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The term Mediterranean derives from the Latin word mediterraneus, meaning "in the middle of earth" or "between lands" (medi-; adj. medius, -um -a "middle, between" + terra f., "land, earth"): as it is between the continents of Africa, Asia and Europe. The Greek name Mesogeios (Μεσόγειος), is similarly from μέσο, "middle" + γη, "land, earth").[5] The Mediterranean Sea has historically had several names. For example the Romans commonly called it Mare Nostrum (Latin, "Our Sea"), and occasionally Mare Internum (Sallust, Jug. 17). In the Bible, it was primarily known as the "Great Sea" (הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל, HaYam HaGadol, 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. 1 Macc. 14:34, 15:11); however, it has also been called the "Hinder Sea" (הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן), due to its location on the west coast of the Holy Land, and therefore behind a person facing the east, sometimes translated as "Western Sea", (Deut. 11:24; Joel 2:20). Another name was the "Sea of the Philistines" (יָם פְּלִשְׁתִּים, Exod. 23:31), from the people occupying a large portion of its shores near the Israelites. The sea is also called the "Great Sea" (Middle English: Grete See) in the General Prologue by Geoffrey Chaucer. In Modern Hebrew, it has been called HaYam HaTikhon (הַיָּם הַתִּיכוֹן), "the Middle Sea", reflecting the Sea's name in ancient Greek (Mesogeios), Latin (Mare internum), German (Mittelmeer), and modern languages in both Europe and the Middle East (Mediterranean, etc.). Similarly, in Modern Arabic, it is known as al-Baḥr [al-Abyaḍ] al-Mutawassiṭ (البحر [الأبيض] المتوسط), "the [White] Middle Sea", while in Islamic and older Arabic literature, it was referenced as Baḥr al-Rūm (بحر الروم), or "the Roman/Byzantine Sea." In Turkish, it is known as Akdeniz,[6] "the White Sea" since among Turks the white color (ak) represents the west. History Main article: History of the Mediterranean region Greek and Phoenician colonies in antiquity The Battle of Lepanto, 1571, ended in victory for the European Holy League against the Ottoman Turks. The Bombardment of Algiers by the Anglo-Dutch fleet, to support the ultimatum to release European slaves, August 1816 Several ancient civilisations were located around its shores; thus it has had a major influence on those cultures. It provided routes for trade, colonisation and war, and provided food (by fishing and the gathering of other seafood) for numerous communities throughout the ages.[7] The sharing of similar climate, geology and access to a common sea led to numerous historical and cultural connections between the ancient and modern societies around the Mediterranean. Two of the most notable Mediterranean civilisations in classical antiquity were the Greek city states and the Phoenicians. When Augustus founded the Roman Empire, the Mediterranean Sea began to be called Mare Nostrum by the Romans. Darius I of Persia, who conquered Ancient Egypt, built a canal linking the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Darius's canal was wide enough for two triremes to pass each other with oars extended, and required four days to traverse.[8] The western Roman empire collapsed around AD 476. Temporarily the east was again dominant as the Byzantine Empire formed from the eastern half of the Roman empire. Another power soon arose in the east: Islam. At its greatest extent, the Arab Empire controlled 75% of the Mediterranean region. Europe was reviving, however, as more organised and centralised states began to form in the later Middle Ages after the Renaissance of the 12th century. Ottoman power continued to grow, and in 1453, the Byzantine Empire was extinguished with the Conquest of Constantinople. Ottomans gained control of much of the sea in the 16th century and maintained naval bases in southern France, Algeria and Tunisia. Barbarossa, the famous Ottoman captain is a symbol of this domination with the victory of the Battle of Preveza. The Battle of Djerba marked the apex of Ottoman naval domination in the Mediterranean. As the naval prowess of the European powers increased, they confronted Ottoman expansion in the region when the Battle of Lepanto checked the power of the Ottoman Navy. This was the last naval battle to be fought primarily between galleys. The Barbary pirates of North Africa preyed on Christian shipping in the western Mediterranean Sea.