The East Coast North Sea at Finhorn in the Moray Firth, Scotland. SCO 6938
The North Sea is a marginal, epeiric sea on the European continental shelf located between Great Britain and Scandinavia. The sea is part of the Atlantic Ocean and connects to it through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Sea in the north. It is more than 970 kilometres (600 mi) long and 580 kilometres (360 mi) wide, with an area of around 750,000 square kilometres (290,000 sq mi). The North Sea has long been the site of important European shipping lanes as well as a major fishery. The sea is also an important destination for tourism on bordering countries and more recently has developed into an important source of energy resources including fossil fuels, wind, and early efforts in wave power. Historically, the North Sea has featured prominently in military and geopolitical affairs, particularly in Northern Europe but also globally through the power northern European actors projected globally during much of the Middle Ages and modern era. The North Sea featured prominently in the rise of the Vikings and subsequently, the Hanseatic League, the Netherlands, and the British as each sought to dominate the North Sea and through it to control access the markets and resources of the world. The coast of the North Sea presents a diversity of geological and geographical features. In the north, deep fjords and sheer cliffs mark the Norwegian and Scottish coastlines, whereas the south consist primarily of sandy beaches and wide mudflats. Due to the dense population, heavy industrialization, and intense use of the sea and area surrounding it, there have been a number of environmental issues affecting the health of the sea's ecosystems. Environmental concerns—commonly including overfishing, industrial and agricultural runoff, dredging, and dumping among others—have led to a number of efforts to prevent degradation of the sea while still making use of its economic potential.
Size: 5620px × 3733px
Location: Findhorn, Moray Firth, Grampian Region, Scotland.
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., beach, birds, boats, body, brine, briney, car, caspian, commonly, connected, conservation, contexts, describe, expanse, ferry, findhorn, fish, fishing, freight, generally, goods, incoming, lacks, lake, landscape, large, mammals, moray, natural, north, ocean, ocean., oil, orkney, outlet, passenger, quotas, refers, saline, salt, sea, sea., shetland, shipping, stocks, supply, surf, synonym, term, tide, transport, trawlers, vessels, view, water, waves, wildlife
