North Sea
Location	Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates	56°N 3°E / 56, 3
Primary sources	Forth, Ythan, Elbe, Weser, Ems, Rhine/Waal, Meuse, Scheldt, Spey, Tay, Thames, Humber, Tees, Wear, Tyne
Basin countries	Norway, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France and the U.K. (England, Scotland)
Max length	600 mi (970 km)[1]
Max width	350 mi (560 km)
Surface area	222,000 mi2 (575,000 km2)[2]
Average depth	308 ft (94 m)[3]
Max depth	c.2,165 ft/660 m[2]
Water volume	94 000 km

The North Sea is a marginal, epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European continental shelf. It is more than 600 miles long and 350 miles wide, with an area of around 222,000 square miles. A large part of the European drainage basin empties into the North Sea including water from the Baltic Sea. The North Sea connects with the rest of the Atlantic through the Dover Strait and the English Channel in the south and through the Norwegian Sea in the north. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 458 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1300 × 1700 pixel, file size: 1. ... The River Forth meanders over fertile farmlands near Stirling The River Forth, 47 km (29 miles) long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland. ... Mid to upper reach of the Ythan Estuary The Ythan Estuary (57 20 30 N, 01 57 30 W) is the tidal component of the Ythan River, emptying into the North Sea approximately 19 kilometers north of Aberdeen, Scotland. ... This article is about a river in Central Europe. ... Weser watershed The Weser is a river of north-western Germany. ... // For the river in Hampshire, see River Ems. ... For other uses, see Rhine (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Waal. ... The Meuse (Maas) at Maastricht Meuse near Grave The Meuse (Dutch & German Maas) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea. ... The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French Escaut) is a 350 km[1] long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands. ... The River Spey is a river in Scotland that runs 107 miles (172 km) to the Moray Firth at Spey Bay, making it the second longest river in Scotland. ... The River Tay looking eastwards from Perth The River Tay, in terms of flow (193 kilometres or 120 miles), is the longest river in Scotland. ... Several places exist with the name Thames, and the word is also used as part of several brand and company names Most famous is the River Thames in England, on which the city of London stands Other Thames Rivers There is a Thames River in Canada There is a Thames... River Hull tidal barrier. ... The Tees is a river in Northern England. ... The River Wear (pronounced Wee-er) is a river in the North East of England. ... The Tyne looking west and upstream from the Newcastle bank towards the Gateshead Millennium Bridge The Tyne Bridge across the River Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead. ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... “UK” redirects here. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ... A marginal sea is a part of ocean partially enclosed by land such as islands, archipelagos, or peninsulas. ... An epeiric sea--also known as an epicontinental sea--is a large but shallow body of salt water that lies over a part of a continent. ...  Sediment  Rock  Mantle  The global continental shelf, highlighted in cyan The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain, which is covered during interglacial periods such as the current epoch by relatively shallow seas (known as shelf seas) and gulfs. ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... For other uses, see Baltic (disambiguation). ... The Strait of Dover (Fr. ... For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ... The Norwegian Sea (Norwegian: Norskehavet) is part of the North Atlantic Ocean northwest of Norway, located between the North Sea (i. ...

The North Sea averages about 100 m (325 ft) deep, with a maximum depth of 700 m (2300 ft) and in some areas shallows can be a mere 15 m deep. The North Sea lies above what used to be the triple junction between three continental tectonic plates in the early Paleozoic Era. Movement on the faults associated with these tectonic phenomena can still cause earthquakes and small tsunamis. The sea's coastal features are the result of glacial movements rather than tectonics. Deep fjords and sheer cliffs mark the coastline of the northern part of the North Sea, whereas the southern coasts consist of sandy beaches and mudflats. These flatter areas are particularly susceptible to flooding, especially as a result of storm tides. Elaborate systems of dikes have been constructed to protect coastal areas. The Paleozoic Era (from the Greek palaio, old and zoion, animals, meaning ancient life) is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. ... There are various types of faults: In document ISO/CD 10303-226, a fault is defined as an abnormal condition or defect at the component, equipment, or sub-system level which may lead to a failure. ... This article is about the natural seismic phenomenon. ... For other uses, see Tsunami (disambiguation). ... This article is about the geological formation. ... The tectonic plates of the world were mapped in the second half of the 20th century. ... Fjord in Sunnmøre, Norway Geirangerfjord, Norway A fjord (or fiord) is a long, narrow estuary with steep sides, made when a glacial valley is filled by rising sea water levels. ... Mudflats in Brewster, Massachusetts extending hundreds of yards offshore at the low tide. ... A storm tide is a tide with a high flood period caused by a storm. ... Afsluitdijk, a 32 km dike in the Netherlands. ...

The development of European civilization has been heavily affected by the maritime traffic on the North Sea. The Romans and the Vikings sought to extend their territory across the sea. Both the Hanseatic League and the Netherlands sought to dominate commerce on the North Sea and through it to access the markets of the world. Britain's development as a sea power depended heavily upon its dominance in the North Sea, where some of its rivals sought power, first the Netherlands and finally Germany and to a lesser extent Russia and the Scandinavian nations. Commercial enterprises, growing populations, and limited resources gave the nations on the North Sea the desire to control or access the North Sea for their own commercial, military, and colonial ends. For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Viking (disambiguation). ... Carta marina of the Baltic Sea region (1539). ...