[9] According to Robert Davis, from the 16th to 19th century, pirates captured 1 million to 1.25 million Europeans as slaves.[10] The development of oceanic shipping began to affect the entire Mediterranean. Once, all trade from the east had passed through the region, but now the circumnavigation of Africa allowed spices and other goods to be imported through the Atlantic ports of western Europe.[11][12][13] In 2013, the Maltese president described the Mediterranean sea as a "cemetery" due to the large amounts of migrants who drown there.[14] European Parliament president Martin Schulz said that Europe's migration policy has "turned the Mediterranean into a graveyard", referring to the number of refugees in the region as a direct result of the policies.[15] Following the 2013 Lampedusa migrant shipwreck, the Italian government decided to strengthen the national system for the patrolling of the Mediterranean Sea by authorising "Mare Nostrum", a military and humanitarian mission in order to rescue the migrants and arrest the traffickers of immigrants.[16] Geography A satellite image showing the Mediterranean Sea. The Strait of Gibraltar can be seen in the bottom left (north-west) quarter of the image; to its left is the Iberian Peninsula in Europe, and to its right, the Maghreb in Africa. The Dardanelles strait in Turkey. The north side is Europe with the Gelibolu Peninsula in the Thrace region; the south side is Anatolia in Asia. The Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar in the west and to the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, by the Dardanelles and the Bosporus respectively, in the east. The Sea of Marmara is often considered a part of the Mediterranean Sea, whereas the Black Sea is generally not. The 163 km (101 mi) long man-made Suez Canal in the southeast connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. Large islands in the Mediterranean include Cyprus, Crete, Euboea, Rhodes, Lesbos, Chios, Kefalonia, Corfu, Limnos, Samos, Naxos and Andros in the eastern Mediterranean; Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, Cres, Krk, Brač, Hvar, Pag, Korčula and Malta in the central Mediterranean; and Ibiza, Majorca and Minorca (the Balearic Islands) in the western Mediterranean. The typical Mediterranean climate has hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Crops of the region include olives, grapes, oranges, tangerines, and cork. Extent The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Mediterranean Sea as follows:[17] Stretching from the Strait of Gibraltar in the West to the entrances to the Dardanelles and the Suez Canal in the East, the Mediterranean Sea is bounded by the coasts of Europe, Africa and Asia, and is divided into two deep basins: Western Basin: On the west: A line joining the extremities of Cape Trafalgar (Spain) and Cape Spartel (Africa). On the northeast: The West Coast of Italy. In the Strait of Messina a line joining the North extreme of Cape Paci (15°42'E) with Cape Peloro, the East extreme of the Island of Sicily. The North Coast of Sicily. On the east: A line joining Cape Lilibeo the Western point of Sicily (37°47′N 12°22′E), through the Adventure Bank to Cape Bon (Tunisia). Eastern Basin: On the west: The Northeastern and Eastern limits of the Western Basin. On the northeast: A line joining Kum Kale (26°11'E) and Cape Helles, the Western entrance to the Dardanelles. On the southeast: The entrance to the Suez Canal. On the east: The coasts of Syria, Israel, Lebanon, and Gaza Strip. Oceanography Predominant surface currents for June Being nearly landlocked affects conditions in the Mediterranean Sea: for instance, tides are very limited as a result of the narrow connection with the Atlantic Ocean. The Mediterranean is characterised and immediately recognised by its deep blue colour. Evaporation greatly exceeds precipitation and river runoff in the Mediterranean, a fact that is central to the water circulation within the basin.[18] Evaporation is especially high in its eastern half, causing the water level to decrease and salinity to increase eastward.[19] The salinity at 5 m depth is 3.8%.[20] The 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.[21] 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 kilometres away from its source.