MEDITERRANEAN sea: location and characteristics

There are geographical areas that due to their relevance have managed to change the course of history, being places around the which many cultures created their societies or civilizations and whose existence was vital for communication between peoples. For Europeans, undoubtedly the most relevant place for much of their history was the Mediterranean and, therefore, in this lesson from a TEACHER we are going to talk about the location and characteristics of the Mediterranean Sea.

Index

1. Mediterranean location on the world map
2. Characteristics of the Mediterranean Sea
3. History of the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is an inland sea that is located cCommunicated with the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar. Its location between Europe, Asia and Africa It made it the protagonist of most of the great ancient cultures, being the center of the world for an enormous number of centuries.

The limits of the Mediterranean are to the south the North African coast, to the north important European countries such as Spain, Italy, France, Greece or Turkey among others, in the eastern part of Asian countries such as Israel, Lebanon, Syria or the Strip. Loop. At the same time in its waters there are two Mediterranean island nations such as Malta and Cyprus.

The Mediterranean is not only connected to the Atlantic, but also to the Black Sea and the Red Sea. At the same time you can talk about others internal seas to the Mediterranean, being a kind of subdivisions that are used to divide the sea by zones, these subdivisions are the following:

• Alboran Sea: Located between Spain and Morocco.
• Mar Menor: In the southeastern part of Spain, in the Murcia area.
• Mar Chica: North of Morocco.
• Balearic Sea: East of the Iberian Peninsula and between this coast and Sardinia. Divided into the Iberian Sea and the Sea of ​​Sardinia.
• Ligurian Sea: Between Corsica and Liguria.
• Tyrrhenian Sea: Located between Sardinia, Sicily and Italy.
• Adriatic sea: Between Italy and the Balkans.
• Ionian Sea: Between Italy and Greece.
• Aegean Sea: Between Greece and Turkey.
• Levantine Sea: Between different African and Asian countries.

We continue this lesson by talking now about the characteristics of the Mediterranean Sea thus we will know to know all the interesting data of this body of water. The main characteristics of this sea are the following:

• Its 2.5 million km2 and almost 4000 km make it the second inland sea of ​​the world, only behind the Caribbean.
• His average depth is about 1370 meters, being able to be found in the normal mean of the rest of seas of the world. The deepest part of the sea is the Calypso Trench, close to Greece, and whose depth reaches up to 5270 meters.
• Its salinity is around 39%, not being an extremely saline sea, but it is maintained in a logical value.
• Your name means "Sea between two lands" referring to its position, since it was the center among the classical peoples that gave it its name. Another name it received was Mare Nostrum, given by the Romans because all their domains were around the sea.
• The largest islands of the Mediterranean are Sicily and Sardinia, being islands that in the past had much more relevance than today. Other smaller Mediterranean islands are even sovereign states, such as Malta and Cyprus.
• Its tides are light due to its interior position.
• Its origin took place after the supercontinent separationof Pangea.
• The climate is variable depending on the area, although the most characteristic is what is called the Mediterranean climate.
• There are almost 17,000 species in Mediterranean waters, being one of the most diverse areas on the planet.
• Its geographical position has made it one of the more polluted seas of the planet.

Image: Slideshare

The great historical importance of Mediterranean waters makes it necessary to summarize the most important events of its history, since in its surroundings most of the great world powers have inhabited during the first eras of the humanity.

First civilizations

The fertile area of ​​the Mediterranean allowed the first settlers to create civilizations, the first being Sumerian, Egypt and the cultures of the Mediterranean Levant. A clear example of the importance of the Mediterranean in human evolution is the great progression they achieved peoples by achieving sufficient maritime knowledge to sail the Mediterranean, increasing their extension.

Old age

All the great European and African peoples of the Ancient Age were closely related to the Mediterranean, being the Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans and Carthaginians clear examples. All these Mediterranean cultures formed a thought that would later serve to mark what we call Western society.

Middle Ages

Little by little the world is opening up and the Mediterranean Sea is losing its importance, although the great European states are still countries close to its waters. Great importance had the confrontation between Christians and Muslims in the areas close to the Mediterranean waters, whose influence affected all the great regions of the time.

Modern and Contemporary Age

For years, the importance of the Mediterranean has been maintained, but the influence of new regions such as the American or Asian regions increasingly reduces its relevance. It was in this period that the Mediterranean ceased to be the center of the world. At the beginning of the Modern Age the sea was still relevant, due to disputes between the Spanish, French, Ottomans and Italians, but the discovery of America it made the Mediterranean a secondary place for the great world plans.

If you want to read more articles similar to Mediterranean Sea: location and characteristics, we recommend that you enter our category of Geography.