Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea (also called the Mediterranean) is a large body of water surrounded by land, situated between the continents of Europe (to the north), Asia (to the east), and Africa (to the south). It connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar in the west, while to the east it connects to the Red Sea via the Suez Canal.

The sea's waters are largely fresh, changing continuously because evaporation exceeds the inflow from rivers and rainfall. This is why Atlantic waters constantly enter through Gibraltar. The coastline contains many islands and gulfs, and the sea is divided into smaller basins such as the Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, and Ionian Sea.

Geography

The sea extends in a northwest-southeast direction, bordered by more than twenty countries. To the north lie large islands including Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Crete, and Cyprus. The Strait of Sicily divides the sea into western and eastern sections. Water depth varies from place to place, with the eastern sections generally deeper. The coastal climate is Mediterranean: hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.

History and Economy

For thousands of years, the Mediterranean has been the principal trade route between the Near East, North Africa, and southern Europe. The Phoenician, Greek, Carthaginian, and Roman empires built their maritime and port power around it. The Romans called it "Mare Nostrum," meaning "our sea." From the Middle Ages onwards, trading cities such as Venice and Genoa dominated its commercial routes.

Today the sea is among the world's busiest shipping lanes, especially since the opening of the Suez Canal. The coastal economy depends on tourism, fishing, shipping, and major ports. The sea also serves as a route for migrants attempting to cross from North Africa to Europe in small boats, a situation that has generated ongoing political controversy regarding maritime rescue operations and border control.

Environment

The sea contains rich and distinctive marine life found nowhere else. Major threats include plastic waste, overfishing, coastal development, and rising water temperatures affecting marine organisms. New species are also entering through the Suez Canal, competing with native life.