[22] Coastal countries Map of the Mediterranean Sea The following countries have a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea: Northern shore (from west to east): Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece and Turkey. Eastern shore (from north to south): Syria, Lebanon, Israel, State of Palestine (disputed sovereignty). Southern shore (from west to east): Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt. Island nations: Malta, Cyprus, Northern Cyprus (disputed sovereignty). Several other territories also border the Mediterranean Sea (from west to east): The British overseas territory of Gibraltar, the Spanish autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla and nearby islands, and the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus Barcelona, the largest metropolitan area on the Mediterranean Sea and also the headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean. The Acropolis of Athens with the Mediterranean Sea in the background. The ancient port of Jaffa in Israel: according to the Bible, where the character Jonah set sail before being swallowed by a whale.[23] The harbour of Alexandria, one of the largest cities on the Mediterranean Catania, Sicily, with Mount Etna in the background. İzmir, the third metropolis of Turkey after Istanbul and Ankara. Major cities (municipalities) with populations larger than 200,000 people bordering the Mediterranean Sea are: Country Cities Albania Durrës Algeria Algiers, Annaba, Oran Croatia Split, Rijeka Egypt Alexandria, Port Said France Marseille, Nice, Montpellier Greece Athens, Heraklion, Patras, Thessaloniki Israel Ashdod, Haifa, Tel Aviv Italy Bari, Catania, Genoa, Messina, Naples, Palermo, Rome, Taranto, Trieste, Venice Lebanon Beirut, Tripoli Libya Benghazi, Khoms, Misrata, Tripoli, Zawiya, Zliten Morocco Tétouan, Tangier Spain Alicante, Badalona, Barcelona, Cartagena, Málaga, Palma, Valencia State of Palestine Gaza City Syria Latakia Tunisia Bizerte, Sfax, Tunis Turkey Antalya, Iskenderun, İzmir, Mersin Subdivisions Africa (left, on horizon) and Europe (right), as seen from Gibraltar. According to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the Mediterranean Sea is subdivided into a number of smaller waterbodies, each with their own designation (from west to east):[17] the Strait of Gibraltar; the Alboran Sea, between Spain and Morocco; the Balearic Sea, between mainland Spain and its Balearic Islands; the Ligurian Sea between Corsica and Liguria (Italy); the Tyrrhenian Sea enclosed by Sardinia, Italian peninsula and Sicily; the Ionian Sea between Italy, Albania and Greece; the Adriatic Sea between Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania; the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey. Other seas Amalfi viewed from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Although not recognised by the IHO treaties, there are some other seas whose names have been in common use from the ancient times, or in the present: the Sea of Sardinia, between Sardinia and Balearic Islands, as a part of the Balearic Sea the Sea of Sicily between Sicily and Tunisia, the Libyan Sea between Libya and Crete, In the Aegean Sea, the Thracian Sea in its north, the Myrtoan Sea between the Cyclades and the Peloponnese, the Sea of Crete north of Crete, the Icarian Sea between Kos and Chios the Cilician Sea between Turkey and Cyprus the Levantine Sea at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Other features View of the Saint George Bay, and snow-capped Mount Sannine from the Corniche, Beirut The Port of Marseille seen from L'Estaque Many of these smaller seas feature in local myth and folklore and derive their names from these associations. In addition to the seas, a number of gulfs and straits are also recognised: the Saint George Bay in Beirut, Lebanon the Ras Ibn Hani cape in Latakia, Syria the Ras al-Bassit cape in northern Syria. the Minet el-Beida ("White Harbour") bay near ancient Ugarit, Syria the Strait of Gibraltar, connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain from Morocco the Bay of Gibraltar, at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula the Gulf of Corinth, an enclosed sea between the Ionian Sea and the Corinth Canal the Pagasetic Gulf, the gulf of Volos, south of the Thermaic Gulf, formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula the Saronic