a flat-shaped umbrella, 10-20 cm in diameter, along the edges of which there are numerous thread-like tentacles. Cornerot is a larger jellyfish with a dome diameter of up to 40-50 cm, from which 8 large processes extend. The tentacles of jellyfish are equipped with so-called stinging cells; from touching them, a person gets a burn, like from nettles, traces of which remain on the body for up to several hours.

Due to hydrogen sulfide contamination, the organic world of the Black Sea, although diverse, is not rich. Here you will not find corals, sea stars, urchins and lilies, cephalopods and other groups of animals that are typical for “ordinary”, and especially tropical seas.

But, like any sea, the Black Sea is shrouded in many secrets. What can you hear! Exciting stories about ancient Greek sailors and bloodthirsty Taurus pirates; romantic stories about lovers separated by sea and circumstance; legends about countless treasures stored at the bottom of the sea in sunken ships...

A marginal sea is a body of water that belongs to the mainland, but is not separated or partially separated from the ocean by islands. As a rule, these are bodies of water located on the slope of the continent or on its shelf. All sea regimes, including climatic and hydrological and bottom sediments, are influenced not only by the ocean itself, but also by the continent. Often, reservoirs do not differ in depth and bottom relief.

The marginal seas include such as the Barents, Kara, East Siberian, Laptev Sea and others. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Seas of Russia: marginal and internal

The Russian Federation owns a fairly large area on which rivers, lakes and seas are located.

Many historical figures of our country, after whom water streams are named, are included in the book of world geographical history.

The Russian Federation is washed by 12 seas. They belong to the Caspian Sea, as well as 3 oceans.

All water bodies of the state can be divided into two types: marginal and internal.

The marginal seas (the list will be presented below) are mainly located near the borders of Russia. They wash the northern and eastern coasts of the country and are separated from the oceans by archipelagos, islands and island arcs.

Internal - located on the territory of the country to which they belong. Belonging to certain basins, they are located at a great distance from the oceans, and are connected to them by straits.

Russian marginal seas (list):

• Pacific Ocean: Sea of ​​Japan, Sea of ​​Okhotsk and Bering Sea.
• Arctic Ocean. Its basin includes the Laptev, Barents, Kara, East Siberian and Chukchi Seas.

Barencevo sea

Refers to the Arctic Ocean. On its banks are the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Norway. The marginal sea has an area of ​​more than 1 thousand km 2. Its depth is 600 m. Due to the strong current from the ocean, the southwest of the reservoir does not freeze.

In addition, the sea plays a big role for the state, mainly in the field of trade, catching fish and other seafood.

Kara Sea

The second marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean is the Kara Sea. There are several islands on it. It is located on the shelf. The depth varies from 50 to 100 m. In some zone this figure increases to 620 m. The area of ​​the reservoir is more than 883 thousand km 2.

The Ob and Yenisei flow into two deep streams. Because of this, the level of salinity in it varies.

The reservoir is known for its uncomfortable climate. Here the temperature rarely rises above 1 degree, it is constantly foggy and storms occur frequently. Almost all the time the reservoir is under ice.

Laptev sea

Examples of the marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean would be incomplete without the Laptev Sea. It brings great benefits to the state and has a sufficient number of islands.

The name comes from the surnames of two Russian explorers (the Laptev brothers).

The climatic conditions here are quite harsh. The temperature drops below zero degrees. The salinity of the water is minimal, animal and vegetable world does not shine with variety. A small number of people live on the coast. There is ice here all year round, except August and September.

On some islands, well-preserved remains of mammoths are still found.

East-Siberian Sea

There is a bay and port on the sea. It belongs to Yakutia. Thanks to some straits, it connects with the Chukchi Sea and the Laptev Sea. The minimum depth is 50 m, the maximum is 155 m. Salinity remains at around 5 ppm, in some northern areas it increases to 30.

The sea is the mouth of the Indigirka. It has several large islands.

The ice is permanently preserved. In the center of the reservoir you can see large boulders that have been there for several years. The temperature throughout the year varies from -1 0 C to +5 0 C.

Chukchi Sea

The last marginal sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean is the Chukchi Sea. Sudden storms and tides can be observed quite often here. Ice comes here from the western and northern sides. The southern part of the sea is free from glaciation only in summer time of the year. Due to climatic conditions, in particular strong winds, waves up to 7 m can rise. In summer, in some areas the temperature rises to 10-12 0 C.

Bering Sea

Some marginal seas Pacific Ocean, such as Beringovo, wash not only the Russian Federation, but also the United States of America.

The area of ​​the reservoir is more than 2 million km 2. The maximum depth of the sea is 4 thousand m. Thanks to this reservoir, the North American and Asian continents are broken into parts.

The sea is located in the north of the Pacific Ocean. The southern coast resembles an arc. It has several bays, capes and islands. The latter are mainly located near the USA. There are only 4 islands on Russian territory. The Yukon and Anadyr, the world's major rivers, flow into the Bering Sea.

The air temperature is +10 0 C in summer and -23 0 C in winter. Salinity remains within 34 ppm.

Ice begins to cover the surface of the water in September. The autopsy takes place in July. The Gulf of Lawrence is practically free of ice. It is also completely covered most of the time, even in the summer. The sea itself is under ice for no more than 10 months.

The relief differs in different areas. For example, in the northeastern part the bottom is shallow, and in the southwestern zone it is deep. The depth rarely exceeds 4 km. The bottom is covered with sand, shells, silt or gravel.

Sea of ​​Okhotsk

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is separated from the Pacific Ocean by Kamchatka, Hokkaido and the Kuril Islands. It washes the Russian Federation and Japan. The area is 1500 km 2, the depth is 4 thousand m. Due to the fact that the west of the reservoir is flat, it does not deepen much. There is a basin in the east. Here the depth reaches its maximum.

The sea is covered with ice from October to June. The southeast does not freeze due to its climate.

The coastline is rugged. There are bays in some areas. Most of them are in the northeast and west.

Fishing is thriving. Salmon, herring, navaga, capelin and others live here. Sometimes there are crabs.

The sea is rich in raw materials, which are mined by the state on Sakhalin.

The Amur flows into the Okhotsk basin. Several of Russia's main ports are also located here.

Temperatures in winter range from -1 0 C to 2 0 C. In summer - from 10 0 C to 18 0 C.

Often only the surface of the water warms up. At a depth of 50 m there is a layer that does not receive sunlight. Its temperature does not change throughout the year.

Waters with temperatures up to 3 0 C come here from the Pacific Ocean. Near the coast, as a rule, the sea warms up to 15 0 C.

Salinity is 33 ppm. In coastal areas this figure is halved.

Japanese Sea

It has a temperate climate. Unlike the north and west, the south and east of the reservoir are quite warm. The winter temperature in the north is -20 0 C, in the south at the same time it is +5 0 C. Due to the summer monsoon, the air is quite warm and humid. If in the east the sea warms up to +25 0 C, then in the west it only warms up to +15 0 C.

In the autumn season, the number of typhoons, which are caused by strong winds, reaches its maximum. The highest waves reach 10 m; in emergency situations their height is more than 12 m.

The Sea of ​​Japan is divided into three parts. Two of them freeze periodically, the third does not. Tides occur frequently, especially in the southern and eastern parts. Salinity almost reaches the level of the World Ocean - 34 ppm.