Everyone knows firsthand that the water in the sea is salty. But most people will most likely find it difficult to answer the question of which sea is the saltiest on the planet. However, hardly a person thought about why the sea is salty and whether there is life in the saltiest sea in the world.

1. Dead Sea

Salinity 270‰ The Dead Sea is the saltiest in the world, which is located on the border of Israel and Jordan. Content minerals is about 270 ‰, and the concentration of salts per 1 liter reaches 200 grams. The composition of the salts of the sea differs significantly from all others. It consists of 50% magnesium chloride, and is also rich in potassium, bromine, calcium and many other mineral elements. Potassium salts are artificially crystallized from its water. The water here has the highest density, which is 1.3-1.4 g/m³, which completely eliminates the possibility of drowning.

In addition to unique salts, the sea contains healing mud, which contains 45% salts. Its features are high value The pH is 9 and the water tastes bitter and oily. Sea temperatures can reach 40 degrees above zero, which creates intense evaporation and contributes to high density. If in other waters with high salinity there are diverse inhabitants, then in the waters of the Dead Sea it is impossible to meet them.

The Black Sea is internal, its water area is surrounded on all sides by land, only narrow straits lead to the Mediterranean Sea. This entire area belongs to the Atlantic Ocean basin. The salinity of the Black Sea is lower than the Mediterranean and Red Sea. Stock large rivers desalinizes the water area, but its mystery is the formation of a layer of heavier salt water at depth, the accumulation of dissolved hydrogen sulfide. All this does not interfere with beach and cruise holidays, shipping and fishing. After all, the surface layers are devoid of H 2 S and are well heated by the sun.

Cradle of ancient civilizations

The Black Sea is shaped like an oval, elongated in the latitudinal direction. This basin is almost closed, separated by large land masses from other parts of the World Ocean (MO). In the northeast, the Crimean Peninsula deeply cuts into the water area; its northeastern peninsula separates the Black and Azov Seas. The pool is located in the southwestern part of the Eurasian continent. Along its surface, from northeast to southwest, a border is drawn between two parts of the world - Asia and Europe.

The lives of millions of people have long been connected with the waters of the Black and Mediterranean Seas; legends about giants and monsters were born here, and the greatest discoveries were made. Suffice it to remember that the straits and the surrounding peninsulas and islands are associated with the legends about Scylla and Kharbid, the voyage of the Argonauts led by Jason to Colchis for the Golden Fleece. Even in ancient times, Greek sailors and traders highly valued the fishing wealth of this water area and created prosperous colony cities on the shores, the remains of which can be seen on the Crimean peninsula. It is difficult to say what the salinity of the Black Sea was in ppm several thousand years ago. This indicator was introduced relatively recently, when a consistent and targeted study of hydrological features began.

The most important geographical features affecting sea salinity

The narrow Bosporus and Dardanelles straits connect the Black Sea basin successively with the Marmara and Aegean Seas, leading to the Mediterranean, which, in turn, communicates with the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar. All of the listed parts of the MoD are navigable and are located in the eastern part of the Atlantic. Physiographical features that significantly or moderately affect the salinity of the Black Sea:

• location in the northern temperate and subtropical climate zones;
• a large catchment area that determines the flow of fresh water from rivers;
• weak connection with the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea;
• average depth 1240 m, maximum - 2210 m;
• absence of large tidal waves and low tides.

River flow

Many European rivers flow from west to east and from north to south. The largest natural channel of the Old World is the river. The Danube flows through 10 countries and brings huge amounts of fresh water to the Black Sea. Other large and medium-sized rivers in this basin: Dnieper, Don, Kuban, Bug, Rioni, Dniester.

Fresh river water mixes little with deeper and denser layers, so a significant part of the fresh runoff evaporates from the sea surface. But its volume is so large that it increases the level of the Black Sea water by 5 m relative to the average levels of the Atlantic Ocean. The temperature and salinity of the Black Sea, on the contrary, are lower than in neighboring parts of the Mediterranean Sea. This feature led to the birth of a current directed to the southwest, towards the Bosphorus Strait.

