The Aegean Sea is located between Asia Minor, the Balkan Peninsula and the island of Crete. It is semi-closed and has many islands. This sea belongs to the Mediterranean Sea basin. It got its name from ancient Greek mythology. The Greeks claimed that Aegeus (Theseus' father and king of Athens) threw himself into the sea in despair when he thought that his son was dead.
Peculiarities
The Aegean Sea was the cradle of antiquity. Ancient Greek and Byzantine civilizations existed here. In different centuries, its waters washed the territory of various states. Today the Aegean Sea is the zone of influence of Turkey and Greece. It is connected to the Sea of Marmara by the Dardanelles Strait, and to the Black Sea by the Bosphorus Strait. It merges with the Mediterranean Sea through several straits.
Currently, the area of the Aegean Sea is 179 thousand square meters. km. It has rocky shores. The coastal areas are covered with low mountain ranges interspersed with semi-deserts.
Aegean islands
The largest islands are Crete, Rhodes, Lesvos, Evia and Samos. The Aegean Sea map is an opportunity to see where these famous islands are located. In this sea, depths were recorded at the level of 200 - 1000 m. In the south, there is a maximum depth - almost 2530 m. The salinity of this reservoir is constantly increasing, which scientists associate with global warming. The salinity of the Aegean Sea is greater than the salinity of the Black Sea. After bathing in its waters, you must take a shower with fresh water. Otherwise, the salt will have a negative effect on human skin, especially the eyes and mucous membranes. There are 2000 islands in the Aegean Sea, of which more than 200 are inhabited. Figs, oleanders, grapes and olives grow on the slopes of the island mountains. The beautiful nature and monuments of antiquity form a unique atmosphere that attracts tourists. It is best to visit the Aegean Sea resorts in the spring, as it is during this period that the islands are covered with lush greenery.
Significance of the Aegean Sea
From time immemorial, fishing, octopus fishing and sponge extraction have developed here. The Aegean coast has been characterized by poor ecology in recent years. In this regard, fishing is slowing down. But the sea continues to be a traditional shipping area. Many ships sail under the flag of Greece. The main ports are: Thessaloniki and Piraeus (Greece), Izmir (Turkey). The most powerful shipowners are Greek. The Aegean Sea is crossed by oil tanker routes from the Black Sea. Therefore, wastewater discharges and oil spills are frequent there.
