Aegean Sea

The Aegean Sea is a regional sea of the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Turkey. The Greek mainland forms most of its western coast, while Anatolia forms the eastern coast. Greek Macedonia and Thrace lie along its northern shore. The European territory of Turkey occupies the northeastern coast. Crete forms most of the southern boundary, with Karpathos and Rhodes continuing eastward towards Anatolia.

The Aegean connects with the Sea of Marmara through the Dardanelles. The Sea of Marmara is connected to the Black Sea through the Bosporus, making the Aegean part of the principal maritime passage between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

Geography

The Aegean contains numerous islands that divide the sea into channels and smaller basins. The Cyclades occupy much of the central Aegean, while the Dodecanese extend across its southeastern part. The Sporades lie near the eastern coast of mainland Greece. The Saronic Islands are concentrated between Attica and the northeastern Peloponnese. The North Aegean Islands lie closer to the northern and eastern coasts. Euboea runs parallel to the eastern coast of mainland Greece, while Crete is the largest island on the southern boundary.

The western coast includes parts of Macedonia, Thessaly, Central Greece and Attica. The eastern Peloponnese also faces the Aegean. The Gallipoli Peninsula forms part of the northeastern coast, while the western shoreline of Anatolia forms the eastern side of the sea.

The Thermaic Gulf extends into the northwestern Aegean near Thessaloniki. The Pagasetic Gulf cuts into Thessaly, while the Euboean Gulf separates Euboea from mainland Greece. The Saronic Gulf lies between Attica and the Peloponnese. On the Anatolian coast, the gulfs of Edremit, İzmir and Kuşadası open westward into the sea.

Several rivers enter the northern Aegean. The Vardar River, known as the Axios in Greece, crosses North Macedonia and northern Greece before entering the sea west of Thessaloniki. The Struma and Mesta carry water from the central Balkans to the northern Greek coast. The Maritsa reaches the sea near the border between Greece and Turkey.

Marine environment

The seabed consists of deep basins separated by island ridges and shallower passages. Narrow channels between islands concentrate currents and influence navigation. Rocky shores occur around much of the island coastline, while beaches and wetlands have developed in sheltered coastal areas. Seagrass grows in shallow water where the seabed receives sufficient light.

The Aegean supports Mediterranean fish and shellfish. Dolphins occur throughout the sea, while seals use isolated coastal caves and rocky shores. Islands and coastal wetlands provide feeding or nesting areas for seabirds.

Fishing affects populations of commercially used marine species. Shipping creates noise and increases the risk of pollution in heavily travelled passages. Coastal construction has altered some shorelines, while tourism places seasonal pressure on beaches and island water supplies. Rising sea temperatures are also changing conditions within marine habitats.

History

The Aegean coast and islands supported some of the earliest urban and maritime societies in Europe. The Minoan civilization developed on Crete and used maritime routes across the southern Aegean. The Mycenaean civilization occupied parts of mainland Greece and established settlements on several islands. Sea routes allowed these communities to exchange goods and maintain contact across the basin.

Ancient Greek communities developed on both the European and Anatolian coasts. Athens used the sea to maintain trade and naval access from Attica. Miletus and Ephesus became coastal centres in Anatolia, while Rhodes occupied an important position near the southeastern approaches. Aegean routes carried merchants and military forces between these cities. The region later came under Macedonian authority before its incorporation into the Roman world.

The Aegean remained an important maritime region under the Byzantine Empire. Byzantine authority depended on ports and island routes that connected the Greek mainland with Anatolia. Venetian and Genoese forces later controlled individual ports or islands during periods of weakened Byzantine authority. The Ottoman Empire gradually took control of most of the surrounding coasts and islands.

Greek independence began a long territorial change around the sea during the nineteenth century. Ottoman authority receded from much of southeastern Europe, and most Aegean islands eventually became part of Greece. The eastern mainland coast remained part of Turkey. These changes established the modern division of the sea between the two countries.

Maritime use

The Aegean is used by commercial shipping travelling between the eastern Mediterranean and the Turkish Straits. Ships moving between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea cross the northeastern Aegean before entering the Dardanelles. Routes through the southern Aegean also connect the Balkans and western Anatolia with the eastern Mediterranean and the Suez Canal.

Piraeus provides the principal maritime connection between the Aegean islands and the Athens area. Thessaloniki serves the northern Aegean and the southern Balkans. Volos and Alexandroupoli operate on the Greek mainland coast, while İzmir and Çanakkale serve the Turkish coast.

Passenger ferries connect the Greek mainland with the islands. Other services operate between neighbouring island groups or connect islands with Crete. Fishing remains an established coastal activity, while naval vessels use the sea to reach ports and passages on both sides of the basin.

See also

• Mediterranean Sea
• Black Sea
• Dardanelles
• Sea of Marmara
• Greece
• Turkey
• Balkans
• Southern Europe