Its importance has turned from the military to the economic. Traditional economic activities, such as fishing and shipping, have continued to grow and other resources, such as fossil fuels and wind energy, have been discovered and developed.

Naming

The name of the North Sea originates from its relationship to the land of the Frisians. Frisia lies directly to the south of the North Sea, to the west of the East Sea (Oostzee, the Baltic Sea), to the north of the former South Sea (Zuiderzee, today's IJsselmeer) and the today reclaimed Middle Sea (Middelzee). The name “North Sea” is attested in Middle High German and probably harks back to the name given by the Frisians, who settled on its south coast. Even the early Spanish name was Mar del Norte.^[4] Satellite view of the German Bight (the Frisian Coast). ... For other uses, see Baltic (disambiguation). ... Landsat photo The Zuider Zee (Dutch: Zuiderzee, pronounced ZIGH-der-zee) was a former shallow inlet of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands, extending about 100 km inland and at most 50 km wide, with an overall depth of about 4 to 5 meters and a coastline... Traditional boat on the IJsselmeer Landsat photo The IJsselmeer (or Lake IJssel) is a shallow lake of some 1250 km² in the central Netherlands bordering the provinces of Flevoland, North Holland and Friesland, with an average depth of 5 to 6 m. ... The Middelzee, (Middle sea, Frisian: Middelsee) also called Bordine was the mouth of the river Boorn (Frisian: Boarn) where the tides ran free. ...

From the point of view of the German Hanseatic towns of the Middle Ages, the sea to the east was the “East Sea” (Baltic Sea in German is literally the Ostsee), and the sea to the north, the North Sea. The spread of maps used by Hanseatic merchants popularized this name throughout Europe. Other common names in use for long periods were Mare Frisia, and Mare Frisicum, Oceanum- or Mare Germanicum as well as their English equivalents, Frisian Sea and German Ocean or Sea. Carta marina of the Baltic Sea region (1539). ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

"German Sea" or "Germanic Sea"^[5] (from the Latin Mare Germanicum) was commonly used in English and other languages along with "North Sea", until the early eighteenth century. By the late nineteenth century, both "German-" and "Germanic Sea" were rare, scholarly usages. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Location

The North Sea

For the most part, the sea lies on the European continental shelf. The only exception is a narrow area of the northern North Sea off Norway. The North Sea is bounded by Great Britain to the west and the northern and central European mainland to the east and south, including Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Map of North Sea, from the US Department of Energy: http://eia. ... Map of North Sea, from the US Department of Energy: http://eia. ...  Sediment  Rock  Mantle  The global continental shelf, highlighted in cyan The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain, which is covered during interglacial periods such as the current epoch by relatively shallow seas (known as shelf seas) and gulfs. ...

In the south-west, the North Sea becomes the English Channel beyond the Straits of Dover. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat. In the north, it opens in a widening funnel shape to the Norwegian Sea, which lies in the very north-eastern part of the Atlantic. For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ... The Strait of Dover (Fr. ... For other uses, see Baltic (disambiguation). ... The Skagerrak strait runs between Norway and the southwest coast of Sweden and the Jutland peninsula of Denmark, connecting the North Sea and the Kattegat strait, which leads to the Baltic Sea. ... The Baltic Sea The Kattegat (Danish), or Kattegatt (Swedish), is a bay of the North Sea and a continuation of the Skagerrak, bounded by Denmark and Sweden. ... The Norwegian Sea (Norwegian: Norskehavet) is part of the North Atlantic Ocean northwest of Norway, located between the North Sea (i. ... The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one_fifth of its surface. ...

Apart from the obvious boundaries formed by the coasts of the countries which border it, the North Sea is generally considered to be bounded by an imaginary line from Lindesnes, Norway to Hanstholm, Denmark running towards the Skagerrak. However, for statistical purposes, the Skagerrak and the Kattegat are sometimes included as part of the North Sea.^[6] The northern limit is less well-defined. Traditionally, an imaginary line is taken to run from northern Scotland, by way of Shetland, to Ålesund in Norway. According to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic^[7]of 1962 it runs further to the west and north from longitude 5° West and latitude 62° North, at the latitude of Geirangerfjord in Norway. Missing image Image:Lindesnes kart. ... Hanstholm is the name used for a small elevated area in Hanstholm municipality of Viborg County, located in the northern part of Denmark. ... This article is about the country. ... For other uses, see Shetland (disambiguation). ... County Møre og Romsdal District Sunnmøre Municipality NO-1504 Administrative centre Ã…lesund Mayor (2003) Arve Tonning (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 388 98 km² 93 km² 0. ... The official logo of the OSPAR Convention The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic or OSPAR Convention is the current legislative instrument regulating international cooperation on environmental protection in the North-East Atlantic. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Geirangerfjord (Geirangerfjorden) is a fjord in the region Sunnmøre which is located southernmost in the county Møre og Romsdal in Norway. ...

The surface area of the North Sea is approx. 575,000 square kilometers (222,000 sq mi)^[3] with a volume of around 54,000 cubic kilometers (13,000 cu mi).^[2] This places the North Sea at the 13th largest sea.^[8] Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... The cubic metre (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ...

