Why is the Mediterranean such an attractive destination? Whilst the Mediterranean Sea's crystal clear waters, sandy beaches, islands, iconic fishing villages, and sun are an obvious attraction, the Mediterranean region is also home to 212 of the 754 UNESCO World Heritage sites – 28% of the world total.
What makes the Mediterranean sea special?
Biologically, the Mediterranean is very diverse and was recognized as one of the first Global Biodiversity Hotspots. Accounting for only 0.8 percent of the world's ocean area, the Mediterranean contains 18 percent of all described marine species, of which 25 to 30 percent are found no where else in the world.
Why is Mediterranean Sea so clear?
Water is exchanged at the slowest of rates making the med as clear as a swarovski crystal. Limited water exchange = limited food for tiny organisms called phytoplankton aka algae, and it's these little dudes who play the lead role in water clarity. The Mediterranean is classified as “oligotrophic”.
What makes the Mediterranean sea relatively unique?
The Mediterranean is characterized by rather narrow continental terraces that accommodate the deltas of a few large rivers: Nile, Po, Rhone, and Ebro; extensive shelf areas occur only in the northern half of the Adriatic, and on the eastern coast of Tunisia where the shelf widens to about 300 km in the Gulf of Gabes.
Why is the Mediterranean water so blue?
Well, the Mediterranean Sea is a little similar. It is lacking in a number of nutrients that lead to plant growth in other seas and oceans (causing that more familiar green-brown colour that is so unattractive), and as such it retains its wonderful blue hue.
Is Mediterranean Sea healthy?
Pollution from land-based sources, such as discharges of excess nutrients and hazardous substances, marine litter, over-fishing, and degradation of critical habitats, are responsible for this biodiversity loss. 1. According to studies, the Mediterranean is the most polluted sea in Europe2.
What are 3 facts about the Mediterranean Sea?
- The Mediterranean Sea covers an approximate area of 2.5 million km2 (965,000 sq mi).
- Its average depth is 1,500m (4,920 ft); the deepest recorded point is 5,267m (about 3.27 miles) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea.
- The coastline extends for 46,000km (28,600 miles).
Why is the Mediterranean sea so beautiful?
What is a fun fact about Mediterranean Sea?
1 The Mediterranean Sea has a coastline of about 28,600 miles. A total of 22 countries or principalities have a border with the Mediterranean, including Albania, Croatia, Greece, Israel and Tunisia.
Can you drink Mediterranean Sea water?
Drinking seawater can be deadly to humans.One of the instruments scientists can use to measure salinity is a CTD rosette, which measures the Conductivity (salinity), Temperature, and Depth of the water column. Seawater contains salt.
What is the healthiest ocean in the world?
The northwestern Pacific Ocean is the least healthy of the world's oceans and the western Indian Ocean and eastern central Atlantic are the healthiest, according to a new assessment that gives the overall health of the Earth's oceans a barely passing grade of 67 out of 100.
What is a fun fact about the Mediterranean?
The Mediterranean basin covers 28,580 miles of shoreline and connects three continents: Africa, Asia and Europe. 3. Olive trees, producing the fruit used to make olive oil, are native to the Mediterranean region and are one of the oldest known cultivated trees in the world, grown before written language was invented.
Why is Mediterranean called White Sea?
"White Sea"). According to Johann Knobloch, in classical antiquity, cultures in the Levant used colours to refer to the cardinal points: black referred to the north (explaining the name Black Sea), yellow or blue to east, red to south (e.g., the Red Sea), and white to west.
Which ocean is hottest?
The Indian OceanThe Indian Ocean has the warmest surface temperature of all the world¹s oceans, as most of it is found in the tropics. Its minimum surface temperature is around 22°C (72°F), but can be as high as 28°C (82°F) towards the east; temperatures in the south can be considerably lower.
What is the saltiest place on Earth?
Antarctica has the honors of having the saltiest body of water. It is actually more of an ankle deep pond most of the year, but its average salinity is a whopping 40%. Don Juan Pond is located along the edge of the continent in the McMurdo Dry Valley region.
Why is the Mediterranean Sea called the White Sea?
"White Sea"). According to Johann Knobloch, in classical antiquity, cultures in the Levant used colours to refer to the cardinal points: black referred to the north (explaining the name Black Sea), yellow or blue to east, red to south (e.g., the Red Sea), and white to west.