Summary

• The Mediterranean Sea has been a cradle of civilization, facilitating trade, cultural exchange, and progress throughout history.
• It stretches from Asia in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west, separating Africa and Europe.
• The region experiences diverse climates, with mild winters and hot, dry summers, affecting various coastlines differently.
• The Mediterranean’s history is essential for understanding the rise of ancient civilizations, including Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek, and Roman cultures.
• The sea’s name has varied across cultures, with Latin “Mediterranean” meaning “inland” and “Our Sea.”
• The Mediterranean Sea has political, economic, and cultural importance, connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe, fostering trade, and sustaining rich marine life.
• It is home to over 17,000 marine species and plays a crucial role in the development of the history, economy, and culture of ancient civilizations.
• The sea has 250 inhabited islands, including Sicily, Crete, Corsica, Sardinia, and Cyprus.
• The Suez Canal serves as a significant shortcut connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, facilitating global trade.

The Mediterranean Sea carried the vessels of evolution across the world planting the seeds of innovation and progress in every corner of the earth. This article’s main goal is to offer every traveler all the information and facts surrounding the heavenly Mediterranean Sea. This article was written by a group of very knowledgeable and professional tour guides, travel consultants, scholars, and tour operators who know all the facts about the Mediterranean Sea.

The entire world across the ages since the dawn of time was deeply affected by the miraculous powers and easy access to the Mediterranean Sea. It was the most important route for trade in the world especially during ancient times as it was vital for international trade and cultural & scientific exchange between different regions which are Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Semitic, Carthaginian, Phoenician, Persian, Roman, and Greek cultures. The Mediterranean Sea is a divine phenomenon that led to the rise of the most influential and famous civilization this world has ever seen even until today.

The Location of the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea that stretches from Asia on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west and it separates between Africa and Europe. It is a great sea of the Atlantic Ocean that is totally enclosed by the land of Europe, Africa, and Asia from the north, south, and east.

It is attached to the Atlantic Ocean at the Gibraltar strait which is only 8 miles (13 km) wide and 1,050 feet (320 m) deep, the Bleak Sea at the Sea of Marmara & the Dardanelles, and the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea by the Suez Canal. Located in the southeast of the Mediterranean Sea is the Suez Canal which connects it to the Red Sea.

The Climate of the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea region has a very diverse climate but it mainly has wet winters and hot, dry summers. The water temperatures are known to be mild during the winter and warm during the summer. All sides of the Mediterranean coastlines tend to have strong maritime moderation. The Red Sea has a Maximum temperature of 28 °C (82 °F) and a Miniature temperature of 12 °C (54 °F).

Spain’s eastern coast tends to be semi-arid and cold while the southeastern coast contains a hot desert climate. Both the Adriatic region and Italy’s northern coast have humid subtropical weather. The Mediterranean Sea is the subject of many tropical cyclones during September, August, and November.

History of the Mediterranean Sea

The history of the Mediterranean is essential to understanding the origin story and the development of many ancient and modern societies. Some of the greatest civilizations ever created in the history of mankind can be found on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea which provides a water route that in turn provides trade, food, scientific & cultural exchange plus colonization and war. The warm and mild climate of the Mediterranean Sea region allowed various ancient countries to flourish, and create their own rule, art, science, philosophy, literature, and medicine which led to the creation of the modern-day Western and Middle Eastern culture.

For the entire region, the Sea itself was the most important route for merchants and travelers of ancient times, allowing for trade and cultural exchange between emergent peoples of the region the Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Semitic, Phoenician, Persian, Greek Carthaginian, and Roman cultures.

It acted as a superhighway in ancient ages, allowing for trade and cultural exchange between peoples of the region such as Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks, Hebrews, Minoans, and Hittites on the eastern side of the Mediterranean and the Carthaginians, Celtiberians, Etruscans, Romans, Gauls, and Berbers on the western side.

It led to the rise of the Roman Empire which controlled the Mediterranean Sea and all its coastal regions from Gibraltar to the Levant for 400 years. The Byzantine and Arab Empires depended heavily on the powers of the Mediterranean Sea. Even today, the Mediterranean Sea is able to have a strong effect on the economies of the entire earth.

The Mediterranean Sea Name

The Mediterranean Sea was referred to by the ancient Egyptians by many such as Wadj-wr/Wadj-Wer/Wadj-Ur due to the existence of papyrus forests. The ancient Greeks referred to the Mediterranean sea “hē thálassa” which is Greek for “The Sea“, “hē megálē thálassa” which is Greek for “The Great Sea“, “hē hēmetérā thálassa” which is Greek for “Our Sea“, and “hē thálassa hē kath’hēmâs” which is Greek for “The Sea Around  Us“.

The ancients referred to it as “Mare Magnum” which means in Roman “Great Sea“, “Mare Internum” which means Internal Sea, and finally “Mare Nostrum” which is Latin for “Our Sea”. Some of the ancient cultures such as the Levent were known to use colors to showcase the Cardinal Points such as the black sea as the color black refers to the north, red refers to the south, blue & yellow refer to the east, and the white refers to the west.

