Gulf of Riga - WikiHQ

The Gulf of Riga, also known as the Bay of Riga or the Gulf of Livonia, is a bay of the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Estonia.

The island of Saaremaa (Estonia) partially separates it from the rest of the Baltic Sea. The main connection between the gulf and the Baltic Sea is the Irbe Strait.

The Gulf of Riga, as a sub-basin of the Baltic, also includes the Väinameri Sea in the West Estonian archipelago.

Geography

The northern part of the Gulf of Riga is shallow, the southern part is slightly deeper. The deepest point is opposite Mērsrags (66 meters). In the central part of the gulf there is a bank, the highest threshold of which protrudes from the sea forms the island of Ruhnu.

Extent

thumb|The Gulf of Riga as seen from [[Jūrmala, Latvia (January 2018).]]

The International Hydrographic Organization defines the Gulf of Riga's western limit as "A line running from Lyser Ort (57°34'N), in Latvia, to the South extreme of Saaremaa, through this island to Pammana (22°34'E), thence to Emmaste Point, the S extreme of Hiiumaa, through Hiiumaa to Tahkuna Point, the North extreme thereof, and on to Spithamn Point in Estonia".

Islands

Major islands in the gulf include Saaremaa, Kihnu, and Ruhnu, which are all in Estonian territory. Kihnu covers an area of .

Cities

Notable cities around the gulf include Riga and Jūrmala in Latvia, and Pärnu and Kuressaare in Estonia. The main rivers flowing into the gulf are Daugava, Pärnu, Lielupe, Gauja, and Salaca.

Salinity

The freshwater runoff entering the Baltic sea accounts for two percent of its volume.

Seasons

The surface water layer of the Gulf of Riga has relatively large annual temperature fluctuations.

In mid-summer, in July and August, the surface water layer temperature in the central part of the bay is 18°C. On the low coast, the water can warm up to 25–26°C on hot and sunny days in mid-summer.

The deeper water layers are noticeably cooler, but the temperature changes less throughout the year.

In winter, most or all of the Bay occasionally freezes. This is due to low salinity and the calming effect of the partial closure of the entrance of the gulf. During the winter, many people walk over the bay. The thickest recorded ice was thick in the winter of 1941–42. Ice hole fishing has been a traditional source of winter food, and remains a common activity. The ice usually melts between March and April. In late March 2013, when the ice started to melt, 200 people had to be rescued from ice floes.

Notes

References

External links

The Gulf of Riga (Estonica)