Top 10 smallest seas in Russia

The territory of our country is washed by the waters of as many as 12 seas, each of which plays a huge role in the life of the state and each is unique in its own way. The sea feeds us with the fish necessary in the human diet, pleases us with caviar for the holidays.

The sea is an important transport artery and a desirable resort. The sea can even be almost fresh, calm and with a very difficult character.

From time immemorial, the sea has captured the minds and hearts of daredevils who risked their lives to open the veil of its secrets. The sea gave lives and took them away, served as a border and reliable protection from intruders.

The sea can be very different, large and very small, warm and very cold, the ice of which binds the surface of the water all year round.

Our today’s rating will tell about the ten smallest seas in terms of area, washing the coast of Russia.

10 Sea of ​​Japan, 1062 thousand km²

Japanese Sea has an area of ​​1062 square kilometers. This is a rather rough sea, for which waves over ten meters high and hurricanes are not uncommon.

Life in the Sea of ​​Japan is very diverse, because more than 900 species of fish live here. Among the inhabitants were 12 species of sharks and 200 species of commercial fish and a species of deadly jellyfish. On its shores there are four states, whose inhabitants from time immemorial fish and seafood have been harvested in it. The greatest depth of the Sea of ​​Japan is more than 3700 meters.

9. East Siberian Sea, 944,6 thousand km²

East-Siberian Sea has an area of ​​944,6 thousand square kilometers and a maximum depth of about 915 meters. Most of the year the East Siberian Sea is covered with ice, but even when there is no ice, the water here is very cold.

This sea can be safely called the most severe northern sea. Despite this, there are fish in the sea and even mammals such as seals.

8. Kara Sea, 893,4 thousand km²

Kara Sea has an area of ​​893,4 thousand square kilometers. This sea borders the Arctic Ocean and is very cold, but despite the harsh climate, there is plenty of life in its waters.

This is one of the coldest seas in the world, the water temperature in which often does not exceed zero degrees, and sometimes it turns out to be much lower. Almost all year round, the Kara Sea is ice-bound, which makes navigation difficult. There are many little-studied currents in the sea, and there are deposits of natural gas and oil at the bottom, but due to ice and climate, their production is not carried out.

7. Chukchi Sea, 672 thousand km²

The Chukchi Sea, with an area of ​​672 thousand square kilometers, is named after the peoples living on its shores. The waters are always cold, their temperature does not exceed 12 degrees and they wash two countries. This truly icy sea is covered with ice for more than 9 months of the year. And when there is no ice, the waves reach seven meters in height.

The fauna is represented by a large number of fish, whales and walruses are also found here. The average depth of the Chukchi Sea is 50 meters, and in the north the thickness of the ice, which does not melt at all, is several meters.

6. Black Sea, 422 thousand km²

Shores Of the Black Sea are a desirable holiday destination for tourists from all over Russia, because the quality and relative accessibility of the Black Sea resorts has been known since the times of the USSR.

The area of ​​the Black Sea is 422 thousand square kilometers, and an invisible border between Europe and Asia runs along its surface. There are dangerous predators in this sea, such as sharks, and there are also a huge number of jellyfish. In addition, seals are also found here.

It is worth noting that life is practically absent at depth, as hydrogen sulfide escapes from the bottom craters. In addition to it, deposits of gas and oil were discovered at a depth.

The waters of the Black Sea wash seven countries, playing a very important role for them. The greatest depth is 2210 meters, and the bottom is littered with the skeletons of ships in distress. The sad fact is that due to human activities, the ecological state of the Black Sea leaves much to be desired.

5. Baltic Sea, 419 thousand km²

Baltic Sea covers an area of ​​419 thousand square kilometers. This sea can be called very young, because its age is only four thousand years, which, by geographical standards, is very small.

The Baltic Sea washes the shores of nine countries, and in the history of Russia plays the role of the cradle of our fleet. This is a fairly calm sea, because even in the strongest storm the wave height does not exceed a couple of meters.

4. Caspian Sea, 371 thousand km²

Caspian Sea has an area of ​​​​371 thousand square kilometers and can rightfully be called the largest closed reservoir in the world. It is called closed due to the fact that it has nothing to do with the oceans or other seas. Despite this, it plays a very important role in the life of our country.

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, and five countries are located on its banks. The depths of the sea are rich in life in the form of numerous representatives of fish, animals and plants. In addition, there are large deposits of gas and oil in the Caspian Sea, which gives it a very important economic importance.

There are very good resorts on the shores, attracting thousands of tourists every year. Scientists have proven that people lived in its vicinity more than 75 thousand years ago, and the sea itself was formed more than ten million years ago.

3. White Sea, 90,8 thousand km²

White Sea, with an area of ​​90,8 thousand square kilometers is located in the north of our country. The harsh climate of this sea keeps it captive to ice for half a year. Despite this, there are many fish in the White Sea. The largest depth indicator is 343 meters, and the average level is 67 meters

The waters of the sea bring to the inhabitants of Russia about three tons of fish annually. The very important strategic port of Arkhangelsk is located in the White Sea.

2. Pechora Sea, 81,263 thousand km²

Pechora Sea, with an area of ​​​​only 81,263 thousand square kilometers, washes exclusively the coast of Russia. The sea got its name in honor of the river that flows into it.

Interesting fact: The Pechora Sea is very difficult to find on the map, and many residents of our country do not even know about its existence.

The formation of this mysterious sea occurred as a result of the melting of glaciers and the filling of a large depression with melt water. The greatest depth in this sea is 210 meters. For a long time, only representatives of the northern peoples lived on the shores, who were engaged in hunting and fishing. The animal and plant world is rather poor, this is primarily due to the harsh climate and low temperatures.

1. Sea of ​​Azov, 39 thousand km²

Sea of ​​Azov is the smallest sea in Russia, but also the smallest in the world. The average depth of this sea is only about eight, and the maximum is 13,5 meters. It washes the territories of Russia and Ukraine, and popular resort areas are located along its banks, where thousands of people come every year.

The area of ​​this sea is only 39 thousand square kilometers. Due to the low depth in the warm season, the waters of the Sea of ​​u30buXNUMXbAzov warm up to XNUMX degrees and delight lovers of swimming in warm water.

To all its other unique characteristics, age should also be attributed, because it is only 7 thousand years old, which makes it also the youngest. Dolphins are found in the Sea of ​​​​Azov, and in addition, freshwater fish, such as crucians or pikes.