Black Sea
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The Black Sea is an inland sea located between Eastern Europe, the Caucasus region, and the Anatolian peninsula. It connects to the Mediterranean Sea through the straits of Bosphorus and Dardanelles and the Sea of Marmara. To the northeast, the Strait of Kerch links it to the Sea of Azov, a shallow and narrow body of water.
The coastal states are Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia. The sea has long served as a major trade route connecting the agricultural and industrial regions of the area, and hosts large ports including Odessa, Constanța, Varna, Novorossiysk, Samsun, Trabzon, and Batumi.
Geography and waters
The Black Sea is a deep basin with depths exceeding two thousand metres at its centre. Large rivers flow into it, including the Danube, Dnieper, and Dniester, while the Don and Kuban empty into the Sea of Azov, from which their waters pass through. Consequently, the upper layers of the sea have a salinity considerably lower than that of the Mediterranean.
The anoxic layer
The most distinctive feature of the Black Sea is that its lower waters, beginning at roughly one hundred and fifty metres depth, are anoxic (lacking oxygen). Light freshwater sits above denser salt water, preventing full mixing. The result is that the lower layer accumulates hydrogen sulfide and is inhabited only by specialized bacteria. This makes it one of the world's largest bodies of water of this kind.
Straits and regulations
Access to and exit from the Black Sea are controlled by the Turkish straits. The Montreux Convention of 1936 defines how merchant and warships of non-coastal states may pass through, and grants Turkey limited regulatory authority. This convention remains the basis for disputes over military vessel passage.
Economy and environment
Fishing, shipping of grain and oil, and coastal tourism are the main economic activities. Pollution from agriculture and cities, particularly nutrient runoff from rivers, has caused excessive algae growth and oxygen depletion in the water. Regional conflicts and military operations have also affected marine commerce and fishing in recent decades.