Which country has a non-salty sea. The most salty seas of our planet
There are about 73 seas on Earth. They are part of the oceans. All objects are divided into different classifications. One of the criteria is the salinity of the water. Depending on this indicator, objects are divided into strongly and weakly salted. The saltiest sea in the world has been established. It is the Red Sea. Several objects have a controversial status. They are not classified as seas, but according to a number of indicators they are salt lakes. This applies to the Dead and Aral Seas. The latter is almost completely dry.
In Russia, even water bodies that are part of the Arctic Ocean are characterized by a high content of sodium chloride. The territory of the Russian Federation is washed by one object in which the salt level exceeds similar indicators in other seas. It is located in the east of the country. This is the Sea of Japan. The salinity of its waters ranges from 33.7% to 34.3%. This value is lower than in the waters of the World Ocean. But in fact it is the most salty sea in Russia. This object is part of Pacific Ocean. It washes the territories of not only Russia, but also Japan, as well as two Koreas.
In the Russian Federation there are lakes in which the concentration of salts is regarded as very high. One of them is Bear. This salt lake is analogous Dead Sea in Russia. It is located on the territory of the Kurgan region. Bear is located in the interfluve of two reservoirs - Tobol and Ishim. The salt concentration in it reaches 360 g/l.
High rates of mineralization are also noted in lakes Elton and Baskunchak. The first is located in the Volgograd region, the second - in the Astrakhan region. In Elton, the average salt concentration is 279 g/l, and in some places 500 g/l. In Baskunchak - 300 g / l.
Top 10 saltiest seas in the world
The mineralization index in a separate object is determined based on the content of sodium chloride in a liter of water. Researchers continue to argue which is the saltiest sea in the world. A number of scientists classify some objects as lakes and do not consider them in a different status.
The list of the most salty seas in the world includes:
- dead;
- Red;
- Mediterranean;
- Aegean;
- Ionic;
- Japanese;
- Barents;
- Laptev;
- Chukchi;
- White.
Half of the objects from the list wash the shores of Russia. The status of first on the list continues to be disputed.
Dead Sea
This object is considered an endorheic lake in Israel, as well as Palestine and Jordan. Average level minerals in the waters of the facility is 265 ppm. This value allows us to consider it one of the most saline lakes in the world. At the same time, it is not too large in size: the length is 67 km, and the width is 18. The maximum depth is 306 meters. The generally recognized largest salt lake in the world is the Caspian.
Red sea
This object is located between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. He is part of indian ocean. Its area is 450 thousand km2. It has the status of the most salty on the planet.
The object is unique in that no rivers flow into it. There are 41 g of salts per liter of water. Even the open ocean contains only 34 grams of minerals. But the most saline lake in the world (Dead) significantly exceeds the Red Sea in the concentration of sodium chloride. In the first, the salt level is 260-350 ppm, in the second - 41.
mediterranean
Located between the African continent and Europe. Its area is 2.5 million km2. In some places, the depth exceeds 5 km. Included in the top 3 objects of the World Ocean in terms of salinity. Its value fluctuates in the range of 36-39.5%.
The Mediterranean Sea also has the status of the warmest. In the eastern part, it can warm up to 300C. Even in winter period in its northern part, the water temperature does not fall below 80C.
Video: The most salty sea in the world Red Sea
Aegean
It is semi closed. It washes Turkey and Greece. It is considered one of the most salty. The mineralization of its waters is 37-39 ppm. In places, the salt concentration reaches 40%. It is the oldest body of water on the planet. Its age exceeds 20 thousand years.
Ionian
It is part of the Mediterranean, located between the Balkans and the Apennines and the islands of Sicily and Crete. Salinity reaches 38 ppm. This allows it to enter the top 5 objects of the World Ocean in terms of mineralization.
Japanese Sea
It is considered the most salty in Russia. The content of sodium chloride in it reaches 34.3 ppm. The area exceeds 1 thousand km2. Most great importance the depth of the object is 3.7 km. In the north, the reservoir is covered with ice.
The object is part of the Arctic Ocean. They are washed by the coastal zones of Norway and the Russian Federation. The area in the southwest does not freeze due to the influence of the warm North Atlantic Current.
