Norwegian Sea: nature and sights

The focus of this article will be the mysterious Norwegian Sea. To what ocean does it belong - the Atlantic or the Arctic? What is the climate and other physical and geographical characteristics? And what sights is it famous for? About this and many other things, read this article.

Where is the Norwegian Sea

On the belonging of the water area to this or that ocean are still disputes. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia in this respect has divergences from the generally accepted point of view. Thus, it traverses the Arctic Ocean along the circular line Norway - Shetland and Faroe Islands - Iceland - Jan Mayen - Greenland. The World Hydrographic Organization defines the cordons of this gigantic Arctic aquatic area in a slightly different way. From her point of view, the Norwegian Sea belongs to the Atlantic. After all, the Arctic Ocean extends from the pole to the conventional line Greenland - Iceland - the Spitsbergen archipelago - Bear Island - the northern coast of Scandinavia. Thus, we can say that this is the marginal sea of the Atlantic. Moreover, it has similar hydrographic characteristics. For example, the Atlantic current of the Gulf Stream enters it. The border between the Norwegian and Greenland Seas passes through the cape Gerpyr in the east of Iceland, the islands of Jan Mayen and Bear.

Physical and geographical characteristics of the water area

The Norwegian Sea borders on the Greenland, North and Barents. It stretches on the continental shelf of Eurasia and covers an area of about one million and four hundred thousand square kilometers. The greatest depth in the Norwegian Sea is 3,970 m, but on average this parameter is a kilometer and seven hundred meters. In addition, the water area is replete with shallows. The largest are the Lofoten banks and the Kopytov submarine plateau. The salinity of the Norwegian Sea is quite significant - thirty-five ppm. Such a "tropical" indicator is due to a small flow of fresh rivers, rather than a high level of volatility, as in the water areas near the equator. Another interesting indicator of the Norwegian Sea is the large tides - an average of 3.3 meters. There are many islands in the water area. The largest of them - Annoya, Søröy, Arnöyä, Seylann, Lofoten, Ringwassøy. The shelf of the water area hides in its bowels large oil reserves, developed by Norway.

Weather in the Norwegian Sea

According to the Big Encyclopedia of Russia, this is the only ice-free water area of the Arctic Ocean in winter. Despite the fact that most of the sea lies beyond the Arctic Circle, it can not be confined by ice. The blame for this phenomenon is the Norwegian current, which is a branch of the Gulf Stream. Warm waters from the Caribbean are a favorable factor for the species diversity of flora and fauna. However, contact with cold arctic air causes fogs and high humidity. Seasonal temperature fluctuations here are insignificant. Winters are mild, with predominance of southwesterly winds. But they often bring serious storms, when the height of the waves reaches nine meters. And in the summer it's cool here. If in winter the air temperature varies between marks - 4 - + 4 degrees, then in July it barely warms up to + 10-12. Cloudy days and strong winds in summer are less, but, of course, there is no question of tanning and bathing. Diving is only possible in a heat insulation suit.

Fauna and flora

Of course, the Norwegian Sea can not boast such a species diversity as the coral reefs of the Gulf of Thailand, but it is still more inhabited than the neighboring waters of the Arctic Ocean. Warm Gulf Stream not only stores the positive temperature of water in the Arctic latitudes, but also allows many species of plants and animals to exist. Here even sharks swim. From the plant world, we should mention algae kelp, which is extracted on an industrial scale, porphyry, fucus and others. In the coastal areas are found bottom crustaceans and mollusks, sea worms. Here lives the largest jellyfish in the world - a giant cyanide. There is fishing for lobsters, lobsters, crabs and lobster, sea scallops and mussels.

sights

What interest does the Norwegian Sea represent for the tourist? The photo often presents fascinating pictures of fjords, braids, bays and capes. The sea with strong tides forms rugged rocky shores. A lot of cruises aboard ocean liners offer a tour of the fjords and admiring the polar day or the northern lights. No less remarkable is fishing in the Norwegian Sea. In the warm season, people from different countries come here to try their luck. Mostly hunting goes to Atlantic salmon. You can see in the sea and large mammals - finvala, narwhal, blue minke whale, bowhead whale and killer whale . Pebble bazaars and seal rookeries of seals, beluga whales and other pinnipeds are found on pebble beaches.