Seas Flashcards
Place
Significance
Black Sea
Borders Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania. Major ports include Odessa (Ukraine), Constanta (Romania), Novorossiysk (Russia), and Varna (Bulgaria). Connected to the Mediterranean via the Bosporus Strait. Important for trade and military movements, especially in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Red Sea
Borders Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. Crucial for trade as it connects to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. Recent attacks on commercial vessels by Houthis have disrupted global shipping.
Caspian Sea
Bordered by Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan. Rich in oil and gas reserves. The Caspian Sea Convention signed by these nations defines legal status and resource-sharing agreements.
Mediterranean Sea
Important for trade and geopolitics, bordering several conflict-prone nations. The Turkish Straits (Dardanelles and Bosporus) control access between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
Baltic Sea
Bordered by Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, and Denmark. The Nord Stream II pipeline, supplying Russian gas to Europe, has suffered leaks, raising concerns over sabotage.
North Sea
Borders the UK, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Major source of oil and gas. The Strait of Dover and English Channel are critical maritime routes.
Northern Sea Route
An emerging Arctic shipping route due to melting ice. Russia’s Murmansk port is a key hub for this route, which reduces shipping time between Asia and Europe compared to the Suez Canal.
Dead Sea, Aral Sea
The Dead Sea, bordered by Israel, Jordan, and Palestine, is famous for its high salinity and shrinking size. The Aral Sea, once a major Central Asian lake, has almost dried up due to excessive irrigation projects.
Sea of Galilee
A crucial freshwater source for Israel. Has religious and historical significance in Christianity and Judaism.
