Denmark Strait
The Denmark Strait is a water body that is located between the southeastern end of Greenland and the northeastern end of Iceland. The Denmark Strait is generally considered as an ocean strait. In Greenland, the Denmark Strait is also called the Greenland Strait. It stretches about 300 miles in length and the width has been measured at 180 miles at its narrowest.
Denmark Strait Facts for Kids
- In the history of the universe, the Denmark Strait Cataract is regarded as the highest underwater waterfall that is known to exist. The Denmark Strait Cataract is located on the western part of the Denmark Strait. It is believed that the water falls at 11,500 feet.
- The Denmark Strait Cataract waterfall exists as a result of the differences in the temperature of the eastern water and the western water.
- The water on the western side is quite warmer than the eastern water. The water meets at the top ridge of the Strait, making the colder water flow beneath the warmer create, thereby creating a waterfall.
- The northeastern part of the Denmark Strait is the location of the Norwegian Island Jan Mayen.
- The East Greenland current which carries iceberg into the North Atlantic Ocean is located off the east coast of Greenland, cutting through the Nordic Seas and the Denmark Strait.
- The Denmark Strait is home to several fisheries.
- During the World War II, the Denmark Strait was one of the locations of war, notably was an occurrence which happened on May 24th, 1941. During this battle, the British HMS Hood battlecruiser was sunk by the German Bismarck battleship. There were 1418 aboard the British cruiser with only three of them surviving.
- The German Bismarck survived till it got to the Strait. However, the battleship was damaged and sank three days later. This battle is known as the Battle of the Denmark Strait.
- According to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the official delineation between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean runs from Straumnes to Cape Nansen which is 82 miles southwest of Cape Tuniper.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a Strait?
Answer: A strait is a narrow body of water that connects two larger water bodies.
2. What is Greenland?
Answer:Greenland is renowned as the world’s largest island, with the continent of Australia the overall largest island region. Greenland consists of about 81% ice and was a colony of the Danish government. Denmark first colonized Greenland in the 18th century, making Greenland an important part of Denmark in 1953. In the year 1979, Greenland was established as an independent government.
3. How big is the Denmark Strait ‘Waterfall’?
Answer:The Denmark Strait cataract is referred to as the highest underwater waterfall in the entire universe. The Strait has a flow rate that is believed to greatly exceed 175 million cubic feet. This figure means the Cataract is 350 times as large as the Guaira Falls between Paraguay and Brasil. Guaira Falls was thought to be 12 more times bigger than Victoria Falls. This tells you how large the Denmark Strait Cataract is.
4. What is the Difference between a Gulf and a Strait?
Answer:The Earth is majorly covered by water (as much as 71%). More than 91% of the 71% is covered by the ocean. However, there are different forms of water features, meaning we will always have to describe what an ocean is, the same goes for bay, strait, gulf, streams, et cetera.
A gulf is a large water body that is almost entirely encircled by land. However, it has a small mouth that is open to the ocean. The Gulf of Mexico is widely regarded as the largest in the world thanks to its 1,554,000 square kilometers total surface area.
On the other hand, a strait is a narrow strip of water connecting two larger water bodies. Straits are navigable and are called Channels when found between land masses.