The salinity of the reservoir is uneven. Its highest values are noted in the southwestern part and amount to 35 ppm. Less mineralization is observed in the north - no higher than 33. The salinity of the object changes with the change of seasons. In summer, in the coastal zone, it does not exceed 32 ppm, and in winter it rises to 34.5.
Laptev
Washes the northern part of Siberia. Its area is 672 thousand km2. The highest salinity index of the object is in its northwestern zone. In winter, it reaches 34 ppm. In the south, salinity is much lower - no more than 25. In summer, the concentration of substances in sea water in the north drops to 32 ppm. In the south, it ranges from 5 to 10. High salinity is noted in the depths of the waters. There, its values \u200b\u200breach 33 ppm. The Laptev Sea is ranked among the most severe water bodies in terms of climate.
Chukchi
The object is also part of the Arctic Ocean. It is located between Alaska and the Chukchi Peninsula. Salinity of the reservoir winter months ranges from 31 to 33 ppm. In summer, its value decreases to 28-32. Mineralization increases at depth. The reservoir has a harsh climate.
White Sea
The object washes the northern part European territory Russia. Due to the significant inflow of water from the rivers, it has a relatively low salinity. Its value is 26 ppm. In deep waters, mineralization increases to 31.
Features of flora and fauna
The flora and fauna of the most salty seas of the world is diverse. The Dead Sea is almost completely lifeless. No fish, no animals, no plants live in it. Only higher mushrooms are adapted to high salinity.
The Red Sea is unique for its variety of corals. A large number of fish live there. There are also bottlenose dolphins, killer whales, green turtles, sharks and moray eels.
The flora of the Mediterranean Sea is not very diverse. Its waters are dominated by various types of algae. Animal world represented by crayfish, turtles, rays, octopuses, crabs, squids, jellyfish and spiny lobsters. There are over 540 species of fish.
The flora of the Aegean and Ionian Seas is identical to that of the Mediterranean. The fauna is diverse. The Aegean is rich in sponges, fish and octopuses, the Ionian is especially rich in mackerel, flounder and tuna.
The fauna and flora of the Sea of Japan is heterogeneous. In the north it is less diverse than in the south. Laminaria and sea anemones live there. The waters are rich in sea urchins and stars, scallops, shrimps. In May there are crabs.
Algae and plankton are common in the Barents Sea. There are also about 20 species of commercial fish. Previously introduced king crab and snow crab are found there. Of the mammals, seals, beluga whales, polar bears and seals are common. There are numerous bird markets on the coast.
The flora and fauna of the Laptev Sea do not differ in diversity. 39 types of fish live there. Sardines, flounder and polar cod are common. Mammals include seals, bearded seals, walruses and seals. Several dozen species of birds live here.
In the Chukchi Sea, flora is scarce due to the severity of the climate. Of the animals, polar bears and walruses with seals are common. There are whales. The fish world is rich in polar cod and grayling.
How is the salinity of water measured?
The base unit of this indicator is ppm. It refers to the amount of substances in the solid state, dissolved in a kilogram of sea water. Chemical analysis does not accurately measure the degree of mineralization of a liquid. Sea water is too complex in its composition. Its salinity is determined by the concentration of one of the elements of the composition, by electrical conductivity or refractive index. Based on these methods, the salinity rating of the seas is compiled.
Video: Dead Sea. Israel
Summing up
The Dead Sea is considered the most mineralized sea in the world. A number of researchers rank it among the lakes, which makes it possible to consider the Red Sea as the leader in the rating. In Russia, the most salty sea is the Sea of Japan. The lake with the highest mineralization index is Medvezhye.
Five seas from the top 10 rating are classified as northern water bodies. All of them wash the territory of the Russian Federation. The poorest in animal and flora is the Dead Sea. In other objects, a wide variety of fauna is noted. The richest in flora is the Red Sea.
There are about 80 seas on the planet. Some of them are so salty that it is almost impossible to drown in their water. Below are the top 10 such seas.
Our rating is opened by the White Sea, washing the borders Russian Federation. The salinity in this sea sometimes reaches about 30‰ (ppm), that is, there are 30 grams of salt per liter of water. Although the sea is salty, about 50 species of fish live in it.
Chukchi Sea (33‰)
Another "our" sea. The salinity of the Chukchi Sea is 33‰, which is what allows it, as well as the White and other seas, not to freeze in severe frosts (up to -1.8 degrees). The sea stretches between Chukotka and Alaska. Here you can meet many species of fish, as well as walruses and seals.
