Sea Of Marmara

Atlantic Ocean - Sea Of Marmara

The Sea of Marmara is an inland sea that is connected to the Black Sea and to the Aegean Sea. The location of the Marmara Sea separates the Asian part of Turkey from its European part. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black Sea and the Dardanelles strait to the Aegean. The former also separates Istanbul into its Asian side and European side. The Sea has an area of 11,350 km².

The salinity of the sea averages about 22 parts per thousand, which is slightly greater than that of the Black Sea but only about two-thirds that of the oceans in general. However, sea on the bottom waters have much more salinity - similar to that of the Mediterranean Sea. This high-density saline water, like that of the Black Sea, does not migrate to the surface. Water from the Granicus, Susurluk, Biga and Gonen Rivers that flow into the Marmara Sea also reduce the salinity of the sea, though with less influence than on the Black Sea. Almost all of these rivers flow from Anatolia.

There are two major island groups in the Marmara Sea known as the Prince's and Marmara islands. The latter group is rich in sources of marble and gives the sea its name (Greek marmaro, marble).

During a storm on December 29, 1999, the Russian oil tanker Volgoneft broke in two in the Sea of Marmara, and more than 1500 tonnes of oil were spilled into the water.

The Marmara Sea contains The North Anatolian fault which runs under it, this fault has been notorious for triggering many major earthquakes in recent years, such as the İzmit Earthquake of 1999.

The ancient name Propontis derives from pro (before) and pont- (sea). The Greeks sailed through the Propontis to reach the Black Sea. In Greek mythology, a storm on Propontis brought the Argonauts back to an island they had left, precipitating a battle where either Jason or Heracles killed King Cyzicus, who mistook them for his Pelasgian enemies.

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