Geology

Geological history

North Sea cliff

The bed of the North Sea forms two basins. The main northern one lies to the north of a ridge between Norfolk and Frisia, and had its origin in the Devonian. The southern basin, if not flooded, would drain towards the Strait of Dover and thence to the English Channel. This basin dates from the Carboniferous.^[9] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 904 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Vendsyssel © 2004 by Tomasz Sienicki [user: tsca, mail: tomasz. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 904 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Vendsyssel © 2004 by Tomasz Sienicki [user: tsca, mail: tomasz. ... The seabed (also sea floor, seafloor, or ocean floor) is the bottom of the ocean. ... The term sedimentary basin is used to refer to any geographical feature exhibiting subsidence and consequent infilling by sedimentation. ... This article is about the use of the term in geography and physical geology. ... Norfolk (IPA: //) is a low-lying county in East Anglia in the east of southern England. ... Satellite view of the German Bight (the Frisian Coast). ... For the Celtic language, see Southwestern Brythonic language; for the residents of the English county, see Devon. ... Satellite image of the Strait of Dover The Strait of Dover (French: Pas de Calais, i. ... For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ... President Bush- Deres gold in dem dere mines The Carboniferous is a major division of the geologic timescale that extends from the end of the Devonian period, about 359. ...

During the most recent glaciation, the Devensian much of the northern basin was covered by the ice sheet, and the remainder, including the southern basin, was tundra. However, during the Cromerian interglacial, there was a natural dam of chalk, the Weald-Artois Anticline."^[10] Although the ridge probably collapsed during the Kansan glaciation it still formed the highest part of the land bridge between continental Europe and Great Britain.^[11] The Wisconsin (in North America), Weichsel (in Scandinavia), Devensian (in the British Isles), Midlandian (in Ireland) and Würm glaciation (in the Alps) are the most recent glaciations of the Pleistocene epoch, which ended around 10,000 BCE. The general glacial advance began about 70,000 BCE, and reached its... An ice sheet is a mass of glacier ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than 50,000 km² (19,305 mile²).[1] The only current ice sheets are in Antarctica and Greenland; during the last ice age at Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) the Laurentide ice sheet covered much... For other uses, see Tundra (disambiguation). ... The Cromerian interglacial is a name for an interglacial period which occurred between 700,000 and 450,000 years ago. ... The Needles, situated on the Isle Of Wight, are part of the extensive Southern England Chalk Formation. ... The Weald-Artois Anticline was a chalk ridge running between what are now the regions of the Weald in southern England and Artois in western France, roughly between the towns of Dover and Calais. ... The Kansan Glaciation (known in UK as the Anglian Glaciation and sometimes referred to as the Illinoian Glaciation, Elster glaciation in northern Europe and the Mindel glaciation in the Alps) was a very severe glacial period in the Pleistocene. ...

The Storegga Slides were a series of underwater landslides, in which a piece of the Norwegian continental shelf slid into the Norwegian Sea. The immense landslips occurred between 8150 BC and 6000 BC, and caused a tsunami up to 20 m (65 ft) high that swept through the North Sea, having the greatest effect on Scotland and the Faeroe Islands.^[12][13] The three Storegga Slides count among the largest recorded landslides. ...

Plate tectonics

The North Sea lies over the triple suture of what use to be three separate continents in the Paleozoic

The North Sea lies above what used to be the triple junction between three continental tectonic plates in the early Paleozoic Era. Later, in the Mesozoic Era, a North-South trending rift valley or graben formed down the middle of the North Sea. Fault lines along the English Channel cause occasional earthquakes, which can result in damage to structures on land. The axial grabens of the North Sea also form a tectonically active area. Northwestern Europe's continental slope is subject to landslides from earthquakes.^[14] Although not a site of major earthquakes or tsunamis, there are intraplate earthquakes which result in the uplifting of the continental crust^[15] causing landslides.^[12] The Dover Straits earthquake of 1580 is among the first recorded in the North Sea and caused extensive damage in both France and England both through its tremors and a tsunami. The largest earthquake ever recorded in the United Kingdom was the 1931 Dogger Bank earthquake, which measured 6.1 on the Richter Scale and caused a tsunami that flooded parts of the British coast. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... A triple junction is the point where three tectonic plates diverge. ... The Paleozoic Era (from the Greek palaio, old and zoion, animals, meaning ancient life) is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. ... The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. ... African Rift Valley. ... USGS image A graben is a depressed block of land bordered by parallel faults. ... For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ... This article is about geological phenomenon. ... This article is about the natural seismic phenomenon. ... Though severe earthquakes in the north of France and southern England are rare,[1] the Dover Straits earthquake of 6 April 1580 appears to have been the largest in the recorded history of England, Flanders or northern France. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Tsunami (disambiguation). ... Location of the Dogger Bank The Dogger Bank earthquake of 1931 is the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the United Kingdom since measurements began, and measured 6. ... The Richter magnitude test scale (or more correctly local magnitude ML scale) assigns a single number to quantify the size of an earthquake. ...

The North Sea is located at a triple junction of three continental plates formed during the Palaeozoic: Avalonia, Laurentia and Baltica.^[16] Baltica is now the eastern coastline and the Scandinavian countries; Avalonia consists of the southern and western North Sea coast along England, northern Germany and France; and Laurentia marks the northern perimeter of the North Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. The Palaeozoic is a major division of the geologic timescale, one of four geologic eras. ... Avalonia was a paleomicrocontinent also known as a Terrane. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Baltica (green) Baltica is a Late Proterozoic-Early Palaeozoic continent that now includes the East European craton of northwestern Eurasia. ... For other uses, see Scandinavia (disambiguation). ...

