Libyan Sea
| Libyan Sea | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Libyan Sea | |
 | |
| Location | Mediterranean Sea |
| Coordinates | 34°00′N 24°24′E / 34.000°N 24.400°E |
| Type | Sea |
| Basin countries | Libya |
| Surface area | 350,000 square kilometres (140,000 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) |
| Max. depth | 5,109 metres (16,762 ft) |
| Shore length1 | 1,770 kilometres (1,100 mi) |
| Islands | Gavdos, Gavdopoula, Koufonisi, and Chrysi |
| Sections/sub-basins | Gulf of Sidra, South Cretan Sea |
| Settlements | Tobruk, Libya and Alexandria, Egypt |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
The Libyan Sea (Latin: Libycum Mare; Arabic: البحر الليبي; Greek: Λιβυκό πέλαγος) is the portion of the Mediterranean Sea north of the African coast of ancient Libya, i.e. Cyrenaica, and Marmarica (the coast of what is now eastern Libya and western Egypt, between Tobruk and Alexandria).[1] The region of the Libyan Sea located south of Crete is also known as the South Cretan Sea (Νότιο Κρητικό Πέλαγος).[2][3]
Name
[edit]The term Libyan Sea (Mare Libycum) was used by ancient geographers to describe the part of the Mediterranean Sea south of Crete, between Cyrene and Alexandria. It referred to the region of "Libya" in antiquity, which encompassed much of North Africa west of the Nile River. The name "Libya" (Greek: Λιβύη, Libyē) originally referred to a broader area than the modern country of Libya.[4]
In ancient times, "Libya" described the lands and peoples of North Africa, such as the Libu and Meshwesh tribes, as recorded by Greek and Roman sources.[5] The modern usage of "Libyan Sea" continues this tradition and is commonly found in maps and travel literature.[6]
Geography
[edit]The surface area of the Mediterranean is about 350,000 square kilometres (140,000 sq mi).[7]
The southern coastline of Crete, which borders the Libyan Sea, includes the Asterousia Mountains and Mesara Plain; this area is the locus of considerable ancient Bronze Age settlement including the sites of Kommos, Hagia Triada and Phaistos.[8]
Not counting Crete, other islands in the Libyan Sea are Gavdos, Gavdopoula, Koufonisi, and Chrysi.
To the east is the Levantine Sea, to the north the Ionian Sea, and to the west the Strait of Sicily.
See also
[edit]- Asterousia Mountains
- Gulf of Sidra
- Turkish intervention in Libya (2020–present)
- Libya (GNA)–Turkey maritime deal
- Exclusive economic zone of Greece
- Libyan civil war (2014–2020)
- Cyprus–Turkey maritime zones dispute
- Egypt–Greece maritime deal
- Aegean dispute
References
[edit]- ^ George Ripley and Charles Anderson Dana, The New American Cyclopaedia: A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge, 1861, D. Appleton and Co.
- ^ Ministry of Environment and Energy, Greece (October 2018). "Τεχνική Έκθεση Οδηγία Πλαίσιο για τη Θαλάσσια Στρατηγική (2008/56/EK)" (PDF). Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Eastern Crete Development Organization (2004). Crete Map. Fotis Serfas.
- ^ Herodotus 1.46
- ^ Oric Bates (1914), The Eastern Libyans.
- ^ Crete Map, Eastern Crete Development Organization (2004) Fotis Serfas
- ^ "Libyan Sea Map – Locations and Maps of Atlantic Ocean".
- ^ "C.Michael Hogan, Phaistos fieldnotes, The Modern Antiquarian, 2007". Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
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