Water mineralization

By studying the salinity of the water of the Black Sea and other parts of the Moscow Region, researchers measure not only the total content of dissolved substances in various layers and parts of the water area, but also determine the elemental composition. In addition to H 2 O molecules, sea water contains gaseous substances, mineral and organic compounds in the form of ions, molecules and other particles. The main components of salts in the Black Sea: carbonates, sulfates, nitrates and chlorides of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium. The presence of these solutes is related to the composition of the rocks on land and the seabed. The salinity of the Black Sea is affected by various compounds coming from surface and underground runoff, precipitation. Chemical interactions occur between substances, which also affects performance.

Water is enriched not only with salts from dissolved minerals and rocks, but also with organic matter. A significant part of the surface of the Northern Black Sea region is composed of limestone, hence the high content of calcium, magnesium and sodium salts in the water. Basaltic rocks, when dissolved, increase the amount of silicon and iron. Substances contained in water increase its overall mineralization. It changes noticeably over the seasons, from the surface to the depths, from north to south, so reference books, textbooks and atlases may contain different indicators characterizing the salinity of the Black Sea. Most often, average values ​​obtained based on long-term data are given.

What is salinity?

Almost the entire periodic table is present in sea water. But salinity is considered only the amount of dissolved substances in grams, which are obtained in solid form after evaporation of 1 kg of sea water. For convenience, this indicator is expressed as a percentage and ppm.

To facilitate calculations, the content of all halogens is equal to the equivalent amount of molecular chlorine. There are other features, for example, heating is accompanied by the removal of dissolved gaseous substances. When the sediment is heated, the organic matter decomposes.

Salinity of the Black Sea in percent

To characterize the studied indicator as a percentage, you need to remember what the content of the dissolved substance in 100 g of solution is called. This is the mass fraction, its percentage value can be found by dividing the mass of the solute by the mass of the solution and multiplying by 100%. Let’s say that when 1000 ml of water is evaporated, a precipitate is obtained whose mass is 17 g. The mass fraction (%) of dissolved substances is 1.7%.

Salinity of the Black Sea in ppm

Determining experimentally the mass of dissolved salts in terms of 1 kg of Black Sea water gives different indicators - from 8 to 22 g. To determine salinity in ppm, we take the value mentioned most often in the literature about the Black Sea - 17 g. Percentage is one hundredth of , and ppm is one thousandth part. Divide 17 g by 1000 g and multiply by 1000 (‰). Thus, we find that the average salinity of the Black Sea is 17‰ (ppm). For comparison, we present the average values ​​for the World Ocean - 35‰. The salinity of the Red Sea is 42 ‰, the Kara Sea is 8 ‰. It turns out that the content of dissolved substances in Black Sea water almost 2.5 times lower than in the Red Sea.

A simple experiment to determine salinity

There is a way to find out on your own what mass of substances is contained in sea or fresh water. The experiment is simple and interesting, but to carry it out you will need heat-resistant dishes, a heater and a chemical balance. It is also necessary to take into account that the density of the saline solution is higher. Therefore, the mass of 1000 ml of sea water is greater than 1000 g. This means that without taking into account density, the calculations will be approximate.

To find out what the salinity of the Black Sea is, you will need 100-200 ml of sea water. The experience is as follows:

1. Measure the volume and heat the selected liquid in an evaporation cup to a boil.
2. When all the water has evaporated, a white residue will remain at the bottom of the dish.
3. You need to collect the sediment on a piece of paper and weigh it on a scale.
4. The result obtained is the total mass of all solutes in the sample.

How do salinity and water temperature indicators change?

The salinity of the Black Sea water in ancient times, as in subsequent centuries, was subject to fluctuations under the influence of climatic, meteorological factors, water regime in coastal regions and economic activity population. Water mineralization largely depends on the total flow of large and small rivers. During dry periods, the riverbeds become shallow, less fresh water flows into the sea, and the salt content increases.

