Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is located between New Zealand and Australia. If you do not take into account the coastal water bodies of Antarctica, the Tasman Sea can be called the southernmost sea in the Pacific Ocean basin. This sea was discovered in the 17th century. Dutchman Abel Tasman.
The shores of Australia and New Zealand are approximately 2,000 km apart. To the east of the Tasman Sea are Australian states such as New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria. Its water area is connected to the Indian Ocean with the help of the Bass Strait. The waters of the Cook Strait unite the sea with the Pacific Ocean. The Tasman Sea map makes it possible to see the largest islands in the water area: Lord Howe, Tasmania, Norfolk, Balls Pyramids. The Tasman Sea is considered deep. Its maximum depth (in the Tasman Basin area) exceeds 6,000 m..
Climatic conditions
The climate in the Tasman Sea region is greatly influenced by the South Passat Current. It runs from the Galapagos Islands southwestward across the Pacific Ocean. Thanks to this current, the Western Australian Current is formed near the Australian coast, which determines the climate on the coast of the Tasman Sea. In the water area, powerful winds blowing from the west and causing storms are often noted. In January, the average temperature in the Sydney area is + 22.5 degrees. In July, the temperature is about +13 degrees. The water has an average temperature of +9 (in the southern regions) to +27 degrees (in the northern regions).
Features of the Tasman Sea
There are several large islands in the water area of this sea, most of which belong to Australia. The oldest of them is the volcanic island of Lord Howe. It is part of New South Wales and is inhabited. The area of the island is 16 sq. km, no more than 350 people live there. The second largest Australian island is Norfolk. In the past, it served as a colony for criminals from Australia and England. The elongated coral reefs of Middleton and Elizabeth are located in the Tasman Sea. All kinds of flora and fauna live in coastal waters and islands..
The reefs of the sea have repeatedly caused shipwrecks. A lot of ships sank near them. There are uninhabited rock-islands in the water area. The largest rock is the Balls Pyramid, which is 562 meters above sea level. A famous object in the Tasman Sea is the island of the same name. Tasmania is 240 km away from Victoria (Australia). A large number of rare mammals live there.
