The Baltic Sea is the
world's largest inland brackish sea
. Only two other brackish waters are larger according to some measurements: The Black Sea is larger in both surface area and water volume, but most of it is located outside the continental shelf (only a small percentage is inland).
Is the Baltic Sea freshwater or saltwater?
The Baltic Sea is a large and almost entirely enclosed marine region, located far up in the cold north. It is a
brackish sea with both salt and fresh water
. The only connection with the ocean is through the Danish straits to the North Sea.
What kind of sea is the Baltic?
The Baltic Sea is
an arm of the Atlantic Ocean
, enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain.
What is the Baltic Sea known as?
The Baltic Sea is known by a variety of names, the Germans call
it Ostsee (East Sea)
, the Swedish Östersjön, in Danish it's Østersøen, in Russia it is known as Baltiyskoye More, in Finland as Itämeri, for the Polish people it is Morze Bałtyckie, and in Estonia the ‘East Sea' is known as Läänemeri (West Sea).
How would you describe the Baltic Sea?
Physical description of the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is
one of the largest brackish water areas in the world
, with a surface area of 420,000 km
2
. The drainage area of the Baltic Sea is about four times larger than its surface area and is inhabited by around 85 million people (Figure 1.1).
Can you swim in the Baltic Sea?
The Baltic sea water is cool, but not cold at summer. …
The beach is safe, and you cannot swim so far
, because you will kick some sea-rocks when you go far away from the shore. The water is shallow, just go to try it, no harm.
Who is polluting the Baltic Sea?
The Baltic Sea is almost totally surrounded by land and therefore more endangered by pollution than other marine areas. The sources of marine pollution are municipal and industrial waste inputs directly into the sea or via rivers, and
atmospheric inputs mainly from traffic and agriculture
.
Are there sharks in the Baltic?
Contrary to popular belief, there are sharks in the Baltic Sea. In fact,
31 species of sharks
and closely related skates, rays and chimaeras (collectively known as cartilaginous fishes) have been recorded in this area.
Are there dolphins in the Baltic Sea?
Bottlenose dolphins can be found in tropical and temperate waters around the world – but
not usually in the Baltic Sea
, which is only connected to the rest of the global ocean through a pair of narrow channels on either side of the island of Sjaelland (Zealand).
What is so special about the Baltic Sea?
The unique Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is
the youngest sea of our planet
. … Due to massive freshwater runoff from the land and limited salt water inflows from the Danish straits, the salinity of the Baltic Sea is much lower than that of the oceans, and the water is considered to be brackish water instead of sea water.
What is the dirtiest sea in the world?
The Baltic Sea
is one of the most polluted seas in the world. Most of the pollution originates from inland activities.
Does Russia border the Baltic Sea?
The EU Member States – Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany – and Russia are
all directly bordering the Baltic Sea
.
Is it safe to eat fish from the Baltic Sea?
Despite the favourable nutritional qualities of fish, the consumption of salmon or trout and herring caught in the Baltic Sea, particularly in the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, may subject consumers to
higher than normal levels
of dioxins and PCB compounds, which are harmful to health.
Is the Baltic Sea important?
Many of these people rely on a healthy Baltic Sea for their food and incomes, and many treasure it as an
important space for nature and leisure activities
. The Baltic region includes eight of the 28 European Union member states. The Baltic Sea provides a critical connection between the EU and the Russian Federation.
What animals live in the Baltic Sea?
Four marine mammal species are resident in the Baltic Sea:
the grey seal, harbour seal, ringed seal and the harbour porpoise
. These mobile top predators have an important role in regulating the food web, but are also sensitive to pressures in all their areas of distribution, as well as to changes in the food web.
Is Baltic Sea deep?
Depth: The average depth of the whole
Baltic Sea is around 50 metres
. The deepest waters are in the Landsort Deep in the Baltic Proper, where depths of 459 metres have been recorded.