Laptev Sea (34‰)
Another sea washing our borders. The salinity of the Laptev Sea is slightly higher than that of the Chukchi Sea - 34‰. The reservoir stretches between Severnaya Zemlya and the New Siberian Islands. All year round the water in the sea rarely warms up above zero. There are such species of fish as sturgeon and perch, among animals - walruses.
Barents Sea (35‰)
The next sea is again slightly saltier than the previous one - 35‰. Officially, this sea is recognized as the most salty in Russia. Winter time the southwestern part of the reservoir freezes, the rest does not. The underwater world of the Barents Sea is incredibly rich - here you can meet not only whales and killer whales, but also a great many different types fish: from herring to perch.
Sea of Japan (35‰)
This sea is not inferior to the Barents Sea in salinity. Partially, the Sea of Japan washes the island of Sakhalin, as well as the islands of Japan and the coast of Eurasia. In the southern part, the sea warms up to 26 degrees Celsius, and therefore it can even be called a "resort". An incredible amount of living creatures lives in the Sea of Japan: seafood and fish simply cannot be counted here.
Ionian Sea (38‰)
One of the most picturesque and clean seas the world is also very salty. This sea is the densest and saltiest in Greece. In addition to the picturesque underwater world, the Ionian Sea boasts a temperature of summer time the water warms up to 26-28 degrees. The sea is very popular with tourists.
Aegean Sea (38.5‰)
Almost the same characteristics will apply to the Aegean Sea. Doctors advise to bathe fresh water after swimming in this sea, because such a high concentration of sodium can adversely affect the skin. Greece and the Balkans bathe in this sea. Lives in it a myriad of living creatures, including octopuses, sponges and fish.
Mediterranean Sea (39.5‰)
Spread between Europe and Africa, the Mediterranean Sea is very salty in places - 39.5‰. Near the coast, where tourists rest, such salinity is not observed, it is concentrated in other parts of the reservoir. The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most diverse in its animal world - 500 species of fish, hundreds of shellfish and a lot of seafood. And this is not the limit.
Red Sea (42‰)
Another border sea, but already between Africa and Asia. The Red Sea is one of the saltiest in the world, but this does not interfere with its inhabitants - stunning corals, various fish, dolphins, molluscs and crustaceans. The water in the sea is mixed all year round - in winter the upper layers cool down and sink to the bottom, while the warm ones rise up. By the way, the sea is incredibly transparent.
Dead Sea (270‰)
The absolute champion of our rating. Located on the border of Israel and Jordan Dead the sea is amazed by its salinity - about 200 grams of salt per 1 liter of water (270‰). This is the sea in its own way chemical composition cardinally differs from all others on Earth: 50% of it consists of magnesium chloride, and it also contains a lot of calcium, bromine, potassium and other mineral elements.
potassium salts from waters of the dead the seas crystallize artificially, and the density of the reservoir is so great that it is simply impossible to drown in it. Among other things, there are therapeutic muds in the sea. Sometimes the water in the sea heats up to 40 degrees, which accelerates evaporation. And most importantly, there is no underwater world in the Dead Sea; with such salinity, it will not work to live in it. That is why it is dead.
1st place.
Dead Sea. In fact, this body of water can be called a lake, because it does not communicate with any other seas or with the ocean. Nevertheless, everyone is accustomed to calling it the sea. Well, so be it. The Dead Sea has an incredible salinity of 33.7%. That is, every 100 g of water contains 33.7 g of salt.
Thanks to this incredible ratio, it is impossible to drown in this sea, because the body always strives to rise to the surface. The Jordan River and several small streams flow into it, but this inflow of water is clearly not enough to maintain the level of the reservoir. By the way, every year its level falls by 100 cm, which in the future is fraught with an environmental disaster.
2nd place. 
Red sea. The percentage of salt in water is about 8 times less than that of the leader - 4.3%. It is noteworthy that rivers do not flow into this reservoir, therefore, silt and sand do not enter the sea from the outside, which means that its water is clean and transparent. Why is salinity high? Because there is little rainfall in this area, and clean water comes only from the Gulf of Aden.
Plus, incredible evaporation. The Red Sea daily loses up to 1 cm of its level, and the amount of salt does not seriously change, on the contrary, its concentration increases slightly. Poor water exchange is the true cause of high salinity.