Geological features

The Dogger Bank

The Norwegian trench reaches from the Stad peninsula in Sogn og Fjordane to the Oslofjord. The trench is between 50 and 95 km (30-60 mi) wide and hundreds of meters deep. Off the Rogaland coast, it is 250 - 300 m (820-980 ft) deep, and at its deepest point, off Arendal, it reaches 700 m (2300 ft) deep as compared to the average depth of the North Sea, about 100 m (325 ft). The trench is not a subduction-related oceanic trench. It is mainly a deep erosional scour, while the Western part follows the North-South line of an old Rift Valley formed during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, also known as the Viking Graben. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1300x1700, 372 KB) Location of the Dogger bank. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1300x1700, 372 KB) Location of the Dogger bank. ... Map of the North Sea with Norwegian trench The Norwegian trench (Norwegian: Norskerenna Danish: Norskerenden) is an oceanic trench off the southern coast of Norway. ... Stad (Stadt, Statt or Stadlandet) (the d is pronounced t) is a peninsula in the Norwegian municipality of Selje. ... County NO-14 Region Vestlandet Administrative centre Leikanger County mayor Nils R. Sandal Area  - Total  - Percentage Ranked 8 18,623 km² 5. ... The Oslofjord (Oslofjorden) is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from Færder in the south to Oslo at the head. ... Rogaland is a county in Norway, bordering Hordaland, Telemark, Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. ... County Aust-Agder District Sørlandet Municipality NO-0906 Administrative centre Arendal Mayor (2004) Torill Rolstad Larsen (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 289 270 km² 255 km² 0. ... Geometry of a subduction zone - insets to show accretionary prism and partial melting of hydrated asthenosphere. ... The oceanic trenches are hemispheric-scale long but narrow topographic depressions of the sea floor. ... For morphological image processing operations, see Erosion (morphology). ... African Rift Valley. ... The Jurassic Period is a major unit of the geologic timescale that extends from about 199. ... // The Cretaceous Period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic Period (i. ...

To the East of Great Britain, the vast morainic plate of the Dogger Bank rises up to 15 to 30 m deep.^[17] This article is about geological phenomena. ... Location of the Dogger Bank Dogger Bank (from dogge, an old Dutch word for fishing boat) is a large sandbank in a shallow area of the North Sea about 100 km off the coast of the United Kingdom. ...

The Silver Pit is a valley-like depression 45 km (27 mi) east of Spurn Head in England that has been recognized for hundreds of years by fishermen. Nearby is the Silverpit crater, a controversial structure, which may be a geological structure or may be an impact crater. The Silver Pit is a long valley in the bed of the North Sea, 45 km = 27 miles east of Spurn Head in England. ... Spurn Head is a sand spit at the mouth of the Humber, England. ... Approximate location of the Silverpit crater The Silverpit crater is a sub-sea structure under the North Sea off the coast of the United Kingdom. ... Tycho crater on Earths moon. ...

"The Long Forties" denotes an area of the northern North Sea that is fairly consistently forty fathoms (73 m) deep (thus, on a nautical chart with depth shown in fathoms, a long area with many "40" notations). It is located between the northeast coast of Scotland and the southwest coast of Norway, centered about 57°N 0°30′E. The Long Forties is an area of the northern North Sea that is fairly consistently forty fathoms (73 meters) deep (thus, on a nautical map showing depth, a long area with many 40 notations). ... A fathom is the name of a unit of length in the Imperial system (and the derived U.S. customary units). ... A 1976 United States NOAA chart of part of Puerto Rico A nautical chart is a graphic representation of a maritime area and adjacent coastal regions. ...

The Broad Fourteens are an area of the southern North Sea that is fairly consistently fourteen fathoms (26 m) deep (thus a broad area with many "14" notations). It is located off the coast of the Netherlands and south of the Dogger Bank, roughly between longitude 3°E and 4°30′E and latitude 52°30′N and 53°30′N. The Broad Fourteens is an area of the southern North Sea that is fairly consistently fourteen fathoms (26 meters) deep (thus, on a nautical map showing depth, a broad area with many 14 notations). ...

Around the edges of the North Sea are a number of sizable islands and archipelagos, including the Shetland, Orkney, and Frisian islands. The Mergui Archipelago The Archipelago Sea, situated between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands. ... For other uses, see Shetland (disambiguation). ... Location Geography Area Ranked 16th  - Total 990 km²  - % Water  ? Admin HQ Kirkwall ISO 3166-2 GB-ORK ONS code 00RA Demographics Population Ranked 32nd  - Total (2006) 19,800  - Density 20 / km² Scottish Gaelic  - Total () {{{Scottish council Gaelic Speakers}}} Politics Orkney Islands Council http://www. ... Frisian Islands (without the islands in the german district Dithmarschen and in Denmark) The Frisian Islands form an archipelago in northwestern Europe that spreads across the coasts of three countries, from west to east, The Netherlands and Germany. ...

See more: List of the largest islands of the North Sea

This is a list of the 50 largest islands in the North Sea. ...

Hydrology

Basic data

The salinity of the water is dependent on place and time of year but is generally in the range of 15 to 25 parts per thousand (ppt) around river mouths and up to 32 to 35 ppt in the northern North Sea,^[8] still generally lower than North Atlantic salinity, which averages around 35 ppt. Annual mean sea surface salinity for the World Ocean. ... The parts-per notations are used to denote low concentrations of chemical elements. ...

