The name “the Adriatic sea” has existed since antiquity. In Latin, this name sounded as Mare Hadriaticum, and it supposedly took its name from the name of the town of Adria, or Hadria.
The Adriatic sea includes the coasts of several countries:
– the coast of Croatia country — the length of the Adriatic coast of Croatia is over 1777 km;
– the coast of Italy country — the length of the Adriatic coast of Italy is over 1000 km;
– the coast of Albania – the length of the Adriatic coast of Albania is over 472 km;
– the coast of Montenegro country – the length of the Adriatic coast of Montenegro is over 200 km;
– the coast of Slovenia country – the length of the Adriatic coast of Slovenia is over 47 km;
– the coast of Bosnia and Herzegovina – the length of the Adriatic coast of Bosnia and Herzegovina is over 20 km
The Adriatic sea is an inland sea connected with the Ionian sea, and through it, with the Mediterranean sea. On the borderline of the Adriatic and the Ionian sea, between Italy and Albania, there lies the Otran gate, the width is 75 km.
The Adriatic sea has the area of 135 595 sq.km, 31 061 sq.km of which are the sea area of the Adriatic sea of Croatia.
The length of the Adriatic sea is 783 km, and the average width is 248 km.
The Adriatic sea is a rather shallow sea. Two-thirds of it are no deeper than 200 m. The average depth is 173 m.
To the north of the Pula city, it is not over 50 m deep, and to the north of the Zadar city, its depth does not exceed 100 m, (during the Ice Age, this area was landmass).
In the southern part of the Adriatic there lies a trench, with the deepest point 1 233 metres deep.
The Adriatic sea is a relatively warm one. The water temperature in it does not go below 11 degrees C.
A distinctive feature of the Adriatic sea is the transparency of the waters, which is among the highest in the world and amounts to 56 metres! The salinity of the waters is also higher than the average in the world and equals 38 per mille.
The Croatian coast of the Adriatic sea is mountainous, except the area near Zadar and the western part of Istria. On the Italian side, the coast is low. Also, on the Croatian side, there are numerous isles located along the shoreline. They appeared as a result of flooding of the mountain ranges because of melting of ice after the Ice Age. Then, the sea level rose by 100 metres, and the tops of the mountains turned into isles, and mountain valleys became sea straits.
Out of 1233 islands, ridges and the reefs of the Adriatic sea, 1185 islands belong to Croatia.
The largest Croatian islands are the island Krk, island Cres, island Brac, the isle Hvar, island Rab, Korcula, Dugi Otok, isle of Mljet, island Vis, and the isle of Pag.
The highest island is Brac.
Mount Vidova located on it rises 780 meters over the sea. After this island, there follow Cres – 639 meters and Hvar – 628 meters.
The isle of Pag has the longest shoreline — 269.2 km. After it, there go Hvar – 254.2 km and Cres – 247.7 km.
The sea currents in the Adriatic are warm. They move from the south of Croatia to the north, and along the Italian coast from the north to the south.
Map of Adriatic sea
Wonderful Sunset on the Adriatic sea!