Alboran Sea
The most western body of water in the Mediterranean Sea is the Alboran Sea. The Strait of Gibraltar is located next to it. The eastern border of the sea is considered conditional. It runs through the open waters of the Mediterranean and along the cities of Oran and Almeria. In the central part of the reservoir there is an island of the same name, which has a miniature size. The beginning of the Strait of Gibraltar is considered to be the western limit of the sea..
Geographic characteristics
The map of the Alboran Sea shows that there are no major peninsulas and bays. The small islands of Chafarinas are located off the coast of Morocco. The seabed has large differences in altitude due to the activity of volcanoes in this area. The largest ridge is Alboran, which rises above the water in the form of an island. The Alboran Sea in the northeast flows smoothly into the Balearic Sea. The boundary of the African and Eurasian plates passes through the water area, so the bottom has many depressions. The depth of the most significant depression is 2000 m. The region as a whole is considered seismically hazardous. Circular currents prevail in the sea: East and West Alboran spirals. They run clockwise and are considered very insidious for sailors..
The width of the reservoir is approximately 200 km, and the length is 400 km. The average depth does not exceed 1500 m. The bottom of the sea has an inhomogeneous relief. There are underwater ridges and depressions. The Alboran Ridge divides the water area into parts: southern, eastern and western Alboran.
Climate
The Mediterranean climate prevails over the water area. In some places, the coast of the Alboran Sea is a strip of valleys in a subtropical climate. The weather is greatly influenced by the Sahara, Atlantic and westerly winds. Such factors create special climatic conditions in the coastal zone. It's dry and hot in summer, but rainy and cool in winter..
Significance of the Alboran Sea
Arabs, Romans, Spaniards competed for domination in this region at different times. Today the Strait of Gibraltar is under the control of Great Britain and Spain. The Alboran Sea is of interest to coastal countries due to its strategic location.
Major ports on this sea are Malaga, Melilla, Ceuta. Today, this sea is the route of illegal immigrants from African countries to Europe. Industrial fishing takes place in the waters: anchovy, sardine, swordfish, etc. Cetaceans and striped dolphins are endangered due to unfavorable ecology. The picturesque coastline of the Alboran Sea makes it attractive for tourists. The water warms up well in May, so the beach season begins at this time, which lasts until September.
