Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Rivers that drain into it The Bering Sea covers the surface area for over 2,000,000 square kilometers. The present coastlines of the North Sea were probably not established until some 3,000 years ago. Together with the English Channel in the south, the southern North Sea is the busiest body of water in the world. About 80 million people live near the North Sea, at most 150 km away from the coast. It is between 15 and 20 miles (20 to 30 km) wide and is some 1,000 feet (300 metres) deep in the vicinity of Bergen, reaching a maximum depth of about 2,300 feet (700 metres) in the Skagerrak. Salinities generally range between 34 and 35 parts per thousand, with higher readings occurring off the coast of Great Britain and lower readings off Norway. sea routes weather routing voyage planning vessels ships ports shipyards bunker consumption tide stations Calculate distances - nautical miles or kilometers for seagoing ships and vessels. Terns, Atlantic puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes and other seabirds live on the North Sea coast. The ultimate aim of the North Sea Project was to develop computer based models. The sea is bordered by the island of Great Britain to the southwest and west, the Orkney and Shetland islands to the northwest, Norway to the northeast, Denmark to the east, Germany and the Netherlands to the southeast, and Belgium and France to the south. North Sea, shallow, northeastern arm of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the British Isles and the mainland of northwestern Europe and covering an area of 220,000 square miles (570,000 square km). However, so many fish are now caught there that new ones may not be able to grow fast enough to keep the fishery going. There, the North Sea has a depth of between 13 and 20 metres only. With some storms there are even waves breaking there. This name was commonly used in English and other languages along with the name North Sea, until the early eighteenth century. The Marine Navigation App provides advanced features of a Marine Chartplotter including adjusting water level offset and custom depth shading. These trenches may have been formed at the time of the last glaciation, when parts of the North Sea were free of ice, and rivers coming off the mainland could have eroded deep channels in the basin floor. Together with the English Channel in the south, the southern North Sea is the busiest body of water in the world. The treaty puts it at 5° East longitude, and 62° North latitude. The most shallow part of it is a sand bank called Dogger Bank. Harbourguides is the web's leading … Tidal ranges average between 13 and 20 feet (4 and 6 metres) along the coasts of Britain and in the southern estuaries, while the range to the north and east is less than 10 feet (3 metres). Since the 1960s, the Aral Sea shrank. In 1953 a storm surge of nearly 11 feet (3.4 metres) above the mean high-water level inundated large areas of the delta region of the Netherlands. depth: 700 m (2,300 ft). Chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head on the North Sea, East Riding of Yorkshire, northern England. Emeritus Professor of Geography, University of Rhode Island, Kingston. These present serious navigational hazards. The North Sea has long been important as one of Europe’s most productive fisheries. Bluepages. The Aral Sea (Kazakh: Арал Теңізі (Aral Tengizi), Uzbek: Orol dengizi, Russian: Аральскοе мοре) is a lake in Central Asia.It is between Kazakhstan in the north and Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region of Uzbekistan, in the south.. In the south, depths measure less than 120 feet (35 metres); many shallow, shifting banks, presumably of glacial origin, have been reworked by tidal currents. In the south, depths measure less than 120 feet (35 metres); many shallow, shifting banks, presumably of glacial origin, have been reworked by tidal currents. Contact. The North Sea is an important resource shared by many nations with a wide range of potentially conflicting activities. In the north in the bathyal zone north of Shetland, this depth increases to between 100 and 200 metres. The low, offshore Frisian Islands stretch from Waddenzee in the Netherlands to southwestern Denmark. On average, the North Sea has a depth of only 94 meters. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The rivers that fed it (the Amu … In the Fens area of East Anglia, the coast is low and marshy, as it is in the delta region of the Netherlands. The mean depth of the sea … As a central hub in Europe, multimodality and a wide variety of types of goods are our chief concerns. NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION. The Skagerrak connects the North Sea to the Baltic Sea. The North Sea is between Norway and Denmark in the east, Scotland and England in the west, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France in the south. The final retreat of the glaciers took place about 8,000 years ago; some centuries later, as its level continued to rise, the expanding sea broke across the land bridge that, until then, had linked Britain with France, and the waters of the North Sea joined with those of the English Channel. Average air temperatures vary in January from 32 to 40 °F (0 to 4 °C) and in July from 55 to 64 °F (13 to 18 °C). in extreme length (from n. to s.), about 400 m, in greatest breadth, and has an area of not less than … There also are some deep trenches in the western part of the North Sea, including Devils Hole off Edinburgh, where depths exceed 1,500 feet (450 metres), and Silver Pit, nearly 320 feet (95 