Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar, also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Europe from Africa. The two continents are separated by 7.7 nautical miles (14.2 kilometers, 8.9 miles) at its narrowest point. Ferries cross between the two continents every day in as little as 35 minutes. The Strait's depth ranges between 300 and 900 metres (980 and 2,950 feet; 160 and 490 fathoms).
The strait lies in the territorial waters of Morocco, Spain, and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, foreign vessels and aircraft have the freedom of navigation and overflight to cross the strait of Gibraltar in case of continuous transit.
The name comes from the Rock of Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jabal Ṭāriq (meaning "Tariq's Mount"), named after Tariq ibn Ziyad. It is also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, the Gut of Gibraltar (although this is mostly archaic), the STROG (STRait Of Gibraltar) in naval use.
Another Arabic name is Bāb al-maghrib (Arabic: باب المغرب), meaning "Gate of the West" or "Gate of the sunset", and furthermore "Gate of the Maghreb" or "Gate of Morocco".[citation needed] In the Middle Ages it was called in Arabic Az-Zuqāq (الزقاق 'the Passage'), or bḥar az-zuqāq (بحر الزقاق 'the passage sea') and by the Romans Fretum Gaditanum (Strait of Cadiz).
In Latin it has been called Fretum Herculeum, based on the name from antiquity "Pillars of Hercules" (Ancient Greek: αἱ Ἡράκλειοι στῆλαι, romanized: hai Hērákleioi stêlai), referring to the mountains as pillars, such as Gibraltar, flanking the strait.
On the northern side of the Strait are Spain and Gibraltar (a British overseas territory in the Iberian Peninsula). On the southern side are Morocco and Ceuta (a Spanish autonomous city in northern Africa).
Due to its location, the Strait is commonly used for illegal immigration from Africa to Europe.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Strait of Gibraltar as follows:
Hub AI
Strait of Gibraltar AI simulator
(@Strait of Gibraltar_simulator)
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar, also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Europe from Africa. The two continents are separated by 7.7 nautical miles (14.2 kilometers, 8.9 miles) at its narrowest point. Ferries cross between the two continents every day in as little as 35 minutes. The Strait's depth ranges between 300 and 900 metres (980 and 2,950 feet; 160 and 490 fathoms).
The strait lies in the territorial waters of Morocco, Spain, and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, foreign vessels and aircraft have the freedom of navigation and overflight to cross the strait of Gibraltar in case of continuous transit.
The name comes from the Rock of Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jabal Ṭāriq (meaning "Tariq's Mount"), named after Tariq ibn Ziyad. It is also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, the Gut of Gibraltar (although this is mostly archaic), the STROG (STRait Of Gibraltar) in naval use.
Another Arabic name is Bāb al-maghrib (Arabic: باب المغرب), meaning "Gate of the West" or "Gate of the sunset", and furthermore "Gate of the Maghreb" or "Gate of Morocco".[citation needed] In the Middle Ages it was called in Arabic Az-Zuqāq (الزقاق 'the Passage'), or bḥar az-zuqāq (بحر الزقاق 'the passage sea') and by the Romans Fretum Gaditanum (Strait of Cadiz).
In Latin it has been called Fretum Herculeum, based on the name from antiquity "Pillars of Hercules" (Ancient Greek: αἱ Ἡράκλειοι στῆλαι, romanized: hai Hērákleioi stêlai), referring to the mountains as pillars, such as Gibraltar, flanking the strait.
On the northern side of the Strait are Spain and Gibraltar (a British overseas territory in the Iberian Peninsula). On the southern side are Morocco and Ceuta (a Spanish autonomous city in northern Africa).
Due to its location, the Strait is commonly used for illegal immigration from Africa to Europe.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Strait of Gibraltar as follows: