Black Sea

The Black Sea is a large non-tidal body of water on the south-east border of Europe. It is linked to the Mediterranean only by the narrow channel running through the Bosphorus (Bosporus), Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles (also known as the Hellespont).

The countries bordering the Black Sea are:

• Turkey

• Georgia, whose province of Abkhazia, recognised as an independent state by Russia, also borders the Sea

• Russia

• Ukraine

• Romania

• Bulgaria

The area has long been one of conflict and tensions.

The main rivers discharging into the sea are the Danube, Dniester (Dnister) and Kizil Irmak. The Volga flows into the Sea of Azov, which is connected to the Black Sea by a narrow strait.