metres) deep, off the bay of The Wash in England. Nautical Sayings. On average, the depth is about 93 to 94 meters only. Because of its long coastline and the rivers emptying into it, it has been readily accessible to many areas, providing highways of commerce and of conquest. Well-known rivers that drain into the North Sea include the Tay (at Dundee), the Forth (at Edinburgh), the Tyne (South Shields), the Wear (at Sunderland), the Tees (near Middlesbrough), the Elbe (at Cuxhaven), the Weser (at Bremerhaven), the Rhine and Meuse or Maas (at Rotterdam), the Scheldt (at Flushing or Vlissingen), the Thames, and the Humber (at Hull), and the river Nairn (at Nairn). Average January temperatures of North Sea surface waters range from 35 °F (2 °C) to the east of Denmark to 46 °F (8 °C) between the Shetland Islands and Norway. The Skagerrak, an eastward extension of the North Sea between Norway and Denmark, connects the North and Baltic seas via the Kattegat and the Danish straits. Updates? Depth: Maximum (seabed) Seabed: Biomass, Drill cuttings, Epifauna, Grain size, Habitat type, Infauna, Microbes, … North Sea is a classic yacht builder in the boating world. From the Mercuriushaven up to the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, the depth is 11 metres below NAP. Cromarty harbour, northern Scotland, at the mouth of Cromarty Firth, an inlet (via Moray Firth) of the North Sea. The Waddenzee runs all the way from Den Helder in the Netherlands to Esbjerg in Denmark. The trenches very often are only a few kilometers in length. About 80 million people live near the North Sea, at most 150 km away from the coast. This means the submarine has to remain at periscope depth from the surface. What is the minimum depth? Scotland’s east coast also is composed of uplands—although it is less broken—and the resistant rocks continue south into England. DISTANCE CALCULATOR 2 VOYAGE PLANNER. It was the scene of early development of maritime trade. The Norwegian Trench has an average depth of around 250 to 300 metres; at the entrance to the Skagerrak, the depth increases up to 725 meters. At the end of the English Channel, this depth increases to about 100 meters. It is 700 in. A submarine ridge linking Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and north Scotland separates the Norwegian Sea from the open Atlantic. Author of. In contrast, the waters deepen in the Norwegian Trench, an unusual depression that runs parallel to the coast of southern Norway from north of Bergen around to Oslo. Few parts of the North Sea are more than 300 feet (90 metres) in depth. Large detailed map of North Sea with cities and towns. In England, surges up the Thames estuary have also affected surrounding lowlands and, prior to the construction of the Thames Barrier, once posed a threat to London itself. We can compare the average and the maximum depth in other enclosed seas to give some evidence: Baltic Sea ( 55 and 421 m respectively), North Sea (94 and 660 m), Black Sea (1,240 and 2,245 m) and Red Sea (491 and 3,040 m). This is the location of one of the finest fishing areas in the sea. Rivers that drains intil the North Sea British Oceanographic Data Centre A third aspect of economic importance has been the extensive reserves of petroleum and natural gas discovered beneath the seafloor. The Dogger Bank is the limit between the southern and central parts. Our industry expertise and in-house engineering capability is unparalleled, combining many years of project management with in-depth knowledge of the marine energy sector. The North Sea is a sea that is part of the Atlantic Ocean in northern Europe. Also, most of the waters of the Baltic Sea flow northwards here. Rivers that drain into it. Most of the North sea is on the European Continental shelf. This sea is bordered on east and northeast by Alaska, on the west by Russian Far East and the Kamchatka Peninsula, on the south by the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands and on the far north by the Bering Strait. About 20,000 years ago the ice melted and the North Sea was formed (made). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Mediterranean Sea … In the Dover Strait the water is about 30 meters deep. Most of the oil fields are owned by the United Kingdom and Norway but some belong to Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany. It is deepest there, with a depth of 725 metres. 90% of the sea has gone. On average, the North Sea haes a depth o nae mair nor 94 metres. 943x969 / 458 Kb Go to Map. The sea reaches a maximum depth of about 13,020 feet (3,970 m), and it maintains a salinity of about 35 parts per 1,000. The North Sea is the coldest sea in the world. In Danish the North Sea is also named Vesterhavet (besides Nordsøen), meaning Western Ocean because it is west of Denmark. The North Sea Canal runs from the IJmuiden locks to the Coenhaven. About Us. The border between the two is an imagined line from Northern Scotland, to Shetland, and then to Ålesund in Norway. Omissions? The North Sea region is bordered by a number of strong economies: France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway (non-EU member but a member of the European Economic Area) and the United Kingdom (England and Scotland) (non-EU member), and is one of the most heavily used seas with extensive shipping, fishing, energy (hydrocarbon and offshore wind), aggregate extraction, defence, re… By the late nineteenth century, German Sea was a rare, scholarly usage even in Germany. Third consecutive podium finish for Max Koebolt. Colin the Coastguard. Its waters have protected the British Isles from invasion from the Continent for more than a thousand years, yet the North Sea also has served as a springboard for the growth of the overseas empires of the countries bordering it. The use of hydrographic surveying to ensure safe navigation in the North Sea. Atlantic waters with salinities exceeding 35 parts per thousand enter the North Sea through the English Channel and between the Shetland Islands and Norway. Careers. But the spread of the name could also be from the view of the cities of the Hanseatic League. Where is the Puerto Rico Trench? In classical times this body of water was also called the Oceanum Germanicum or Mare Germanicum, meaning German Ocean or Sea. The maximum depth is 700 meters (2,300 feet) and average depth is 95 meters (312 feet) below the sea’s surface. In the last ice age the North Sea was covered by large areas of ice called glaciers. 