- An enclosed sea.
- Has access to the Atlantic ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar (between Spain and Africa).
- Largest Sea: Mediterranean sea is considered to be the largest enclosed or landlocked sea in the world.
- Number of Continents: It is positioned at the crossroads of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Climate
- Mediterranean climate: The Mediterranean Sea has a Mediterranean climate. This climate is characterised by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The average temperature in January is around 10°C (50°F), while the average temperature in July is around 25°C (77°F). The average annual precipitation is around 500 mm (19.7 in).
Ocean Currents
- Two major currents: Western Basin circulation (WBC) and Eastern Basin circulation (EBC)
- WBC flows eastward between the Balearic Islands of Spain and Sardinia of Italy.
- EBC flows westward along the coast of Greece, Turkey, Libya,Tunisia,Algeria and Morocco towards the Strait of Gibraltar.
Depth
- Average Depth: The average depth of the sea is about 1,500m.
- Deepest Point: The deepest point in Mediterranean sea is the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea (located south of Greece) with a depth of 5,267 m.
Salinity
- Compared to the Atlantic Ocean (average of 35%), Mediterranean sea is more saline. The average salinity is 37.4%.
- Higher evaporation and lesser inflow of freshwater from rivers and lesser contribution from underwater springs are responsible for this high salinity.
Tides
- The Mediterranean Sea experiences very minimal tide differences unlike other oceans.
- The difference in the water levels between high tide and low tide on the coast of Mediterranean is less than half a meter.
Biodiversity
- 20% of all the known marine species in the world are found in the Mediterranean sea making it one of the richest ecosystems in the world.
- Out of the 17000 species identified, almost half of the fish and about a third of the marine plants are endemic to this region.
