An interesting fact is that only one natural waterway connects the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the B altic Sea. The Kattegat is in the middle of this path. It is an addition to the Danish canal system (also called the B altic). They are located between Jutland and the Scandinavian Peninsula. On the world map, these two land areas are located in Europe, in its northwestern part.
Cat eye
The entire chain of natural straits, which includes the Kattegat along with the “understudy”, the Kiel Canal, and the Limfjord navigable strait, located in the north of Jutland, is of great strategic and economic importance. With its help, the countries of the B altic basin are connected with the ocean. If this route were blocked, the B altic Sea would be isolated.
Like all other straits in the B altic, Kattegatis relatively small. Especially in the southern part, where the rapids are. Only a few fairways are suitable for the passage of warships and large vessels. In this regard, the name Kattegat, which goes back to the Middle Norse language and means "the way of the ships", is interpreted in the jargon of Dutch sailors as "cat's eye". This implies a narrow passage, as "gat" means both a cat and a ship.
Busy sea route
Ever since the time of the Vikings, it has been an international, very busy sea route. And this despite the fact that it was difficult and unsafe. Today, sea channels have undergone a significant deepening, stones have been fished out of them, sand has been pumped out, lighthouses have been installed. Therefore, navigation has become many times easier.
The Kattegat Strait has access to the North Sea through the shipping channel Limford. The coast to the west of the first of these, which belongs to Denmark, is lower than the eastern rocky, sheer coast, which belongs to Sweden. The latter is the edge of a vast plateau.
The shores of the strait are covered with mixed forests, they are cut through by bays and bays. Many of them are flooded riverbeds. In the 70s. of the last century, due to the intensive exploitation of the shores of the strait and its waters, environmentalists declared it a marine zone, which they called dead.
In this region, the main economic sectors have long been such as maritime transport, fishing and the port industry. As a result of the Scandinavian Industrial Revolution,intensive development of shipbuilding, oil refining, mechanical engineering on both sides of the strait.
Subsequently, they were supplemented by a busy transit of oil, which was not always carried out by serviceable tankers. The result was an ecological collapse. Today, Denmark, together with the EEC, is implementing expensive long-term projects aimed at restoring the natural balance in the region.
The largest islands in the Kattegat are three - Anholt, Lese and Samse. The first two are often referred to as the "Danish Desert Belt" because they have a dry summer climate. The strait has two currents. One of them is directed to the north. It is superficial, less s alty. The second is directed to the south, is deep and more s alty. In winter, coastal waters freeze. The main port is Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city.
Numbers
The Kattegat Strait has the following characteristics:
- The area is approaching 30 thousand square meters. km.
- The length is 270 km, and the width varies in different places. In some it is 60 km, and in the south it reaches 120 km.
- The depth of the strait starts from 7 and ends at 18 m on the southern rapids, and in the northern part it can even be 50 km.
- The percentage of salinity is between 31 and 34%.
- Water flows at a speed of 2 to 4 km per hour.
- The climate is temperate maritime with an average annual water temperature of plus 10° Celsius. In January the average temperature is 0°, in July +15°. 600-800 mm of precipitation falls annually.
In conclusionconsideration of the question of where the Kattegat Strait is located, what are its characteristics and features, interesting places should also be noted.
Attractions
The Kattegat Strait has the following:
- The largest desert in Northern Europe is the eastern region of Anholt Island, where sand dunes reach a height of 21 m. There is also a seal colony, the largest in Denmark.
- Swedish national reserve Kullaberg in Skåne is home to a number of rare animal species, characterized by rugged rocky shores and caves.
- The picturesque harbor of Melle in Sweden features views of Danish Skagen and Swedish Kullaberg.
- The Swedish industrial city of Gothenburg is known as the center of Scandinavian rock.
A small strait is such an interesting object.
