Bay of Gibraltar
| Bay of Gibraltar | |
|---|---|
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| Coordinates | 36°7′51.91″N 5°23′45.63″W / 36.1310861°N 5.3960083°WCoordinates: 36°7′51.91″N 5°23′45.63″W / 36.1310861°N 5.3960083°W |
| River sources | Río de San Roque, Guadarranque, Río de Palmones, Río de la Miel |
| Ocean/sea sources | Strait of Gibraltar, Alboran Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean |
| Max. length | 10 km (6.2 mi) |
| Max. width | 8 km (5.0 mi) |
| Surface area | 75 km2 (29 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 400 m (1,300 ft) |
| Settlements | Gibraltar, Algeciras |
The Bay of Gibraltar (also known as Gibraltar Bay or Bay of Algeciras) is a bay at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. It is around 10 km (6.2 mi) long by 8 km (5.0 mi) wide, covering an area of some 75 km2 (29 sq mi), with a depth of up to 400 m (1,300 ft) in the centre of the bay. It opens to the south into the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea.
The shoreline is densely settled. From west to east, the shore is divided between the Spanish municipalities of Algeciras, Los Barrios, San Roque, La Línea de la Concepción and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The larger part of the shoreline is Spanish territory, with part of the eastern half of the bay belonging to Gibraltar.
The east and west entrances to the bay are marked respectively by the Europa Point Lighthouse at Europa Point, Gibraltar and the Punta Carnero lighthouse to the west of Algeciras.
The bay is a breeding area for several dolphin species, notably the Common Dolphin, Striped Dolphin and Bottlenose Dolphin, and is also visited by migratory whales. It is a popular destination for tourist whale-watching trips from Algeciras or Gibraltar.
The other major draw for tourists is scuba diving: the area is rich with wrecks and historical artifacts such as crashed Avro Shackleton aircraft and Sherman tanks from the Second World War, and ancient anchors from Phoenician and Roman ships.
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Wikipedia