The main patterns that have developed to date:

• the salinity of the surface layers of the Black Sea is 15-18‰, deep - 22.5-22.6‰;
• plumes of water of low salinity spread from the northwest along the coast to the south, from the southeast - along the coast of the Caucasus in a northerly direction;
• under the influence of river runoff, the salinity of the surface layer of the sea in the northwest can decrease to 10‰;
• salinity in the Bosphorus region increases with the rising water of the Sea of ​​Marmara;
• The surface temperature in summer is at Black Sea coasts 27-28 C°, in the central part of the water area - up to 22°C;
• the maximum salinity of surface waters—18.3‰—is located in the east of the central part of the water area, south of Crimea.
• the maximum salinity at a depth of 100 m is located south of Kerch Strait— over 20.6‰;
• from the surface to 150-200 m the temperature decreases and reaches about 9 °C;
• at a depth of 150 m there is practically no oxygen, hydrogen sulfide appears;
• In winter, the surface of the Black Sea cools greatly; in the northern part it can drop to sub-zero levels, but more often it remains at a level of 8-9 °C.

When freezing occurs, fluctuations in hydrological parameters are observed. Some areas of the water area are partially covered with ice; complete freeze-up rarely occurs. For example, chronicles have been preserved about how the Black Sea became covered with such strong ice that traders on sleighs and on foot could reach the Turkish coast.

In general, the conditions of this water area are favorable for the development of flora and fauna. However, scientists have noticed that a decrease in salinity leads to a decrease in the biodiversity of the Black Sea. The fact is that the inhabitants of the World Ocean and its parts do not tolerate salinity below 20‰. For the population of Crimea, desalination of slightly salted sea water in the water area near Sea of ​​Azov is a solution to the problem with drinking and industrial water.

Our planet is the owner of about 80 seas, which together make up a certain part of the World Ocean. All sea water is, to a greater or lesser extent, salty. Our top 10 saltiest seas in the world will tell you about those bodies of water whose waters have the maximum saturation with salts.

10 White Sea

9 Chukchi Sea

8 Laptev Sea

7 Sea of ​​Japan

6 Barents Sea

5 Ionian Sea

4 Aegean Sea

3 Mediterranean Sea

2 Red Sea

1 Dead Sea

Sea water covers two-thirds of our planet and has many unique properties. Main characteristics sea ​​water - its salinity, which differs in different parts of the planet: from 41–42 g/l in the saltiest sea to 7 g/l in the freshest. The average salinity of the World Ocean is 34.7 g/l. What is the saltiest sea in the world?

The Red Sea is the saltiest sea in the world

It is the Red Sea that is known as the saltiest sea on our planet. The density of salts in its water is 41 g/l, which is a third higher than the average salt content in the World Ocean. But this does not bother its many inhabitants. The rich flora and fauna of the Red Sea attract thousands of tourists, especially lovers of underwater tourism - diving.

By the way, if someone decides to argue with you about which sea is the saltiest - the Dead Sea, whose waters contain 270 g/l of salts, or the Red Sea, you can confidently answer that it is Red. The fact is that the Dead Sea, despite its name, is from a scientific point of view a lake, since its waters have no drainage.

In turn, the Red Sea is distinguished by the fact that it does not have a single river that flows into it. This is one of the reasons why the water in it is so salty. The climate here is very dry and hot. Water evaporates at a tremendous speed - up to 2 thousand mm per year, but the salt remains. Rains are not able to replenish this amount of evaporation: in total, less than 100 mm of precipitation falls here per year. For comparison: in the central and northern parts of Kazakhstan, 300 falls per year. – 500 mm of precipitation, in Turkey - 400 – 700 mm, in Ukraine - 600 – 800 mm, in Central Africa - 1800 – 3000 mm per year.

The Red Sea belongs to the Indian Ocean basin. It would probably have dried up long ago if not for the Gulf of Aden, which allows it to exchange waters with the ocean. Currents move in both directions and replenish water balance Red Sea for thousands of liters per year. On the other hand, it is connected to the Mediterranean Sea thanks to the Suez Canal. There is also a current here, although to an insignificant extent for the scale of the sea.

Sandwiched between the northeastern coast of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, the Red Sea stretches for more than 2 thousand km. However, even at its widest point it remains narrower than many rivers - only 360 m. In some places its depth reaches 2.2 km, although the average depth of the saltiest sea in the world is only 437 m.