0 of course, at the beach level!!! This story currently lies buried below the present sea floor and is not only of interest for geological and … It also serves as a prominent shipping zone among European countries and between Europe and the Middle East. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. North Sea Chart. In the vicinity of Flamborough Head in northeastern England, the cliffs are lower, and their less-resistant clays are subject to extensive erosion. One of the fjords that extend inland from the North Sea along the mountainous coast of western Norway. Some of its main cities, like Lübeck, Bremen or Hamburg had the same view. In the southern areas the North Sea's depth is less than 150 ft (50 m), but in the north it slopes down to about 600 ft (200 m). Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/place/North-Sea, Joint Nature Conservation Committee - North Sea, North Sea - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), North Sea - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Thegither wi the Inglis Channel tae the sooth, the soothren North Sea is the maist busy body ae watter in the yird. Sea Distance Calculator, Transit Time, Port to port distances, Setup Vessel Speed in Nautical Miles, Custom Map Points, Date of Departure and Arrival. Nord See), that arm of the Atlantic ocean which separates the British islands on the w. from the continent on the cast. Colder, less-saline waters come from the Baltic Sea through the Skagerrak, creating a counterclockwise circulation in the basin. Off northern England the vast moraine (glacial deposit of earth and stones) known as Dogger Bank is covered to depths of only about 50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 metres). In the south, the depth is at most 50 metres. It is connected to the Atlantic by the Strait of Dover and the English Channel and opens directly onto the ocean between the Orkney and Shetland islands and between the Shetland Islands and Norway. When you purchase our Nautical Charts App, you get all the great marine chart app features like fishing spots, along with North Sea Central Sheet marine chart. SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS –For the third consecutive race weekend, Dutch driver Max Koebolt scored a podium finish in the GT4 European Series in his by North Sea Lubricants sponsored BMW M4 GT4. The North Sea has had a strong influence on European history. For the most part, the sea lies on the European continental shelf.The only exception is the Norwegian trench, which reaches from the Stad peninsula in Sogn og Fjordane to the … At the time of the greatest advance, the ice covered all of the North Sea from a line joining the Thames estuary with the Dutch coast. L ife has a habit of turning on chance meetings.. For me, my fate flipped from Norfolk Pig Farmer to Professional Deep Sea Diver one morning in 1968. Most of the southern and southeastern coast is straight and sandy. But going to such extremes in search of food—most likely deep-sea squid—must be worth the time and energy, he says. Sea Distance Calculator №1. The border between the North Sea and the Skagerrak is at an imagined line between Lindesnes in Norway, and Hanstholm in Denmark. Together with the English Channel in the south, the southern North Sea is the busiest body of water in the world. In the south it is very shallow, only 25 to 35 meters. Many coastal areas are protected nature reserves. Along the trench is the Norwegian Current, which brings most of the waters of the North Sea into the Atlantic Ocean. The Kiel Canal, one of the world's busiest artificial waterways, connects the North Sea with the Baltic. In July, coastal water temperatures from the Strait of Dover to Denmark exceed 59 °F (15 °C), while in the Orkney-Shetland region they reach only 54 °F (12 °C). I am doing a research on the north sea. An exception to this is the Norwegian Trench. Galleon is located in block 48/20 in the Southern North Sea, east of Clipper and west of Audrey (Sole Pit Area), in a water depth of 28m. the northern North Sea, with the Norwegian Trench, near the Skagerrak. Large quantities of fresh water also enter through the Rhine, Thames, and other rivers. The North Sea waters are affected by the warm North Atlantic Current, which moves northward along the western side of the British Isles and enters the Norwegian Sea. The deepest part of the sea is placed on the Matapan trench, in Greece. Map with JOSM Remote; View. East of the Coenhaven, the waterway is called River IJ and continues up to the Oranjesluizen, the locks located in the eastern part of Amsterdam. Unauthorised reproduction strictly prohibited - Terms & Conditions. It's a "spectacular" maximum dive depth, says Texas A&M's Davis. 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