Black Sea

  • The Black Sea is located between Europe and Asia, surrounded by six countries.
  • Its name comes from the dark color of its background, not the water.
  • It has a rich biodiversity and is important for fishing and tourism.
  • It can be navigated with suitable vessels, despite their unique characteristics.

Black sea color

One of the most curious seas and named for its special characteristics is the Black Sea. This sea is attributed this color for a reason. It is something quite curious about this sea. Its location is between Europe and Asia and it is one of the most doubts to those who hear its name. Something similar to what happens with the Red Sea.

In this article we are going to discover all the secrets of the Black Sea and tell you about all the special characteristics it has. Do you want to know more about him?

Key features

Black sea tourism

The Black Sea is the one that causes many doubts when talking to it. One can doubt about the real existence of this color or the cause of it. Many people are not sure whether it belongs to Asia or Europe. The truth is that it is forming part of what was once the great continent called Eurasia.

Among the countries that surround it we find:

  • Türkiye: is south of the Black Sea.
  • Bulgaria: to West.
  • Romania: also to the West.
  • Ukraine: it is located north of this sea.
  • Russia: it is in the East.
  • Georgia: also in the East.

This sea was known by the name of Euxine Pontus. This part where the Black Sea is located is in the middle of a totally terrestrial zone and oceans. It is simply connected to the Mediterranean Sea by a small Strait of the Bosphorus in Turkey. It is the only part where both the incoming and outgoing water can be renewed. If this strait were not there, it would be a lake.

The size of this sea is one of the most frequently asked questions. To call a body of water a sea, its surface area must be quite large. In this case, the Black Sea measures about 600 km from north to south and about 1.175 km from east to west. Its total surface area is 436.400 km². Its depth is also quite extensive, and a wide variety of flora and fauna can thrive there. The depth reaches 2.2455 meters and its water capacity is 547.000 km3 of water. If you are interested in other seas of the world, you can read more in our article about the seas of the world and in particular about the Mediterranean Sea.

What is the name of the Black Sea?

Black sea waves

What you have surely come to here is to find out why it was called the Black Sea from the beginning. When you see the Black Sea you realize that it is not a black sea. So why is it called that?

It is not known exactly why they call this sea by its name. The civilizations that inhabited these places in ancient times did not call it this way, but something else. Among the most appropriate reasons that we find for this sea to be called with this name we have that it has a dark color. One of the characteristics that makes this sea special is that, its dark color, makes it impossible to see anything at a distance of about 100 meters.

The reason it has this dark color is because there is a lot of vegetation on the bottom and black mud. This vegetation is nourished by the high content of hydrogen sulfide, so that all the mud gradually acquires this black tone. The water is not black, only the reflection of the ground makes the entire sea appear with a darker color.

It is the same with the Red Sea. The amount of red algae in its substrate makes the color of the sea appear red from the outside. However, if the water was black, it would be a cause for concern. Contrary to what is thought (because many confuse it with the Dead Sea) is that this sea does not contain a high salt content. On the contrary, if the salt content were higher, the entire plant environment that gives it the color for which it is named could not develop.

In this sea we can find phytoplankton, zebra mussels, common carp and round gobies, which are a type of fish. Its flora and fauna are quite rich, and it's quite popular with tourists. If you'd like to learn more about sunken ships in the Black Sea, you can read our dedicated article. here.

Importance

Black Sea

Now let's look at the importance of this sea, both for its location and for its potential economic value to humans. There are various modern uses that can be found in this region, and they are as follows: Having abundant vegetation and fauna, ports can be built for fishing. This makes trade can flourish between the countries that surround this sea.

Navigation is also possible, since its surface is quite large. This increases tourism and the money that comes from them. Thanks to this tourism, spas and hotels increase their profits by having more hosts. Furthermore, the wealth of flora and fauna makes sport fishing an attractive option for many tourists.

On the other hand, the richness of wildlife also offers some interesting areas for sport fishing. Although not as widespread, it also serves as a source of some hydrocarbons, although not in large quantities. The military use given to it due to its geostrategic position is useful for ancient wars. If you'd like to learn more about the importance of other bodies of water, you can consult our article on the ecological impact of submarine volcanoes.

Except for military use, all other uses have been increasing since the Cold War. This has allowed the economies of all surrounding areas to prosper. If you're interested in the relationship between climate change and other ecosystems, we recommend reading about the possible disappearance of the Dead Sea.

Can you navigate?

One question that many people have when going to the Black Sea is whether or not they can navigate. The answer is yes. Although it has indisputably different characteristics to the rest of the seas, you can navigate as long as the boats are well prepared and have to pass necessary checks. This way, they'll be able to adapt to the characteristics of this sea. Additionally, for those interested in other bodies of water, they can explore the unique features of the .

Commercial shipping is also a good option for improving the economy and fishing by achieving good catches. Soon, tourists and residents of this region will become even more amazed by this sea.

In some past times it was not navigable, since due to its smaller size it froze in winter. I hope this information helps you discover everything about the Black Sea.

seas of the world
Related article:
Seas of the world

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