Despite great length, the salinity of the waters of the Red Sea has almost the same characteristics over its entire area (which, by the way, is 450 thousand km2). This is due to the unique natural mechanism of water mixing. In winter, the cooling water sinks to the bottom, and the retaining heat rises to the top. In summer, the water on the surface becomes heavier due to evaporation and increased salinity, so this giant mixer works all year round.

Hot depressions, discovered by scientists no more than half a century ago, contribute to the mixing of water. Observations of the temperature and composition of the waters in these depressions suggest that they are heated by heat coming from the bowels of the Earth. So, average temperature water in the Red Sea stays at 20 throughout the year – 25 °C, and in the depressions - 30 – 60 °C, and increases by 0.3 annually – 0.7 °C.

Rivers carry with them not only water, but also sand, silt and debris, so the Red Sea, as the only body of water in the world without river flow, retains the incredible clarity of its waters. This turns it into one of the most picturesque places on the planet. Coral reefs, thousands of species of colorful fish, numerous algae, including those that give the sea its name - all this is worth seeing with your own eyes. It is important to note that about a third of the local inhabitants are endemic, which means they can only be found here.

The saltiest seas: list

The main contenders for the status of the saltiest seas in the world are:

Mediterranean Sea.

The second place in the list of the saltiest seas after the Red Sea is occupied by the Mediterranean Sea - 39.5 g/l. Although such salinity can only be felt far from the coast, it still significantly limits the development of small algae and zooplankton, increasing the transparency of sea waters. Like the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea is one of the most warm seas planets: even in winter the water temperature here does not drop below 10 – 12 °C, and in summer it warms up to 25 – 28°C.

Aegean Sea.

The next in salinity is the Aegean Sea, which washes the shores of Greece and Turkey, as well as the famous island of Crete. Here the water contains an average of 38.5 g/l of salts, which are high in sodium. Doctors recommend that you rinse off after swimming in this sea to avoid corroding the surface layers of the skin.

Ionian Sea.

Another Greek sea is only slightly behind in salinity - the Ionian Sea, whose water contains on average 38 g/l of salts. Here, the high alkali content also forces tourists to be more careful about their skin. But high density (highest for seawater) combined with high temperature water (26 – 28 °C in summer) maintains the attractiveness of these places.

Ligurian Sea.

Density saline solution The Ligurian Sea also has 38 g/l. This small sea with an area of ​​only 15 thousand km2 is located between the island of Corsica and the Tuscan coast. The many streams flowing into it from the Apennines could not add freshwater to it.

Barencevo sea.

The Barents Sea has a salinity of 35 g/l - the saltiest sea in Russia. It is located in the north of the European part of Russia and combines warm waters Atlantic Ocean and cold - Arctic Ocean.

Also in the top ten saltiest seas are the Sea of ​​Japan, known for its typhoons (37 – 38 g/l), Laptev Sea (34 g/l), Chukchi Sea (33 g/l) and White Sea (30 g/l).

Interestingly, the Aral Sea, located on the borders of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which, like the Dead Sea, is more of a lake than a sea, may soon catch up with it in terms of water salinity. This reservoir, which in the mid-twentieth century occupied the 4th largest area among the planet’s lakes, became so shallow that its area decreased almost 10 times - from 68.9 thousand km2 to 7.3 thousand km2 - in 2014. During the same time, water salinity increased 10 times and in 2007 reached 100 g/l.

Despite the diversity, the salinity of the waters in the World Ocean is much more stable - over the past 50 years, scientists have not been able to notice significant fluctuations. So, when your children and grandchildren begin to wonder which sea is the saltiest in the world, the answer will remain the same - Red. We wish you to someday experience the unique composition of its waters on your own skin and see with your own eyes the diversity of its underwater inhabitants.

The Earth can be confidently called a water planet, because the World Ocean surrounding the land covers 71% of its entire surface. , included in its composition, differ from each other in many ways. Including such a parameter as salinity, which means the amount of salts dissolved in one liter of water under certain conditions. The salinity of sea water is most often measured in “‰” (ppm). Now it won’t be difficult to find out which is the saltiest sea on Earth.

