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Sea of Azov, Map, Geography, Climate, Islands

Sea of Azov

The sea of Azov is a  body of water in Eastern Europe joined to the Black Sea by the short (approximately 4 km or 2.5 mi) Kerch Strait is occasionally seen as the Black Sea’s northern extension. The Sea of Azov is a  shallow body of water that is shared by both Ukraine and Russia.

Read More: Mediterranean Sea

Sea of Azov Map

A narrow body of water called the Sea of Azov is bordered by Russia and Ukraine and linked to the Black Sea via the Kerch Strait. It is a shallow body of water that has long been used for strategic purposes.

Sea of Azov Map
Sea of Azov Map

Read about: Indian Ocean

Sea of Azov Geography

The Sea of Azov is a body of water. An inland shelf sea in Eastern Europe called is sometimes thought of as the Black Sea’s northern extension. Ukraine borders the sea on the northwest and southwest. Russia also borders the sea on the east.

In the north, west, and east, Russia and Ukraine are both about the sea. The two principal rivers that enter it are the Don and Kuban. The Volga-Don Canal, which connects the Caspian Sea to Central Asia, is a crucial access point for that region. The Don, Kuban, and other rivers send sand, silt, and shells to the sea, which in turn causes the formation of numerous bays, limans, and narrow spits.

These deposits have made the sea floor relatively level and smooth, with the depth gradually rising toward the centre. Due to the river input, the sea has low salinity and a lot of biomass, including green algae, which changes the colour of the water. Fish production is unusually high when plankton is abundant. Low-lying seashores and spits are abundant with wildlife and plant life.

Sea of Azov Depth

The depth of the Sea of Azov, which ranges from 0.9 to 14 metres, is the shallowest sea in the entire world (3 and 46 ft). Water from the Sea of Azov flows continuously into the Black Sea.

Read More: South China Sea

Sea of Azov Climate

The basin of the Sea of Azov has a temperate, continental climate. There are regular fogs and periods of intense frost. The sea’s northern shores often have stationary ice from late December to early March. Along the coastlines, the sea currents rotate anticlockwise. According to the river influx, the sea’s mean water level might vary by up to 13 inches (33 cm) from year to year. Water level tidal oscillations can be up to 18 feet (5.5 m).

Because of its shallowness, excellent water mixing and warming, and the significant nutritional material intake from the rivers, the Sea of Azov supports a diverse marine life. More than 300 different types of invertebrates can be found in the water, along with over 80 different types of fish, such as sturgeon, perch, bream, herring, sea-roach, grey mullet, minnow, shemaja, and bullheads. Particularly plentiful fish include sardines and anchovies.

Read More: Atlantic Ocean

Sea of Azov Ports

Although the Sea of Azov handles a lot of freight and passenger traffic, there are several areas where shallow water impedes the movement of large oceangoing vessels. In the winter, icebreakers help in navigation. Taganrog, Mariupol, Yeysk, and Berdyansk are the major ports.

Read More: Ocean Deposits

Sea of Azov Islands

The former island of Byriuchyi Island is a spit that has grown to include part of the Fedotova Spit in the northwesterly Azov Sea. Byriuchyi Island creates the Utljuk Lyman, which separates it from the sea from the north together with the small Fedotova Spit. The current Spit was formerly an island that was connected to the northern Fedotova Spit by a strait until 1929.

Read More: Ocean Tides

Sea of Azov UPSC

The Sea of Azov is a  shallow body of water that is shared by both Ukraine and Russia. The Kerch Strait, which connects it to the Black Sea, is its only route to open waters. In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, establishing authority over the Kerch Strait on both sides.

Read More: Ocean Waves

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

Solar System Types of Clouds
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 Atlantic Ocean
Mediterranean Sea Caribbean Sea

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FAQs

Why is the Azov Sea significant?

In addition to being crucial to Ukraine's economy, control of the western side of the Sea is also extremely strategic for Russia because it serves as both a land route to Crimea and a passageway for Russian maritime trade.

What causes the shallow Azov Sea?

The Azov is the shallowest sea in the world, with a maximum depth of only around 46 feet (14 m). The Don and Kuban rivers transport enormous amounts of sediment, resulting in the Taganrog Gulf in the northeast has a maximum depth of 3 feet (1 m).

Are there sharks in the Sea of Azov?

By way of the confined Strait of Kerch, which connects Azov to the Black Sea, the two bodies of water share a rich biodiversity, including dolphin, grey seal, and shark (spurdog and catfish) species.

When did Russia conquer the Azov?

After a failed siege in 1695, the Russians under General Sheremetev succeeded to conquer the fort with a naval force in July 1696, marking the first significant Russian success over the Turks despite obstinate opposition and high fatalities.

What is the world's shallowest sea?

The Azov, the shallowest sea in the world, is located in the southeast of Europe. It is smaller than Lake Michigan and has a maximum depth of 50 feet. But because of the territories that surrounded it, it has accrued disproportionate geopolitical significance: Russia borders Ukraine on the west, Crimea, which Russia has seized, on the east.

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