The term “Mediterranean” is derived from the Latin “Mediterranean” which means ‘inland’, and from the Latin words “Medius” (Middle) and “Terra” (Earth as in soil). The Mediterranean Sea was mentioned in the Old Testament as “Hinder Sea” which means “Western Sea“, “Great Sea“, and simply “The Sea“. The Arabs referred to the Mediterranean Sea by many names such as The White Middle Sea, The Sea of the Romans, the Sea of Syria, and the Sea of the West. It has been called “The Incubator of the Western Civilization“. The original name of the Mediterranean Sea is “The Euradrican Mediterranean Sea“.

The Geography of the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea occupies an irregular depression that lies between 30° and 46° N & longitudes 5°50′ W and 36° E. It occupies an area of around 2.5 million kilometers (970,000 sq mi) which represents about 0.7% of the Global Ocean Surface. The Water volume of the Mediterranean Sea is 3,750,000 km3 (900,000 cu mi). The width of the Mediterranean Sea is 1600 km with an average depth of 1500m (4900 ft) and its maximum depth is 5267 m (7280 ft).

The coastline of the Mediterranean Sea extends for 27,600 miles (46,000 kilometers). The Mediterranean Sea’s deepest point is 17,280 feet which is found in the Ionian Sea’s Calypso Deep. The Mediterranean Sea is known to have clear blue water because most of the nutrients are located in the bottom layers of the sea, but the algae can be found in the top layers, as it needs the sun to shine, and light to fully grow.

The spacious Mediterranean Sea is considered the main transit corridor for the alien species of the invasion in the Black Sea and it is even been considered storage for the alien species which can be transported after that to the Black Sea.

The Black Sea is considered to be a marginal Mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean which is located between Europe and Asia; at the east of the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe, west of the Caucasus, the south of the East European Plain, and north of Anatolia in Western Asia.

The Mediterranean is made up of many smaller seas and contains many subdivisions of seas within it that are all much smaller in size. The most well-known of these seas are the Alboran Sea, the Balearic Sea, the Ligurian Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Ionian Sea, the Adriatic Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the Aegean Sea.

Importance of the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is a true living treasure with economic, cultural, geographic, and historical importance. The importance of the Mediterranean Sea is truly great and immense as It has changed the face of history by leading to the rise and fall of many civilizations. It has played an incredible role in shaping the world that we see today through its strategic location, powerful economic influence, and cultural exchange between a number of ancient civilizations.

Through its entire history, it has become the world’s busiest maritime region. It acted as the key that united all of Africa, Asia, and Europe by becoming a natural water bridge that be used to connect various ancient cultures and civilizations also became a hub for trade through its many routes which made it easy to exchange many ideas, goods, and even cultures. The Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, and Egyptians acted as the main elements that led to the birthplace of these glorious civilizations which over the centuries has led to the creation of some of the most marvelous ruins that provided the most incredible facts and information.

It is filled with a rich diversity of marine life that has provided seafood and fisheries for the surrounding countries for countless centuries. The Mediterranean Sea has for many years provided all different types of marine species with the ideal nourishment thus creating the most rich biodiversity environment.

The Boarding Countries of the Mediterranean Sea

It runs through 22 countries that surround the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea which are:

• In Europe from the west side to the east side, there are  Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, the island state of Malta, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece.
• In Asia from the north side to the south side, there are Syria, Turkey, the island Republic of Cyprus, Lebanon, and Israel.
• In Africa from the east side to the west side, there are Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco.

There are several other special territories that border the Mediterranean Sea from the west side to the east side such as:

• The Crown Colony of Gibraltar is located in the United Kingdom.
• The autonomous monastic state of Mount Athos
• The Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and nearby islands
• The Gaza Strip (governed by the Palestinian National Authority)
• The sovereign base area of Akrotiri and Dhekelia
• Macedonia
• Portugal
• San Marino
• Serbia
• The Vatican

The Mediterranean Sea has over 3300 islands some of the most famous ones found in the eastern Mediterranean include Cyprus, Lesbos, Crete, Rhodes, Euboea, Chios, Corfu, Limnos, Samos, Kefalonia, Naxos, and Andros, which are the home of about 15 million people.

In the central Mediterranean, there are Sicily, Krk, Cres, Brač, Korčula, Pag, Hvar, and Malta.

In the western Mediterranean, there are Corsica, Sardinia, and the Balearic Islands of, Majorca, Menorca, and Ibiza.

Mediterranean Sea Islands

The Mediterranean Sea holds about 250 inhabited Islands out of 10,000 islands and islets. The biggest and the most famous of them include the following ten. The magnificent Island of Cyprus is a marvelous independent country found in the Mediterranean Sea known for having a magical mixture of different cultures that have a population of 1,088,503 who are found living in a magical space of 9,251 square kilometers.

