Black Sea: Russia Withdrew its Large Warships

The Black Sea has recently attracted attention as Ukraine deployed explosive drone boats to target small, high-speed vessels after Russia withdrew its large warships.

1. Location and Area:
   1. The Black Sea is a large inland sea situated at the southeastern edge of Europe.
   2. It covers an area of approximately 436,000 square kilometres (168,000 sq mi).
2. Bordering Countries:
   1. The Black Sea is bordered by several countries:
      1. Ukraine to the north
      2. Russia to the northeast
      3. Georgia to the east
      4. Turkey to the south
      5. Bulgaria and Romania to the west
3. Coastline Length:
   1. Russia has the longest coastline on the Black Sea (2,300 km), followed by Turkey (1,329 km) and Ukraine (1,282 km).
4. Crimean Peninsula:
   1. The Crimean Peninsula extends into the Black Sea from the north.
5. Connections to Other Seas:
   1. The Black Sea is connected to the Aegean Sea (part of the Mediterranean Sea) through the Bosporus Strait, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles Strait.
   2. It is also connected to the Sea of Azov by the Kerch Strait.
6. Geological History:
   1. The Black Sea was formed when structural upheavals in Asia Minor split off the Caspian basin from the Mediterranean Sea.
   2. Over time, the Black Sea gradually became isolated, resulting in its lower salinity compared to the world's oceans.
7. Freshwater Inflows:
   1. The Black Sea receives freshwater inflows from numerous rivers, including the Danube, Southern Bug, Dnieper, Rioni, and Dniester.
8. Meromictic Basin:
   1. The Black Sea is the largest meromictic basin, meaning that movement of water between the lower and upper layers of the ocean is rare.
9. Anoxic Basin:
   1. The Black Sea is one of the world's largest anoxic basins, containing areas with very little dissolved oxygen.
10. Islands:
    1. The Black Sea contains several islands, with Snake Island (Ukraine), Giresun Island (Turkey), and St. Ivan Island (Bulgaria) being the largest.
11. Definition of a Strait:
    1. A strait is a naturally formed narrow strip of water between two continents, islands, or two larger bodies of water.
    2. It is often used for navigational purposes and sometimes referred to as a channel when found between two landmasses.

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