5. Ionian Sea - salinity exceeds 38 ‰

The Ionian Sea is the part of the Mediterranean that washes the shores of southern Italy and Greece. The bottom of the sea is covered with silt, and closer to the shores - with sand and small shell rock. Its area is 169 thousand km², maximum depth is 5,121 m. This is the most great depth throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Commercial fishing of mackerel, mullet, tuna, and flounder is carried out. Water Ionian Sea safe and very warm, even in February their temperature does not fall below 14°C, and at the peak of the holiday season, in August, reaches 25.5°C. Among its inhabitants are bottlenose dolphins, huge turtles, and octopuses. And very dangerous sea urchins and white sharks can hardly be found near the coast. Poisonous dragon fish, which can cause an allergic reaction in humans, are more active at night and burrow into the sand during the day.

4. Aegean Sea - salinity from 37 to 40.0 ‰

This semi-enclosed sea has about 20,000 islands and is located in the eastern Mediterranean. The total area is 179 thousand km². Through the straits it is connected to Mramorny, Cherny and Mediterranean seas. The salinity of its waters is increasing, which is associated with global warming. After swimming, it is recommended to rinse off the sea water, as this can negatively affect the condition of the skin and mucous membrane of the eyes. There is a fishing industry in the Aegean Sea; sponges are actively mined and octopuses are caught. Due to the fact that there is little plankton in this sea, fishing in its waters is gradually declining.

3. Ligurian Sea - salinity 38 ‰

This sea is located in the western part of the Mediterranean. The shores are steep and rocky, but there are sandy beaches. Many small rivers flow into the Ligurian Sea, which originate in the Apennines. On its shores there are such important ports as:

• Limpia, which is considered the sea gate of Nice.
• Cruise ports of Savona, La Spezia, with container and bulk terminals.
• Genoese port, ranking first in terms of trade volume in Italy.

Despite high salinity These waters, on the French-Italian coast of the Ligurian Sea, is located one of the most famous resort areas in the world - the Riviera.

2. Mediterranean Sea - salinity from 36 to 39.5 ‰

The Mediterranean Sea is a relic of the ancient Tethys Ocean. It is considered one of the largest seas in size, its area is 2.5 million km². Its basin includes the Sea of ​​Azov, Black and Marmara. The salinity of the sea fluctuates significantly, as water with a much lower salinity enters from the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar. The amount of zooplankton in the Mediterranean Sea is relatively small, and as a result there are few various types fish, as well as marine animals and mammals. But in large quantities algae are represented, especially peridinea and diatoms. The bottom fauna is very poor due to yellowish silt, which is not conducive to the development of life. There are 550 species of fish in the Mediterranean Sea, 70 of which are endemic. The most common species are: mackerel, sardine, horse mackerel, mullet, etc. There are also larger “inhabitants” - sharks, rays, tuna. Edible shellfish are common.

1. Red Sea - salinity 41 ‰

The saltiest of all, the Red Sea is located in a tectonic depression, the depth of which can reach 3 km. It is an inland sea of ​​the Indian Ocean. The hot climate, which provokes strong surface evaporation and low precipitation (about 100 mm per year), and the absence of rivers flowing into the sea, leads to a gradual increase in its salinity. Due to the absence of silt and sand, which are abundant in river water, the Red Sea is distinguished by its extraordinary transparency and cleanliness. The water temperature even in winter is +20 °C, and in summer it is much higher.

Despite its salinity, the waters of the Red Sea amaze with the huge number of different species of fish living in it. But ichthyologists believe that only 60% of fish capable of existing at great depths have been discovered. The sea is extremely beautiful, and it has many interesting and sometimes funny inhabitants, but touching them is strictly prohibited. Corals, sponges, jellyfish, and sea ​​urchins, moray eels and poisonous sea ​​snakes potentially extremely dangerous. Any contact with them can result in a burn, significant blood loss or severe allergic reaction, and sometimes fatal. In warm sea ​​waters There are 44 species of sharks. The most terrible of them is the tiger, which can easily attack a person.

Having examined them separately, it is now easy to conclude which is the saltiest sea. The saltiness of the very famous Dead Sea reaches 350 ‰, but in fact, despite the name, it is an endorheic lake that is gradually drying up.