10 Black Sea Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

The Black Sea is situated near the southeastern portion of Europe and the Anatolian peninsula. Surrounding countries include Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Georgia, and Russia. The Black Sea has a surface area of 163,000 square miles.

This body of water gets its name from the shade it becomes during winter. Here are several other interesting facts about the Black Sea that will have you impressing your friends in no time.

1. There Are Plenty of Fish in the Black Sea

Although the name seems ominous, this body of water is still home to over 200 species of fish. Some of these include commercially-sourced swimmers such as herring, sprat, and anchovy. The largest animal that calls the Black Sea home is a beluga.

There are also rare and endangered critters living here. In years past, thousands of animals from the Black Sea were killed and dried out to be sold as souvenirs for visitors. One of the most popular animals this happened to was the seahorse. 

Sturgeon were once an animal in the water here. The black caviar from this fish is extremely valuable and has led sturgeons to become close to extinction in the Black Sea. It’s currently illegal to fish for them in the surrounding countries. 

2. It’s the Planet’s Biggest Meromictic Basin

A body of water that is considered “meromictic” has a unique feature that causes the layers of the water to stay separated. There are several meromictic lakes around the world, but the Black Sea is by far the largest. 

There is roughly one meromictic lake to every 1,000 holomictic lakes, rendering them much more rare than you may think!  

3. It’s Full of Litter

Like many bodies of water around the globe, the Black Sea is no stranger to litter. Because it’s relatively isolated and large rivers empty into the Black Sea, it has twice as much garbage as the Mediterranean Sea. 

As one can assume, the vast majority of the trash in the water is plastic and floats on the water. Eventually, it breaks down and floats to the bottom, which can quickly become an issue for the living creatures in the Black Sea.

4. There Are a Lot of Earthquakes

An earthquake in Bulgaria shook the Black Sea to its core. In 1901, this 7.2 magnitude earthquake caused a tsunami that had 16-foot waves. The water from the sea crashed into the coast of Romania and Bulgaria. 

Shockingly, the aftershock lasted several years. To this day, earthquakes still occur all around the Black Sea. 

5. The Rocks Are Ancient

The Black Sea is full of incredible history. There is an area of this body of water called the Russian Platform. The rocks here are at least 540 million years old. This means the rocks had been around for hundreds of years before dinosaurs existed. 

How’s that for ancient history?

6. Unclear Name Origin

Something that stands out about the Black Sea is that the origin of its name is relatively unknown. Although there are several theories, we do not know how the body of water got its name. 

Some say that it’s due to the color of the water in the winter, while other theories suggest that the name comes from the black sludge that covers anything that sits in the water long enough. 

7. The Water Level Doesn’t Fluctuate

One of the most unique things about the Black Sea is that the water level doesn’t fluctuate like most other bodies of water throughout the world. This is because there aren’t any low or high tides in the sea. It’s relatively calm and relaxing on the surface of the water. 

You can swim in the water despite what some people may believe. Due to the high amount of salt, you will float much effortlessly. 

8. The Water Recycles Slowly

There are numerous rivers that flow into the Black Sea. Because there is only one central outflow, the Bosphorus Strait, the water takes an extremely long time to recycle itself. In fact, it takes roughly 2,500 years in total.

This is because the Bosphorus Strait flows very slowly into the Mediterranean Sea.

9. An Undeniably Long Coastline

One of the most jaw-dropping facts about the Black Sea is that the coastline is over half of the length of the Earth’s diameter at the Equator. The entire coastline is roughly 5,000 miles long. For comparison, the entire coastline for all of the five Great Lakes combined is about 4,530 miles.

10. It’s a Major Holiday Destination

Due to its intrigue and close proximity to many countries, the Black Sea is a popular tourist destination. Surrounding this body of water are towering mountain ranges, stunning coastlines, and cities with incredible culture. 

Many people will even visit the area because of the historical and archaeological factors of the Black Sea. It’s not uncommon to spot a cruise ship during the warmer months in this region. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © GizemG/Shutterstock.com