On the world map, the Kingdom of Norway occupies a place on the back of the well-known "dog", which the Scandinavian Peninsula in Europe looks like. The country also owns hundreds of islands scattered along the coast of the Norwegian sea. By the way, when asked which seas in Norway, geographical maps answer clearly: there are three of them - North, Barents and Norwegian.
In the wild north …
The west of Norway and the capital Oslo have access to the North Sea. It belongs to the Atlantic basin and is bordering with the seas of the Arctic Ocean. The sea area is slightly more than 750 thousand square meters. km, and its average depth is about one hundred meters. For Norwegians, the North Sea is one of the most important fishing destinations, since it is in its waters that stocks of commercial halibut and Atlantic cod are located. Herring is mined at Dogger Bank, and a little to the east is commercial shrimp fishing. The sea also carries weight as a crossroads of trade routes, and its ports handle a fifth of the world's cargo traffic moved by water.
On the outskirts of the Old World
The North Sea flows into the Norwegian Sea, which is not only more significant in size, but also has an order of magnitude deeper. Its average indicators are within 1500 meters, and the point farthest from the surface is located at around 3970 meters.
The main tourist attraction of the Norwegian Sea is its famous fjords. This is the name of the narrow bays with rocky steep shores that go deep into the land. The most popular Sognefjord is at least 200 km long and its maximum depth is 1300 meters. This natural landmark ranks second in the world in terms of size among its kind, and the Norwegians themselves call it the king of the fjords.
When asked which sea washes Norway in the very north, the maps answer - Barents. It is quite salty - up to 34%, and not too deep - up to 600 meters. The water temperature in the Barents Sea, even in summer and at the southernmost point, does not exceed +12 degrees.
Interesting Facts
- The characteristic relief of the bottom of the North Sea is the alternation of shoals and sharp depths. The largest shoal of the sea is only about 20 meters deep, and the water warmed up in it serves as a habitat for commercial fish.
- Only the southwestern part of the Barents Sea is ice-free during the summer season.
- The name of the Norwegian Sea, like Norway itself, comes from the word that the ancient Scandinavians used to designate the way to the north.
