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Aegean Sea, Map, Bordering Countries, Geography, Dispute

Aegean Sea

The Aegean Sea is a Mediterranean Sea arm that lies between the Greek peninsula on the west and Asia Minor on the east. The Aegean Sea is connected to the Black Sea via the straits of the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus, with the island of Crete marking its southern boundary.

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Aegean Sea Map

The Aegean Sea is depicted on this map between Greece and Turkey.

Aegean Sea Map
Aegean Sea Map

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Aegean Sea Bordering Countries

The Aegean Sea is mainly bordered by two countries namely Greece in the west and north and Turkey on the eastern side. The region was home to two great ancient civilizations: Crete and Greece.

Aegean Sea Archipelago

The Aegean Sea was known as the archipelago in ancient times. According to Greek mythology, it was named after Aegeus or Aegeas, Theseus’ father, who threw himself into the sea and drowned because he thought his son was dead.

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Aegean Sea Islands

The Aegean Islands are divided into several island groups, including the Dodecanese, Cyclades, Sporades, Saronic Islands, and North Aegean Islands, in addition to Crete and its surrounding islands. The Dodecanese, located to the southeast, includes the islands of Rhodes, Kos, and Patmos; the Cyclades, located to the south of the sea, include the islands of Delos and Naxos. Lesbos is an island in the North Aegean Sea. Despite being administered as part of Central Greece, Euboea, Greece’s second-largest island, is located in the Aegean.

Nine of Greece’s twelve administrative regions border the sea, as do the Turkish provinces of Edirne, Canakkale, Balkesir, Izmir, Aydn, and Mula to the east. Imbros, Tenedos, Cunda Island, and the Foça Islands are among the Turkish sea islands.

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Aegean Sea Treaty

During the Balkan Wars of 1912-13, Greece absorbed the Ottoman Empire’s islands of Limnos, Samothrace, Lesvos, Samos, Chios, and Ikaria. The Treaty of Lausanne of 1923 granted it official sovereignty over them. Another treaty negotiated in London in 1914 made Greek possession of the islands contingent on their demilitarisation. The Lausanne Treaty, according to Turkey, refers to the 1914 Treaty and implies the same conditionality. Greece disagrees with that interpretation.

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Aegean Sea Dispute

The Aegean Sea has been a source of political tensions between Greece and Turkey, particularly with regard to disputes over the delimitation of their territorial waters and exclusive economic zones. Turkey claims that Greece has been erecting a military presence in violation of treaties that guarantee the Aegean islands’ unarmed status. It claims that the islands were given to Greece on the condition that they remain demilitarized. Greece maintains its position. Turkey has purposefully misinterpreted the treaties and claims legal grounds for self-defence, including a long-standing threat of war if Greece extends its territorial waters. Greek-Turkish differences are currently focused on water rather than land.

They currently share six nautical miles (11 kilometres) of Aegean territorial water. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), signed in 1982 and ratified by 158 countries, states that states may claim up to 12 nautical miles (about 20km).

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Aegean Sea Significance

Access to the sea allowed Ancient Greece to expand economically. Because being on the sea allows for the construction of numerous ports for trade. The Greeks also became skilled navigators, allowing them to trade with other city-states. The ancient Greeks used to travel from city to city across the Aegean Sea. The Aegean Sea has a rich cultural and historical heritage, as it was the centre of several ancient civilizations such as the Minoans and Mycenaeans. The Aegean Sea is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, and it also serves as a critical habitat for several species of migratory birds.

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Other Indian Geography Topics

Seasons of India Mountains of India
Mangrove Forests in India Important Mountain Passes in India
Monsoon in India
Indus River System
Climate of India
Rivers of India
Tributaries of Ganga
National Parks in India
Important Dams in India
Wildlife Sanctuaries of India
Tiger Reserves in India
Northern Plains of India
Physiography of India
Important Lakes of India
Wetlands in India
Biodiversity in India
Natural Vegetation in India Earthquakes in India
Types of Soil in India
Ramsar Sites in India
Brahmaputra River System
Hydropower Plants in India
Nuclear Power Plants in India
Major Ports in India
Biosphere Reserves in India
Waterfalls in India

Other Fundamental Geography Topics

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Structure of the Atmosphere Himalayan Ranges
Component of Environment
El Nino and La Nina
Coral Reef
Continental Drift Theory
Endogenic and Exogenic Forces
Indian Ocean Region
Pacific Ocean
Indian Ocean Dipole
Air Pollution
Environmental Impact Assessment
Tropical Cyclone
Western Disturbances
Types of Rocks

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FAQs

What is the Aegean Sea dispute?

In the absence of a delimitation agreement between the two countries, the Aegean continental shelf is a source of contention between Turkey and Greece.

What is another name for the Aegean Sea?

In Ancient Greece, the Aegean Sea was known as Archipelago, which meant "chief sea." The sea's numerous islands became its description, and the term archipelago came to mean a large group or chain of islands.

Are the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea connected?

The Turkish Straits are two internationally significant waterways in Turkey's northwestern region. The straits form a network of international passages connecting the Aegean and Mediterranean seas to the Black Sea. They are made up of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus.

Is the Aegean Sea landlocked?

The Aegean Sea, which is landlocked between Greece and Turkey, is the world's tenth-largest sea and divides into two smaller bodies of water, the Myrtoan Sea and the Thracian Sea, occupying a small section of the Mediterranean Sea.

Why was the Aegean Sea named?

Aegeus is the son of Pandion and the grandson of Cecrops in Greek mythology. He was the father of Theseus and the King of Athens. When Aegeus mistook his son for dead, he drowned himself in the sea. The sea was later dubbed the Aegean.

What does Aegean mean in Greek?

There are several theories about the origin of the name "Aegean Sea." The Greek word "Aegean," on the other hand, simply means "wavy coast." Traditionally, the sea was referred to as Archipelago, which meant "chief sea" in English.

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