Gulf, the gulf of Athens, between the Corinth Canal and the Mirtoan Sea the Thermaic Gulf, the gulf of Thessaloniki, located in the northern Greek region of Macedonia the Kvarner Gulf, Croatia the Gulf of Lion, south of France the Gulf of Valencia, east of Spain the Strait of Messina, between Sicily and the toe of Italy the Gulf of Genoa, northwestern Italy the Gulf of Venice, northeastern Italy the Gulf of Trieste, northeastern Italy the Gulf of Taranto, southern Italy The Adriatic Sea contains over 1200 islands and islets. the Gulf of Salerno, southwestern Italy the Gulf of Gaeta, southwestern Italy the Gulf of Squillace, southern Italy the Strait of Otranto, between Italy and Albania the Gulf of Haifa, northern Israel the Gulf of Sidra, between Tripolitania (western Libya) and Cyrenaica (eastern Libya) the Strait of Sicily, between Sicily and Tunisia the Corsica Channel, between Corsica and Italy the Strait of Bonifacio, between Sardinia and Corsica the Gulf of İskenderun, between İskenderun and Adana (Turkey) the Gulf of Antalya, between west and east shores of Antalya (Turkey) the Bay of Kotor, in south-western Montenegro and south-eastern Croatia the Malta Channel, between Sicily and Malta the Gozo Channel, between Malta Island and Gozo 10 Largest islands by area The two biggest islands of the Mediterranean: Sicily and Sardinia Main article: List of islands in the Mediterranean Flag Island Area in km² Population Italy Sicily Sicily 25,460 5,048,995 Italy Sardinia Sardinia 23,821 1,672,804 Cyprus Cyprus 9,251 1,088,503 France Corsica Corsica 8,680 299,209 Greece Crete 8,336 623,666 Greece Euboea 3,655 218.000 Spain Majorca Majorca 3,640 869,067 Greece Lesbos 1,632 90,643 Greece Rhodes 1,400 117,007 Greece Chios 842 51,936 Climate The climate map of the areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, according to Köppen climate classification. Sea temperature Mean sea temperature (°C) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Marseille[24] 13 13 13 14 16 18 21 22 21 18 16 14 16.6 Gibraltar[25] 16 15 16 16 17 20 22 22 22 20 18 17 18.4 Málaga[26] 16 15 15 16 17 20 22 23 22 20 18 16 18.3 Athens[27] 16 15 15 16 18 21 24 24 24 21 19 18 19.3 Barcelona[28] 13 13 13 14 17 20 23 25 23 20 17 15 17.8 Heraklion[29] 16 15 15 16 19 22 24 25 24 22 20 18 19.7 Venice[30] 11 10 11 13 18 22 25 26 23 20 16 14 17.4 Valencia[31] 14 13 14 15 17 21 24 26 24 21 18 15 18.5 Malta[32] 16 16 15 16 18 21 24 26 25 23 21 18 19.9 Alexandria[33] 18 17 17 18 20 23 25 26 26 25 22 20 21.4 Naples[34] 15 14 14 15 18 22 25 27 25 22 19 16 19.3 Larnaca[35] 18 17 17 18 20 24 26 27 27 25 22 19 21.7 Limassol[36] 18 17 17 18 20 24 26 27 27 25 22 19 21.7 Antalya 17 17 17 18 21 24 27 28 27 25 22 19 21.8 Tel Aviv[37] 18 17 17 18 21 24 26 28 27 26 23 20 22.1 The Mediterranean Sea (/ˌmɛdɪtəˈreɪniən/) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is sometimes considered a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it is usually identified as a separate body of water. The name Mediterranean is derived from the Latin mediterraneus, meaning "inland" or "in the middle of the land" (from medius, "middle" and terra, "land"). 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 (8.7 mi) wide. The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Gibraltar and Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. In oceanography, it is sometimes called the Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea or the European Mediterranean Sea to distinguish it from mediterranean seas elsewhere.[3][4] The Mediterranean Sea has an average depth of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and the deepest recorded point is 5,267 m (17,280 ft) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea. It was an important route for merchants and travellers of ancient times that allowed for trade and cultural exchange between emergent peoples of the region. The history of the Mediterranean region is crucial to understanding the origins and development of many modern societies. The countries with coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea are Albania, Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Monaco, Montenegro, Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey), Palestine, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Turkey, and Tunisia. |
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