Mediterranean Sea

About 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. Among the large bodies of water that covers the earth is the Mediterranean Sea.

It is a body of water that separates the continents of Europe, Africa and Asia. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow passage called the Strait of Gibraltar.

The countries with coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea are Egypt, Spain, Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Monaco, Montenegro, Slovenia, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.

Mediterranean Sea Facts for Kids

• The sea derived its name from the ancient Romans who called the sea “mediterraneus” derived from two Latin words “medius” and “Terra”. The first word means “middle” and the second word means “earth”. To the ancient romans the Mediterranean Sea was at the middle of the earth.
• The water volume of the Mediterranean Sea is about 3,750,000 cubic kilometers. The deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea is the Calypso Deep, with a depth of 5,267 meters it is half the size of the Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean which is the deepest point of the earth.
• There are more than 3300 islands on the Mediterranean Sea, the ten largest being Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, Corsica, Crete, Euboea, Majorca, Lesbos Rhodes and Chios.
• The Mediterranean Sea surface area is 2.5 million km2 which makes it larger than France, Spain, Sweden, Italy, United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal, Denmark, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Netherlands and Turkey all combined. Its coastline extends for 46,000 kilometers.
• The topography of the land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea includes: High Mountains and steep rocky cliffs.
• The Mediterranean climate is characterized by windy, mild, wet winters and relatively calm, hot, dry summers. Spring, however, is a transitional season and is changeable. Autumn is relatively short.
• The region that boarders the Mediterranean Sea is the most popular tourist destination in the world attracting approximately one third of the world’s international tourists.
• The critically endangered Mediterranean monk seal can only be found in the Mediterranean Sea.
• Because of the narrow connection to the Atlantic Ocean and evaporation, the water in the Mediterranean Sea is slightly saltier than that of the Atlantic.
• According to the European Environmental Agency the fish stock levels in the Mediterranean Sea are alarmingly low this is due to overfishing at the sea. Important fisheries such as albacore and Bluefin tuna, hake, marlin, swordfish, red mullet and sea bream are threatened.
• With a unique combination of pleasant climate, beautiful coastline, rich history and various cultures, the Mediterranean Sea is among the most culturally diverse block basin sea in the world.
• Biodiversity is derived from two words “biology” and “diversity”, it means the biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals. The Mediterranean Sea’s rocky reefs, seagrass meadows, and upwelling areas are important habitats that supports enormous biodiversity making the sea home to the sperm whales, bottlenose dolphins, tuna, common seahorse etc. The Mediterranean Sea acts as the breeding site for the loggerhead turtle and green turtle.
• The Mediterranean Sea is home to numerous species of whales, including the fin whale, which happens to be the second largest whale in the world and also the fastest in the whale family.
• The ancient city of Thonis-Heracleion also known as the lost kingdom of Cleopatra was discovered buried in the Mediterranean Sea after been buried for more than 1,200 years.

Question: What is the surface area of the Mediterranean Sea?

Answer: 2.5 million km2

Question: What is the deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea?

Answer: The deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea is the Calypso Deep, with a depth of 5,267 meters it is half the size of the Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean which is the deepest point of the earth.

Question: How many Islands are on the Mediterranean Sea?

Answer: There are more than 3300 islands on the Mediterranean Sea.