3rd place.
Mediterranean Sea. 
Washes the shores of Africa, Asia and Europe. Therefore, he was called that. It has a salinity of 3.9%. Several run into the sea major rivers. Water circulation occurs under the influence of wind and due to the transfer of water by the Canary Current. The salinity of the reservoir regularly increases due to strong evaporation, and the density of the water varies significantly, depending on the season.
4th place. 
Caribbean sea. In addition to being the most “pirate” sea, it also ranks fourth in the “salinity hit parade”. This figure is 3.5%. And in terms of its hydrological composition, this reservoir is quite homogeneous. That is, there are no sharp fluctuations in temperature indicators and in the degree of salinity of its individual sections.
Several large rivers flow into the Caribbean Sea. The tropical climate makes this sea basin attractive for tourists. It should only be taken into account that hurricanes very often rage in the northern part of the reservoir, causing a lot of inconvenience to residents of coastal settlements.
5th place. 
Barencevo sea. Located on the edge of the Arctic Ocean. It has a salinity of 3.5%. In ancient times, it had many names, because each nation called this reservoir in its own way. Only in 1853 the sea received its final name - the Barents Sea, in honor of the navigator from Holland V. Barents.
Naturally, in the middle of the sea, its salinity is higher than at the outskirts. This is explained by the fact that it is washed by slightly saline seas: Norwegian, White and Kara. And in the north, the icy ocean pretty much dilutes the concentration of sea water, because it does not shine with special salinity in itself, which is explained by the regular melting of ice.
6th place.
North Sea. Its salinity has different values, on average, this value is 35%. The fact is that the North Sea in the east borders on the slightly salty Baltic, and the rivers Thames, Elbe, Rhine and others also have an impact on this indicator. It washes the shores of many European countries, where the largest ports are located - London, Hamburg, Amsterdam, etc.
7th place. 
Japanese Sea. The salinity index is 3.4%. In the northern and western parts of the reservoir it is much colder than in the southeast. The Sea of Japan is not touristic. It is rather of industrial importance for some countries. He loves to scare sailors with typhoons, especially in autumn.
8th place. 
Sea of Okhotsk. It has a salinity of 3.2%. In winter, it freezes in the northern part, despite the increased salinity of the water, which, by the way, is much lower in coastal areas.
9th place. 
Black Sea. The salinity of this reservoir varies greatly. For example, in the lower layer this figure is 2.3%, and in the upper layer, where there is increased water circulation, the salinity is 1.8%. It is noteworthy that at a depth of 150 m there is no longer any life. This is due to the high content of hydrogen sulfide in the water.
10th place. 
Sea of Azov. The average salinity of the sea is 1.1%. In the 20th century, many rivers that feed this reservoir with water were blocked by dams, therefore, the flow of water and its circulation decreased significantly. It is noteworthy that this is the shallowest sea in the world, its maximum depth does not reach up to 14 m. It has a tendency to freeze in its northern part.
When schoolchildren ask the question which sea is the saltiest, many adults answer without hesitation: “Red”. The answer, unfortunately, is not entirely correct.
The Red Sea is really very salty. located in a tectonic
The basin between Africa and Africa washes the shores of several countries at once: Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, several others. Not a single river flows into it, almost no precipitation falls over it (100 mm annually can be ignored). But evaporation exceeds 2000 mm per year. This imbalance causes increased formation in the Red Sea, which is considered the most salty in the entire world ocean. There are 41 milligrams of salt in every liter of water. The water is so salty that ships that sank many years ago still lie at the bottom, indestructible: salt does not allow harmful microorganisms to develop. Science officially confirms: the Red Sea is the saltiest sea in the world.
But, some will argue, the water in the Dead Sea is much saltier. It is known that the amount of salt in each liter of this reservoir ranges from 200 to 275 milligrams per liter of water. It turns out that it is the Dead Sea - the most salty sea on the planet. After all, everyone knows: the water in it is so “thick” that it is even impossible to dive. And because of the salinity of the water, bathing is allowed only where there is a flow (showers): salt that gets into the eyes can cause burns of the mucous membrane and blindness.
This is also correct.
But... officially the Dead Sea... not a sea at all! This is a large, very salty, incredibly beautiful lake with powerful healing powers! Its length is less than 70 km, and its width does not exceed 18 km at all.
