Black Sea

• 26 Mar 2024

Source: TH

Why in News?

Russia appointed Admiral Alexander Moiseev as the new acting head of its Navy following a series of successful Ukrainian attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which has sustained significant losses.

What are the Key Facts About the Black Sea?

• About:
  • The Black Sea, also known as the Euxine Sea, is one of the major water bodies and a famous inland sea of the world.
  • This marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean is located between Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
• Geographical Location:
  • Land Boundary: The Black Sea is bordered by Ukraine to the north and northwest, Russia and Georgia to the east, Türkiye to the south, and Bulgaria and Romania to the west.

Note: The bordering countries of the Black Sea can be remembered as BURGeR-T: Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Romania and Türkiye).

• Maritime Boundary: It is linked to the Sea of Marmara through the Bosphorus Strait and then to the Aegean Sea (an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea) through the Dardanelles Strait.
  • The Turkish straits system (the Dardanelles, Bosphorus and the Marmara Sea) forms a transitional zone between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
    • The Black Sea is also connected to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch.
• Surrounding Mountains: The Black Sea is surrounded by the Pontic in the South, the Caucasus in the East, and the Crimean Mountains in the North.
• Inflowing Rivers:
  • The Black Sea is supplied by major rivers, principally the Danube (the second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia), Dnieper and Dniester.

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UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q. Consider the following pairs: (2019)

Sea Bordering Country

1. Adriatic Sea : Albania
2. Black Sea : Croatia
3. Caspian Sea : Kazakhstan
4. Mediterranean Sea : Morocco
5. Red Sea : Syria

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) 1, 2 and 4 only

(b) 1, 3 and 4 only

(c) 2 and 5 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Ans: (b)

Q. Turkey is located between (2014)

(a) Black Sea and Caspian Sea

(b) Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea

(c) Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean Sea

(d) Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea

Ans: (b)