The water temperature varies depending on the influence of the Atlantic currents, water depth, and time of year, reaching 21 °C (77 °F) in summer and 6 °C (50 °F) in winter, though Arctic currents can be colder. The eastern side is both the warmest in summer and the coldest in winter. In the deeper northern North Sea, the water remains a nearly constant 10 °C (50 °F) year round because of water exchange with the Atlantic. The greatest temperature variations are found on the very shallow Wadden Sea coast, where ice can form in very cold winters.^[8]

The exchange of salt water between the North Sea and Atlantic occurs through the English Channel, as well as in the northern North Sea along the Scottish coast and through the Norwegian Sea. The North Sea receives fresh water not only from inflow of rivers but also from the low salinity Baltic Sea which drains into the North Sea via the Skagerrak. The North Sea rivers drain a land area of 841,500 km² (324,905 sq mi) and supply 296-354 km³ (71-85 cu mi) of fresh water annually. The Baltic rivers drain almost twice as large an area (1,650,000 km², 637,068 sq mi) and contribute 470 km³ (113 cu mi) of fresh water annually.^[8] For the village on the Isle of Wight, see Freshwater, Isle of Wight. ...

Around 160 million people live in the catchment area of the rivers that flow into the North Sea. These rivers drain a large part of Western Europe: a quarter of France, three quarters of Germany, nearly all of Switzerland, half of Jutland, the whole of the Netherlands and Belgium, the southern part of Norway, the Rhine basin of western Austria and the eastern side of Great Britain. This area contains the world's greatest concentration of industry: 15% of the planet's industrial production takes place in the catchment area of the North Sea. For the term related to television programmes, see watershed (television). ... Jutland Peninsula Jutland (Danish: Jylland; German: Jütland; Frisian Jutlân; Low German Jötlann) is the western, continental part of Denmark as well as one of the three historical Lands of Denmark, dividing the North Sea from the Kattegat and the Baltic Sea. ...

Water circulation

The main pattern to the flow of water in the North Sea is a counter-clockwise rotation along the edges.^[18] Water from the Gulf Stream flows in both through the English Channel, whence it continues northeast toward Norway, and around the north of Britain, moving southward along the British coast. This south-moving current slowly loses its shape and strength as smaller currents are pulled off eastwards into the central North Sea. A significant current also sweeps south in the eastern part of the Sea. This is cold North Atlantic water and is strongest in late spring and early summer when the British offshore waters remain cool while the sea off the Netherlands and Germany starts warming up. Water from the Channel, and water flowing out of the Baltic Sea eventually move north along the Norwegian coast back into the Atlantic in what is called the Norwegian Current.^[19] The current moves at a depth of some 50 to 100 m (165-330 ft). It has a relatively low salinity due to the brackish water of the Baltic and the fresh water contributed by the rivers and the fjords. Though the current is, on average, cooler than the North Sea water as a whole, warmer water flowing in from the Channel mixed with the cooler waters of the Baltic and North Atlantic result in streams of widely varying temperatures within the current. A clockwise motion is one that proceeds like the clocks hands: from the top to the right, then down and then to the left, and back to the top. ... For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ... The Norwegian Current is warm water current that north-easterly along the Atlantic coast of Norway. ... Brackish redirects here. ... Lysefjorden in Norway A fjord (pronounced FEE-ord or fyord, SAMPA: [fi:3:d] or [faI3:d]; sometimes written fiord) is a glacially overdeepened valley, usually narrow and steep-sided, extending below sea level and filled with salt water. ...

The mean residence time of water in the North sea is between 1 and two years.^[19] Water in the north is exchanged most quickly while water in the German Bight can flow in circles for years before being pulled northwards.

Within the Sea, fronts based on temperature, salinity, nutrients, and pollution can be clearly identified; they are more clearly defined in summer than in winter. Large fronts are the Frisian Front, which divides water coming from the North Atlantic from water originating in the English Channel, and the Danish Front, which divides southern coastal waters from water in the central North Sea. The inflow of water from large rivers mixes very slowly with North Sea water. Water from the Rhine and Elbe, for example, can still be clearly differentiated from sea water off the northwest coast of Denmark. Air pollution Pollution is the introduction of pollutants (whether chemical substances, or energy such as noise, heat, or light) into the environment to such a point that its effects become harmful to human health, other living organisms, or the environment. ...