Only the Jordan River flows into the lake, which is called the Dead Sea. Gradually evaporating, the water recedes farther and farther from the line of the original coast. If this continues, scientists believe, in a few centuries only salt deposits will remain from this reservoir.
So let's sum it up. The most salty sea on Earth is the Red Sea. This official information is registered in all scientific reference books. The Dead Sea, despite the fact that its waters contain much more salt, is not even the saltiest lake on the planet. It is ahead of Lake Assal, located in Djibouti. Its salinity is 35%, while its "rival" has only 27%.
The most salty sea in the territory of the Russian Federation is the Sea of Japan. Salinity is unevenly distributed in it. Thus, in Peter the Great Bay it reaches 32%, while in other places it decreases somewhat.
There is in Russia and the most This lake Baskunchak. The salinity of its water is 37% (and in some places - 90%).
In fact, the lake is a large depression at the very top of the salt mountain, which goes several hundred meters underground with “roots”. Lake Baskunchak also has resorts, but it is known to others: it is the world's largest mining site for the purest salt.
The lion's share of the lake's surface is a salt crust on which you can walk. It is difficult to swim here: the “thick” water does not allow you to dive into it, leaving a noticeable salt mark on your skin. However, it is believed that dosed bathing in the lake is as beneficial as in the Dead Sea.
The Earth can be safely called a water planet, because the World Ocean surrounding the land covers 71% of its entire surface. , which are included in its composition, differ from each other in many respects. 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 will not be difficult to find out which is the saltiest sea on Earth.
5. Ionian Sea - salinity exceeds 38‰
The Ionian Sea is a part of the Mediterranean, which washes the shores of southern Italy and Greece. The bottom of the sea is covered with silt, and closer to the coast - with sand and small shell rock. Its area is 169 thousand km², the maximum depth is 5,121 m. This is the greatest depth in the entire Mediterranean Sea. There is an industrial catch of mackerel, mullet, tuna, flounder. The waters of the Ionian Sea are safe and very warm, even in February their temperature does not drop below 14°C, and at the peak holiday season, in August, reaches 25.5°C. Among its inhabitants can be called bottlenose dolphins, huge turtles, octopuses. And very dangerous sea urchins and white sharks can hardly be found near the coast. Poisonous dragon fish that 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 part of the Mediterranean. total area- 179 thousand km². Through the straits it is connected with Marble, Black and mediterranean seas. The salinity of its waters is increasing, which is associated with general warming. After bathing, it is recommended to wash off the sea water, as this can adversely affect the condition of the skin and mucous membranes of the eyes. There is fishing in the Aegean Sea, sponges are actively mined, 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:
- Lympia, which is considered the sea gate of Nice.
- Cruise ports of Savona, La Spezia with container and bulk terminals.
- The Genoese port, which ranks first in terms of trade volume in Italy.
Despite high salinity these waters, on the French-Italian coast of the Ligurian Sea is 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 Azov, Black and Marmara seas. The salinity of the sea fluctuates significantly, as water comes from the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar, the salinity of which is much lower. The amount of zooplankton in the Mediterranean Sea is relatively small, as a result, there are few and various kinds fish, as well as marine animals and mammals. But in in large numbers algae are represented, especially peridinea and diatoms. The benthic fauna is very poor because of the yellowish silt, which is not conducive to the development of life. There are 550 fish species in the Mediterranean Sea, 70 of which are endemic. More often than others, there 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 basin, the depth of which can reach up to 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), 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 extraordinary transparency and purity. 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 a huge number of different species of fish living in it. But ichthyologists believe that only 60% of fish that can exist at great depths have been discovered. The sea is unusually beautiful, and there are many interesting and sometimes funny inhabitants in it, but it is strictly forbidden to touch them. Corals, sponges, jellyfish, and sea urchins, moray eels and poisonous sea snakes are potentially extremely dangerous. Any contact with them can result in a burn, significant blood loss, or a pronounced allergic reaction and sometimes fatal. In warm sea waters 44 species of sharks live. The most terrible of them is the tiger, which can easily attack a person.
Having considered separately, it is now easy to conclude which is the most salty sea. The salinity of the very famous Dead Sea reaches 350 ‰, but in fact, despite the name, it is an endorheic lake that gradually dries up.
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