The glorious historical city of Sicily found near Italy is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea which has a population of about 5,048,995 and covers an area of 25,460 square kilometers. The beautiful Italian Island of Sardinia has a population of around 1,672,804 and covers a magnificent area of 23,821 square kilometers filled with incredible ruins and incredible views. The enchanting French Island of Corsica has a population of around 299,209 people who live in an area of 8,680 square kilometers.

The great Island of Crete is the biggest Greek Island found in the Mediterranean Sea holds a population of 623,666 in a space of 8,336 square kilometers. The majestic Island of Euboea is a magical Greek Island of the Mediterranean Sea that has a population of 218,000 that are found in an area of 3,655 square kilometers. The Grand Island of Majorca found in Spain has a population of 869,067 who are found on an area of 3,640 square kilometers.

The phenomenal Island of lesbos is a Greek Island that has an area of around 1,632 square kilometers who are inhabited by 90,643 people. The legendary Island of Rhodes is a magical Greek Island that has a population of 117,007 which has an area of 1,400 square kilometers with the most spectacular works of art. The splendid Greek Island of Chios is the home to 51,936 people which has an incredible space of 842 square kilometers.

The Mediterranean Sea Influence

The Mediterranean Sea has huge Political importance as it is considered a marvelous maritime outlet for the Bosporus Sea of the Marmara Dardanelles, for the Black Sea, the previous Countries of the Union Soviet Socialist Republics, and the access of America to the petroleum of Algeria and Libya. That is not actually all that can be mentioned regarding the Mediterranean Sea as it used to be a transport superhighway in ancient times and it allowed to expansion of the cultural & trade exchange between people who are traveling from one region to another including the Egyptians, Persian, Mesopotamian, Greek, Semitic, and the Roman Cultures.

That sea was opened as a commerce highway by the merchants who were getting their goods from Phoenicia. That is not actually all that can be mentioned regarding the Mediterranean Sea as it used to be a transport superhighway in ancient times and it allowed to expansion of the cultural & trade exchange between people from all over the ancient world. The sea was opened as a commerce highway by the merchants who were getting their goods from Phoenicia and the rest of the world.

Mediterranean Sea Marine Organisms

The blessed Mediterranean Sea has a magical marine ecosystem that contains a wide range of beautiful life forms which include over 17,000 marine species. The rich biodiversity is higher across all the continental shelves and coastal areas plus it is very stable in numbers because of the isolation of the Mediterranean Sea from the influences of external deep oceanic forces.

Most of the marine organisms originated from the marvelous Atlantic Ocean which has differing conditions when it comes to temperature and nutrient availability. The transition zone of the Alboran Sea has a mixture of a different number of species from the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Some of the most recognized bottlenose dolphins, harbor porpoises, Mediterranean Monk Seal, many species of whales, corals, sponges, mollusks, and loggerhead sea turtles.

Suez Canal Links the Mediterranean Sea and The Red Sea

The artificial waterway Suez Canal was built around the 50s thus connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. The first version of the Suez Canal was built between 1859 and 1869 which offered a direct route between the northern Indian Ocean and the north Atlantic Ocean through connecting the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea thus reducing the time of travel across the world by a great amount.

It extends from the northern terminus of Port Said to the southern terminus of Port Tewfik at the marvelous city of Suez. The Suez Canal is now the busiest shipping lane in the world and acts as a key player in the global transportation network as 12% of the world’s trade in goods passes through the canal annually.

Mediterranean Sea Facts

• The Mediterranean Sea is the biggest enclosed sea in the world and has an area of 2,500,000 km2 (970,000 sq mi).
• It is connected to three continents which are Asia, Europe, and Africa plus it is boarded by 21 countries.
• It is home to more than 17,000 marine species that come in all different shapes and sizes.
• It played an important role in the development the history, economy, and culture plus exchanged ideas of and between many ancient civilizations which are ancient Egypt, ancient Rome, ancient Greece, and ancient Phoenicia.
• There are about 250 inhabited islands across the waters of the sea, some of which include Sicily, Crete, Corsica, Sardinia, and Cyprus.
• The Suez Canal plays a great role in connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea thus becoming a highly effective shortcut between the two halves of the world.

Mediterranean Sea Sharks

The Mediterranean Sea has over 50 different species of sharks, some of the most recognized sharks include which include the Blue Shark which can be seen very commonly across its offshore waters and is known for its special blue coloration. The predatory great white shark can be seen rarely in its waters in the central and western parts. The Smoothhound Sharks are small bottom-dwelling sharks that are famous for their commercial use during fishing. The Short Mako Shark is also seen across the Mediterranean Sea which is known for their incredible agility and speed.

Many species of hammerhead sharks are known to inhabit its waters. The dogfish Sharks are also common across its waters and are known for their many species and smaller sizes. The Thresher Sharks are known for their distinctive long tail fins which are seen across many parts of the Mediterranean Sea. Angel sharks are flattened shark that lives in the muddy sandy bottoms of the Mediterranean Sea. The large spotted dogfish of the nursehound is a smaller shark species that is found living on the seabed.