The mouth of the Rhine

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 958 pixel, file size: 191 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) NASA World Wind screenshot. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 958 pixel, file size: 191 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) NASA World Wind screenshot. ... For other uses, see Rhine (disambiguation). ... The Meuse (Maas) at Maastricht Meuse near Grave The Meuse (Dutch & German Maas) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea. ... This article is about a river in Central Europe. ... Glomma, pronounced and written Glåma in northern regions of the river, is the longest river in Norway, 598 kilometers long. ... Traditional boat on the IJsselmeer Landsat photo The IJsselmeer (or Lake IJssel) is a shallow lake of some 1250 km² in the central Netherlands bordering the provinces of Flevoland, North Holland and Friesland, with an average depth of 5 to 6 m. ... Weser watershed The Weser is a river of north-western Germany. ... The Firth of Tay is a firth in Scotland between the regions of Fife and City of Dundee into to which Scotlands largest river in terms of flow, the River Tay empties. ... The River Tay looking eastwards from Perth The River Tay, in terms of flow (193 kilometres or 120 miles), is the longest river in Scotland. ... The River Earn viewed from Forteviot bridge. ... The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular area of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness. ... The River Spey is a river in Scotland that runs 107 miles (172 km) to the Moray Firth at Spey Bay, making it the second longest river in Scotland. ... The River Ness is a river flowing from Loch Ness in Scotland, north to Inverness and the Moray Firth. ... The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French Escaut) is a 350 km[1] long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands. ... River Hull tidal barrier. ... The River Forth meanders over fertile farmlands near Stirling The River Forth, 47 km (29 miles) long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland. ... // For the river in Hampshire, see River Ems. ... There are other rivers with this name: see Tweed River The River Tweed at Abbotsford, near Melrose The River Tweed at Coldstream The River Tweed (156 kilometres or 97 miles long) flows primarily through the Borders region of Scotland. ... Several places exist with the name Thames, and the word is also used as part of several brand and company names Most famous is the River Thames in England, on which the city of London stands Other Thames Rivers There is a Thames River in Canada There is a Thames...

Tides

The tides are caused by the tide wave from the North Atlantic, as the North Sea itself is too small and too flat to have its own tides. Ebb and flow alternate in a cycle of 12.5 hours. The tide wave, owing to the Coriolis effect, flows around Scotland and then in counter-clockwise direction along the English coast and reaches the German Bight some 12 hours after arriving in Scotland. In so doing, it runs around three amphidromic points: a central point lies shortly before the Straits of Dover. It is formed by the tide wave which is transported across the English Channel. It influences the tides in the narrow area of De Hoofden in the Southern Bight between southern England and the Netherlands. The other amphidromic system consists of two points close to each other which form a tide wave. The two other points just off the coast of southern Norway and lying on a line between southern Denmark and the West Frisian Islands form one single area around which the tides flow. Its central point lies on the Jutland Bank at 55° 25' N, 5° 15' E.^[8] This article is about tides in the ocean. ... In the inertial frame of reference (upper part of the picture), the black object moves in a straight line. ... An amphidromic point is a point within a tidal system where the tidal range is almost zero. ... The West Frisian Islands (Dutch: Waddeneilanden) are a chain of islands in the North Sea off the Dutch coast. ...

As a result, the tidal range in southern Norway is less than half a metre (1.5 ft), but increases the further any given coast lies from the amphidromic point. Shallow coasts and the funnel effect of narrow straits increase the tidal range. The tidal range is at its greatest at The Wash on the English coast, where it reaches 6.80 m (22 ft). In shallow water areas, the real tidal range is strongly influenced by other factors, such as the position of the coast and the wind at any given moment or the action of storms. In river estuaries, high water levels can considerably amplify the effect of high tide. The Wash, as seen looking west from Heacham, Norfolk The Wash is also the name of a 2001 film. ... An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water which has a free connection with the open sea and within which sea water mixes with fresh water. ...

Coasts

The western coasts of the North Sea are jagged, as they were stripped by glaciers during the ice ages. The coastlines along the southernmost part are soft, covered with the remains of deposited glacials which were left directly by the ice or have been redeposited by the sea. The Norwegian mountains plunge into the sea, giving birth, north of Stavanger, to deep fjords and archipelagoes. South of Stavanger, the coast softens, the islands become fewer. The Eastern Scottish coast is similar, though less marked than Norway. Starting from Flamborough Head in the northeast of England, the cliffs become lower and are composed of less resistant moraine, which erodes more easily, so that the coasts have more rounded contours. In Holland, Belgium and in the East of England (East Anglia) the littoral is low and marshy. The East coast and south-east of the North Sea (Wadden Sea) have coastlines that are mainly sandy and straight owing to longshore currents, in particular in Belgium and in Denmark.^[20] This article is about the geological formation. ... County District Jæren Municipality NO-1103 Administrative centre Stavanger Mayor (1995-) Leif Johan Sevland (H) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 406 71 km² 68 km² 0. ... Fjord in Sunnmøre, Norway Geirangerfjord, Norway A fjord (or fiord) is a long, narrow estuary with steep sides, made when a glacial valley is filled by rising sea water levels. ... The Mergui Archipelago The Archipelago Sea, situated between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands. ... This article is about geological phenomena. ... A littoral is the region near the shoreline of a body of fresh or salt water. ... Satellite image of the southwestern part of the Wadden Sea. ... In geography, longshore drift (LSD) refers to a process by which sediments move along a beach shoreline. ...

Northern fjords, skerries, and cliffs

Geirangerfjord, Norway

The northern North Sea coasts bear the impression of the enormous glaciers which covered them during the Ice Ages and created a split, craggy coastal landscape. Fjords arose by the action of glaciers, which dragged their way through them from the highlands, cutting and scraping deep trenches in the land. During the subsequent rise in sea level, they filled with water. They very often display steep coastlines and are extremely deep for the North Sea. Fjords are particularly common on the coast of Norway.^[21] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 402 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (687 × 1024 pixel, file size: 456 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 402 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (687 × 1024 pixel, file size: 456 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... The Geirangerfjord (Geirangerfjorden) is a fjord in the region Sunnmøre which is located southernmost in the county Møre og Romsdal in Norway. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... Fjord in Sunnmøre, Norway Geirangerfjord, Norway A fjord (or fiord) is a long, narrow estuary with steep sides, made when a glacial valley is filled by rising sea water levels. ...

Firths are similar to fjords, but are generally shallower with broader bays in which small islands may be found. The glaciers that formed them influenced the land over a wider area and scraped away larger areas. Firths are to be found mostly on the Scottish and northern English coasts. Individual islands in the firths, or islands and the coast, are often joined up by sandbars or spits made up of sand deposits known as “tombolos”.^[22] Firth is the Scots word used to denote various coastal waters in Scotland. ... In geography, a bar is a linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water. ... Tombolo at Stockton Island, Ashland County (Wisconsin). ...

Towards the south the firths give way to a cliff coast, which was formed by the moraines of Ice Age glaciers.^[23]The horizontal impact of waves on the North Sea coast gives rise to eroded coasts; the eroded material is an important source of sediment for the mudflats on the other side of the North Sea.^[24] The cliff landscape is interrupted by large estuaries with their corresponding mud and marshy flats disrupt, notably the Humber and the Thames, in southern England. This article is about geological phenomena. ... For other meanings, see Estuary (disambiguation) Río de la Plata estuary An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. ...

In southern Norway, as well as on the Swedish Skagerrak coast, skerries are to be found.^[25] Formed by similar action to that which created the fjords and firths, the glaciers in these places affected the land to an even greater extent, so that large areas were carried away. The coastal brim (Strandflaten), which is found especially in southern Norway, is a gently sloping lowland area between the sea and the mountains. It consists of plates of bedrock, and often extends for kilometers, reaching under the sea, at a depth of only a few meters. Look up skerry in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the Earths surface. ...

Southern shoals and mudflats

Mudflats in Germany

The shallow-water coasts of the southern and eastern coast up to Denmark were formed by Ice Age activity, but their particular shape is determined for the most part by the sea and sediment deposits.^[26] The Wadden Sea stretches between Esbjerg, Denmark in the north and Den Helder, Netherlands in the west. This landscape is heavily influenced by the tides and important sections of it have been declared a National Park. The whole of the coastal zone is shallow; the tides flood large areas and uncover them again, constantly depositing sediments. The Southern Bight has been especially changed by land reclamation, as the Dutch have been especially active. The largest project of this type was the diking and reclamation of the IJsselmeer.In the micro tidal area, (a tidal range of up to 1.35 m (4.43 ft)), such as on the Dutch or Danish coasts,^[27] barrier beaches with dunes are formed. In the mesotidal area (a tidal range of between 1.35 and 2.90 m (4.43-9.5 ft)), barrier islands are formed; in the macrotidal area (above 2.90 m (9.5 ft) tidal range), such as at the mouth of the Elbe, underwater sandbanks form. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Satellite image of the southwestern part of the Wadden Sea. ... Old watertower in Esbjerg View to Esbjerg harbour from the watertower (May 2005) Map of the municipality Esbjerg is a municipality (Danish, kommune) in Region Syddanmark (South Denmark Region) on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. ... Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. ... Traditional boat on the IJsselmeer Landsat photo The IJsselmeer (or Lake IJssel) is a shallow lake of some 1250 km² in the central Netherlands bordering the provinces of Flevoland, North Holland and Friesland, with an average depth of 5 to 6 m. ... The tidal range is the vertical difference between the highest high tide and the lowest low tide. ... This article is about sand formations. ... In geography, a bar is a linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water. ...

The Dutch West Frisian and the German East Frisian Islands are barrier islands. They arose along the breakers’ edge where the water surge piled up sediment, and behind which sediment was carried away by the breaking waves. Over time, sandplates arose, which finally were only covered by infrequent storm floods. Once plants began to colonize the sandbanks the land began to stabilise.^[28] The West Frisian Islands (Dutch: Waddeneilanden) are a chain of islands in the North Sea off the Dutch coast. ... The East Frisian Islands (German: Ostfriesische Inseln) are a chain of islands in the North Sea, off the coast of Lower Saxony, Germany. ...

The North Frisian Islands, on the other hand, arose from the remains of old Geestland islands, where the land was partially removed by storm floods and water action and then separated from the mainland. They are, therefore, often higher and their cores are less exposed to changes than the islands to the south. Beyond the core, however, the same processes are at work, particularly evident on Sylt, where in the south of the island, a break threatens, whilst the harbor at List silts up.^[29] The Danish Islands, the next in the chain to the north, arose from sandbanks. Right up into the twentieth century, the silting up of the islands was a serious problem. To protect the islands, small woods were planted. Map of North Frisian Islands The North Frisian Islands are a group of islands in the Wadden Sea, a part of the North Sea, off the western coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and Jutland, Denmark. ... Geestland or Geest is a type of landscape in Northern Germany, the Northern Netherlands and Denmark. ... The German island of Sylt is located in the North Sea off the west coast of Germany and Denmark. ... For other uses, see Harbor (disambiguation). ... List is the northernmost village in Germany, located on the North Sea island of Sylt close to Denmark. ...

The island of Helgoland was not formed by sediment deposition; in fact, it is considerably older and is composed of Early Triassic sandstone. Heligoland during World War I. Heligoland (in German, Helgoland and in North Frisian, Lun, Hålilönj) is a small, German, triangular-shaped island approximately 2 km long, though a smaller island east of it is usually also included. ... The Triassic is a geologic period that extends from about 251 ± 0. ... Red sandstone interior of Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, worn smooth due to erosion by flash flooding over millions of years Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. ...

