The Black Sea is a marginal Mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean located between Europe and Asia; east of the Balkan Peninsula (Southeast Europe), south of the East European Plain in Eastern Europe, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia in Western Asia.
It is supplied by major rivers, principally the Danube, Dnieper, and Don.
The watersheds of many countries drain into the sea beyond the six that share its coast.
The Black Sea covers 436,400 km2 (168,500 sq mi) (not including the Sea of Azov), a maximum depth of 2,212 m (7,257 ft), and a volume of 547,000 km3 (131,000 cu mi).
Most of its coasts ascend rapidly.
These rises are the Pontic Mountains to the south, bar the southwest facing peninsulas, the Caucasus Mountains to the east, and the Crimean Mountains to the mid-north.
In the west the coast is generally small floodplains below foothills such as the Strandzha; Cape Emine, a dwindling of the east end of the Balkan Mountains; and the Dobruja Plateau considerably further north.
The longest east-west extent is about 1,175 km (730 mi).
Important cities along the coast include Istanbul, Odesa, Varna, Samsun, Sochi, Sevastopol, Constanța, Trabzon, Novorossiysk, Burgas, Batumi, etc.
The Black Sea is bordered by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
It has a positive water balance with an annual net outflow of 300 km3 (72 cu mi) per year through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles into the Aegean Sea.
While the net flow of water through the Bosporus and Dardanelles (collectively known as the Turkish Straits) is out of the Black Sea, water generally flows in both directions simultaneously.
Denser, more saline water from the Aegean flows into the Black Sea underneath the less dense, fresher outflowing water from the Black Sea.
This creates a significant and permanent layer of deep water that does not drain or mix and is therefore anoxic.
This anoxic layer is responsible for the preservation of ancient shipwrecks which have been found in the Black Sea.
The Black Sea ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea, via the Turkish Straits and the Aegean Sea.
The Bosporus Strait connects it to the small Sea of Marmara which in turn is connected to the Aegean Sea via the Strait of the Dardanelles.
To the north, the Black Sea is connected to the Sea of Azov by the Kerch Strait.
Over geological time, the water level has varied significantly.
Due to these variations in the water level in the basin, the surrounding shelf and associated aprons have sometimes been dry land.
At certain critical water levels, connections with surrounding water bodies can become established.
By way of the Turkish Straits, the Black Sea is connected to the world ocean via the most active route.
During geological periods when this hydrological link was not present, the Black Sea was an endorheic basin, operating independently of the global ocean system (similar to the Caspian Sea today).
Currently, the Black Sea water level is relatively high; thus, water is being exchanged with the Mediterranean.
The Turkish Straits connect the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea and comprise the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles.
The Black Sea undersea river is a current of particularly saline water flowing through the Bosporus Strait and along the seabed of the Black Sea, the first of its kind discovered.
🏨 Hotels Near Black Sea
| Hotel | Address | City | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alesta Apart Otel | 📍 Meydankapı, Balıkçılar Sokak, 57000 Merkez/Sinop, Turkey | Sinop | 📞 +90 368 201 00 04 | sinopalestaapart.com/ |
| Grand Ayzek Hotel **** | 📍 Cumhuriyet Mah, 1392 Sok, No: 12, 52200 Altınordu/Ordu, Turkey | Ordu | 📞 +90 452 250 52 52 | grandayzekhotel.com/ |
| Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At The Bosphorus | 📍 No:28, Çırağan Cd., 34349 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Turkey | Beşiktaş | 📞 +90 212 381 40 00 | fourseasons.com/bosphorus/ |
| Frau Güler Boutique Hotel | 📍 Kaleiçi, Topyanı, Sokak No:19, 74300 Amasra/Bartın, Turkey | Amasra | 📞 +90 532 383 64 04 | frauguler.com/ |
| La Quinta by Wyndham Giresun | 📍 Gedikkaya, Ada Sokak No:14, 28100 Giresun Merkez/Giresun, Turkey | Giresun | 📞 +90 454 214 16 46 | wyndhamhotels.com/laquinta/giresun-turkey/la-quinta-giresun/overview |
| Ramada by Wyndham Giresun Piraziz | 📍 Maden, KUCUK EV SOKAK NO:20, 28340 Piraziz/Giresun, Turkey | Giresun | 📞 +90 454 333 44 44 | wyndhamhotels.com/tr-tr/ramada/giresun-turkey/ramada-giresun-piraziz/overview |
| New House kobuleti | 📍 E70, Kobuleti, Georgia E70, ქობულეთი | Kefalonia | 📞 +995 595 55 62 55 | facebook.com/New-House-Kobuleti-115464596910044/ |
| Tarihi Kumbaba Otel | 📍 Çavuş Mah. Üretken Sk. NO:2 A, İç Kapı No: A, 34980 Şile/İstanbul, Turkey | Şile | 📞 +90 216 711 00 53 | tarihikumbabaotel.com/ |
| B&C HOTEL | 📍 Körfez, 5011. Sk. 2-4, 55270 Atakum/Samsun, Turkey | Samsun | 📞 +90 362 437 16 66 | bchotelsamsun.com/ |
| OTEL TERSANE | 📍 Meydankapı Mahallesi Ergül Sokak No:7 ( Tersane Mevki ), 57000 MERKEZ/Sinop, Turkey | Sinop | 📞 +90 368 220 02 02 | – |
🎉 Tourist attractions Near Black Sea
| Top attraction | Address | City | Discover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cilingoz Nature Park | 📍 Atatürk Mahallesi, 34540 Çatalca/İstanbul, Turkey | Çatalca | National reserve |
| Boğaziçi Yoltur İskelesi | 📍 Turkey | Istanbul | Port authority |
| Şile Castle | 📍 Hacı Kasım, İskele No:4, 34980 Şile/İstanbul, Turkey | Şile | Historical landmark |
| Marmaracik National Park | 📍 34450 Rumelifeneri Köyü/Sarıyer/İstanbul, Turkey | Rumelifeneri Köyü/Sarıyer | National reserve |
| Mount Nemrut | 📍 Nemrut Dağı Yolu, 02000 Kayadibi/Kâhta/Adıyaman, Turkey | Kayadibi/Kâhta | Historical landmark |
| Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque | 📍 Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Kemeraltı Cd. No:50, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey | Beyoğlu | Mosque |
| Rumeli Feneri Topçu Kalesi | 📍 Rumelifeneri, 34450 Sarıyer/İstanbul, Turkey | Sarıyer | Castle |
| Grand Bazaar | 📍 Beyazıt, Kalpakçılar Cd. No:22, 34126 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey | Fatih | Bazar |
| Mediterranean Sea & Black Sea Region Authorized Sightseeing Tours Agency | 📍 Bulgurlu Mah: Gunaydin Sokak/Yildirim,B/Blok, Üsküdar Cd. No16 D:5, 34660, Turkey | Ataşehir | Tourist attraction |
| Hagia Sophia | 📍 Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya Meydanı No:1, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey | Fatih | Mosque |
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