The Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is a large body of water located between Southern Europe and Northern Africa. It is one of the largest and most heavily navigated seas in the world, connecting the shores of about two dozen countries, including Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Libya, among others.

The Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar. It is also linked to several other seas, including the Aegean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Marmara Sea (via the Dardanelles), the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the Black Sea through the Marmara Sea.

The total area of the Mediterranean Sea is estimated at 970,000 square miles, and its maximum depth reaches approximately 4,900 feet. It contains around 0.7 percent of the world’s water. The sea is also home to large islands such as Sicily, Crete, Cyprus, and Sardinia, among many others. In total, the number of islands in the Mediterranean exceeds 3,300. 

The sea has played a crucial role in numerous historic and global events over the past centuries. Also known as the Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea, its name comes from a Latin expression meaning “between the lands”. Major cities located along the Mediterranean coast include important ports and commercial centers such as Alexandria, Tel Aviv, Athens, Izmir, Naples, Tunis, Barcelona, Valencia, and Malaga.