Tyrrhenian Sea

Tyrrhenian Sea
Tyrrhenian Sea.

The Tyrrhenian Sea (Corsican: Mari Tirrenu, French: Mer Tyrrhénienne, Italian: Mare Tirreno, Neapolitan: Mar Tirreno, Sardinian: Mare Tirrenu, Sicilian: Mari Tirrenu, Latin: Mare Tyrrhenum) is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy.

Contents

Geography

The sea is bounded by Corsica and Sardinia (to the west), Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria (to the east) and Sicily (to the south).

The maximum depth of the sea is 3,785 metres (12,418 ft).

The Tyrrhenian Sea is situated near where the African and European Plates meet; therefore mountain chains and active volcanoes such as Mount Marsili are found in its depths. The eight Aeolian Islands are located in the southern part of the sea, north of Sicily.

Extent

The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Tyrrhenian Sea as follows:[1]

Exits

There are four exits from the Tyrrhenian Sea (north to south):

Exit Location Width Connected Sea
Corsica Channel between Tuscany and Corsica about 80 kilometres (50 mi) Ligurian Sea
Strait of Bonifacio between Corsica and Sardinia 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) Mediterranean Sea (proper)
no name between Sardinia and Sicily about 290 kilometres (180 mi) Mediterranean Sea (proper)
Strait of Messina between Sicily and Calabria on the toe of Italy 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) Ionian Sea

Basins

The Tyrrhenian Sea is divided into two basins (or plains), the Vavilov plain and the Marsili plain. They are separated by the undersea ridge known as the Issel Bridge, after Arturo Issel.[2][dead link]

Name

Its name derives from the Greek name for the Etruscans, who were said to be emigrants from Lydia and led by the prince Tyrrhenus.[3] The Etruscans settled along the coast of modern Tuscany and referred to the water as the "Sea of the Etruscans".

Ports

The main ports of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy are: Rome, Naples, Palermo, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Salerno, Trapani and Cagliari. In France the most important port is Bastia.

Winds

In Greek mythology, it is believed that the cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea housed the four winds kept by Aeolus. The winds are the Mistral from the Rhône valley, the Libeccio from the south-west, and the Sirocco and Ostro from the south.

Gallery

References

Coordinates: 40°N 12°E / 40°N 12°E / 40; 12


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Tyrrhenian Sea — [ti rē′nē ən] part of the Mediterranean, between the W coast of Italy & the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, & Sicily …   English World dictionary

  • Tyrrhenian Sea — Sp Tirėnų jūra Ap Mare Tirreno itališkai Ap Tyrrhenian Sea angliškai L Viduržemio j. dalis prie Italijos pv. krantų …   Pasaulio vietovardžiai. Internetinė duomenų bazė

  • Tyrrhenian Sea — /ti ree nee euhn/ a part of the Mediterranean, bounded by W Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily. * * * Italian Mare Tirreno Arm of the Mediterranean Sea. It is located between the western coast of Italy and the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, and… …   Universalium

  • Tyrrhenian Sea — noun an arm of the Mediterranean between Italy and the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and Sicily • Instance Hypernyms: ↑sea • Part Holonyms: ↑Mediterranean, ↑Mediterranean Sea …   Useful english dictionary

  • Tyrrhenian Sea — noun A part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy, bounded by Corsica and Sardinia (west), Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, and Calabria (east), and Sicily ( …   Wiktionary

  • TYRRHENIAN SEA —    The “Etruscan” sea that formed the western flank of Etruria.    See also COASTS …   Historical Dictionary of the Etruscans

  • Tyrrhenian Sea — Tyr•rhe′ni•an Sea′ [[t]tɪˈri ni ən[/t]] n. geg a part of the Mediterranean, bounded by W Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily …   From formal English to slang

  • Tyrrhenian Sea — geographical name the part of the Mediterranean W of Italy, N of Sicily, & E of Sardinia & Corsica …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • TYRRHENIAN SEA —    an arm of the Mediterranean, stretching between Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily on the W., and Italy on the E …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Tyrrhenian Sea —  Stretch of the Mediterranean between Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

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