Why the White Sea Is Called a "Sea" (Even Though It’s a Gulf)

The White Sea (Beloye More) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean on Russia’s northwest coast—technically a gulf (deeply indented, enclosed by land on three sides: Kola Peninsula, Kanin Peninsula, mainland). But "sea" stuck for reasons:

1. Historical usage: Pomors (Russian settlers) called it Studoynoye More ("Cold Sea") or Beloye More ("White Sea") by 1500s. "Sea" implied navigable, saltwater, connected to ocean—unlike lakes.
2. Seasonal ice cover: 6–7 months/year frozen white. "White" = ice appearance. The name described the winter state, not the water color.
3. International law: UNCLOS treats it as a sea (internal waters baseline across its mouth). "Gulf" has no distinct legal status.
4. Hydrology: Tidal (up to 2 m), salinity 24–30 psu (lower than ocean due to river input: Northern Dvina, Mezen, Onega), distinct circulation. Behaves like a sea.
5. Economic weight: Major ports (Arkhangelsk, Severodvinsk, Belomorsk), naval bases (Northern Fleet), fishing, shipping (White Sea–Baltic Canal). "Sea" confers strategic gravity.

Verdict: Geomorphologically a gulf. Historically, legally, and functionally a sea. Names often outlive precise definitions.