Storm tides

Thames Barrier, London

Storm tides threaten, in particular, the coasts of the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Denmark. These coasts are quite flat, so even a relatively small increase in the water levels is sufficient to put large stretches of land under water. Storms from the west are especially strong, so the most dangerous places are on the south-east coast. Over the years, floods caused by storm tides have cost hundreds of thousands of lives and have significantly helped to shape the coast. Until early modern times, the number of victims from a single storm tide could be in the tens of thousands, even exceeding a hundred thousand, though to what extent these historically-reported casualties are accurate can only be estimated with difficulty. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 620 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Thames Barrier ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 620 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Thames Barrier ... The Thames Barrier is a flood control structure on the River Thames, constructed between 1974 and 1984 at Woolwich Reach, London. ... A storm tide is a tide with a high flood period caused by a storm. ...

The first recorded storm tide flood was the Julianenflut, on February 17, 1164. In its wake the Jadebusen began to form. Ancient records tell also of the First Marcellus Flood, which struck West Frieslandin 1219. A storm tide in 1228 is recorded to have killed more than 100,000 people. The Second Marcellus Flood also known as the Grote Mandrenke in 1362 hit the entire southern coast of the North Sea. Chronicles of the time again record more than 100,000 deaths as large parts of the coast were lost permanently to the sea, including the now legendary town of Rungholt (see Lost city). The Strand island emerged from the remainders. During the Burchardi flood in 1634 the Strand was destroyed. Limfjord was first connected with the North Sea on February 3, 1825 when a flood pierced an opening. In 1862, another flood pierced another opening, the Thyborøn Channel, through the remainder of Agger Tange. is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Count Henry I of Champagne marries Marie de Champagne. ... The Arngast lighthouse on the Jadebusen Jadebusen, formerly Jade or Jahde, is a bay on the North Sea coast of Germany. ... West Friesland (also West Frisia; Dutch: West-Friesland; West Frisian: West-Fryslân) is a contemporary region in the northwestern Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. ... // Events Saint Francis of Assisi introduces Catholicism into Egypt, during the Fifth Crusade The Flag of Denmark fell from the sky during the Battle of Lyndanisse Ongoing events Fifth Crusade (1217-1221) Births Christopher I of Denmark (died 1259) Frederick II of Austria (died 1246) Guillaume de Gisors, supposedly the... Events The Sixth Crusade is launched by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, after delays due to sickness and an excommunication from Pope Gregory IX. Conrad IV of Germany becomes titular King of Jerusalem, with Frederick II as regent. ... The Grote Mandrenke (Dutch: Great Drowning of Men) was the name of a massive southwesterly Atlantic gale, (see also European windstorm), which swept across England, the Netherlands, northern Germany and Schleswig around January 16, 1362, causing at minimum 25,000 deaths. ... Centuries: 13th century - 14th century - 15th century Decades: 1310s 1320s 1330s 1340s 1350s - 1360s - 1370s 1380s 1390s 1400s 1410s Years: 1357 1358 1359 1360 1361 - 1362 - 1363 1364 1365 1366 1367 See also: 1362 state leaders Events Under Edward III, English replaces French as Englands national language, for the... Likeliest locations of Rungholt Rungholt was a wealthy city in Nordfriesland, northern Germany. ... In the popular imagination lost cities were real, prosperous, well-populated areas of human habitation that fell into terminal decline and whose location was later lost. ... Strand was an island on the west coast of Nordfriesland in modern Germany. ... The Burchardi Flood, (also known as the second Grote Mandrenke) was a Storm tide that struck the North Sea coast of Nordfriesland (Germany and Denmark) on the night between 11th and 12th of October 1634. ... Events Moses Amyrauts Traite de la predestination is published Curaçao captured by the Dutch Treaty of Polianovska First meeting of the Académie française The witchcraft affair at Loudun Jean Nicolet lands at Green Bay, Wisconsin Opening of Covent Garden Market in London English establish a settlement... a bridge over Limfjord (Aalborg/Nørresundby) The Limfjord is a shallow sound in Denmark that separates the island of Vendsyssel-Thy from the rest of Jutland Peninsula. ... is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1825 (MDCCCXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about 1862 . ...

In the twentieth century the North Sea flood of 1953 flooded several nations' coasts and cost more than 2000 lives.^[30] 315 citizens of Hamburg died in the North Sea flood of 1962. The "Century Flood" of 1976 and the "North Frisian Flood" of 1981 brought the highest water levels measured to date on the North Sea coast, but because of the dikes built and improved after the flood of 1962, these led only to property damage.^[31] A storm surge occurred on November 9, 2007, causing some flooding. The conditions were likened to those that had caused the damage and large loss of life in 1953. Fortunately, in 2007, nowhere near as much damage was caused although the Thames Barrier was closed twice to protect London. The North Sea flood of 1953 and the associated storm combined to create a major natural disaster which affected the coastlines of the Netherlands and England on the night of 31 January 1953 – 1 February 1953. ... Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg 1962 The North Sea flood of 1962 was a natural disaster affecting mainly the coastal regions of Germany and in particular the city of Hamburg in the night from February 16 to February 17, 1962. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Afsluitdijk, a 32 km dike in the Netherlands. ... The Thames Barrier is a flood control structure on the River Thames, constructed between 1974 and 1984 at Woolwich Reach, London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Coastal preservation