Austria's Baltic Sea Border: Is There A Coastal Connection?

The Baltic Sea is bordered by nine countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Sweden. It is not bordered by Austria, which is a small, landlocked country in South Central Europe. Austria shares borders with Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

Countries that border the Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean, enclosed by the North and Central European Plain and the following countries:

• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• Germany
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Poland
• Russia
• Sweden

These countries, which have coastlines along the Baltic Sea, are also referred to as the Baltic Rim countries or Baltic Rim. The Baltic region, however, can also refer to a larger group of countries that are members of the intergovernmental Baltic Assembly and Baltic Council of Ministers. This group is often referred to as the Baltic states and includes Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The Baltic Sea is one of the largest brackish inland seas in the world, covering an area of approximately 377,000 km2. It is connected to the North Sea via the Danish Straits and the Kattegat and Skagerrak Straits. The Baltic Sea is an important waterway and has been used for trade since ancient times. Today, it serves as a major trade route for Russian oil exports.

The Baltic Sea is also known for its diverse fauna, which includes a mixture of marine and freshwater species. It is home to several glacial relict species, such as the large isopod Saduria entomon and the Baltic subspecies of the ringed seal. The sea's salinity levels are lower than that of the world's oceans due to the inflow of freshwater from surrounding land and its shallowness.

Baltic Sea's salinity levels

Baltic Sea Salinity Levels

The Baltic Sea is a brackish sea, meaning its salinity levels are lower than those of the world's oceans. This is due to the inflow of freshwater from the surrounding land and the sea's relative shallowness. The Baltic Sea's salinity is significantly influenced by the inflow of freshwater from approximately 200 rivers, as well as the introduction of salt from the southwest, creating a salinity gradient.

The open surface waters of the Baltic Sea typically have a salinity of 0.3% to 0.9%, which is considered borderline freshwater. The highest surface salinities are found in the southwestern region, in the Arkona and Bornholm basins, ranging from 0.7% to 0.9%. The salinity gradually decreases as you move further east and north, reaching its lowest levels in the Bothnian Bay at around 0.3%.

The bottom of the Baltic Sea is saltier than the surface due to the denser saltwater sinking to the lower depths. This creates a vertical stratification of the water column known as a halocline, which separates the water into distinct maritime environments. The difference in salinity between the surface and bottom waters varies depending on location. In the Arkona and Bornholm basins, the bottom salinity is typically between 1.4% and 1.8%, while in the Bothnian Bay, it is slightly below 0.4%.

The salinity of the Danish straits, which connect the Baltic Sea and the Kattegat, tends to be significantly higher, with surface and bottom salinities in the Great Belt reaching around 2.0% and 2.8%, respectively. The continuous inflow of freshwater from rivers results in a net outflow of brackish water through the Danish straits to the Kattegat.

The Baltic Sea's salinity is also influenced by infrequent inflows of saltwater from the North Sea, known as Major Baltic Inflows (MBIs). These inflows play an important role in the Baltic ecosystem by transporting oxygen to the deep waters. However, the frequency and intensity of MBIs have not shown a consistent pattern over time.

The salinity levels in the Baltic Sea have important implications for the marine ecosystem. Most species are either adapted to marine or freshwater conditions, and the low salinity values contribute to the low biodiversity in the region. The Baltic Sea is also characterized by a decrease in species richness from the Danish belts to the Gulf of Bothnia due to the decreasing salinity levels along this path.

Climate change is expected to impact the salinity gradients in the Baltic Sea. As the hydrological cycle in northern latitudes intensifies, the salinity in the Baltic Sea is projected to decrease further. This can have significant consequences for the marine ecosystem and species distributions, particularly for halophilic fish populations and other marine species adapted to brackish conditions.

The Baltic Sea's connection to the North Sea

The Baltic Sea is connected to the North Sea through the German Bight of the North Sea via the Kiel Canal. The Baltic Sea is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North and Central European Plain. The North Sea, on the other hand, is bordered by Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean, while the North Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean. The Baltic Sea is enclosed by the North and Central European Plain, while the North Sea is bordered by the European Plain. The Baltic Sea is known for its brackish water, a mixture of fresh water and saline seawater, due to the inflow of fresh water from the surrounding land and its shallowness. The North Sea, on the other hand, has a higher salinity as it is bordered by several countries with access to the ocean.

The Baltic Sea covers an area of approximately 377,000 km2, while the North Sea covers an area of about 575,000 km2. The Baltic Sea has a coastline of about 8,000 km shared by nine countries, while the North Sea has a coastline of roughly 3,100 km shared by seven countries.

The Baltic Sea is known for its long and cold winters and short, warm summers. The mean temperatures range from about 14 °F in the Gulfs of Bothnia and Finland to about 63 °F in the southern parts of the Baltic. The North Sea, on the other hand, has a milder climate influenced by the North Atlantic Drift, with cool summers and mild winters.

The Baltic Sea is home to a variety of marine and freshwater species, including Atlantic cod, Atlantic herring, European hake, and European flounder. The North Sea also has a diverse range of marine life, including fish such as cod, haddock, and plaice, as well as marine mammals like seals and whales.

The Baltic Sea's marine life

Austria is a small, mountainous, landlocked country in South Central Europe. It does not border the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North and Central European Plain.

The Baltic Sea is a unique combination of freshwater from rivers in the surrounding countries and saltwater from the North Atlantic Ocean, of which it is a part. The low salinity levels are one of the factors that determine which plants and animals can live there. The sea is home to a variety of marine and freshwater species, including marine mammals, fish, and waterbirds.

The marine mammals found in the Baltic Sea include the harbour porpoise, ringed seal, grey seal, and harbour seal. The sea also provides a habitat for fish such as salmon, sea trout, eel, and pike, as well as waterbirds like the herring gull, long-tailed duck, and little tern.

The Baltic Sea is considered a "young sea", with a history of only about 10,000 years. Most marine species in the Baltic Sea have undergone complex genetic adaptations over the years as the level of salinity has decreased. The sea can be seen as an "immigration sea", with inhabitants that have invaded from other water bodies. Due to this brief evolutionary period, there is only one known species endemic to the Baltic Sea: Fucus radicans (Algea).

The Baltic Sea faces several environmental challenges, including pollution, algae blooms, overfishing, and invasive species. Eutrophication, or the growth of algae due to excessive nutrient enrichment, has led to the creation of dead zones on the seafloor. Climate change, hazardous substances, and shipping activities also pose significant threats to the sea's inhabitants.

To address these issues, cross-border cooperation and effective conservation actions are necessary to preserve the Baltic Sea and its functions for future generations. The Helsinki Commission, or HELCOM, plays a crucial role in protecting the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area.

The Baltic Sea's history

The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean, enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North and Central European Plain. It is one of the largest brackish inland seas in the world, with a coastline of approximately 8,000 km shared by nine countries. The sea has a rich history that dates back to ancient times, and it has played a significant role in the region's trade, conflict, and political developments.

During the Roman Empire, the Baltic Sea was referred to as the Mare Sarmaticum or Mare Suebicum by Tacitus and Ptolemy, respectively. The first person to name it the "Baltic Sea" was Adam of Bremen, an 11th-century German chronicler. The origin of the name "Baltic" is uncertain, but it may be derived from the Germanic word "belt," referring to the two Danish straits, or directly from the Latin word "balteus," meaning "belt."

In the early Middle Ages, the Baltic Sea was a centre of trade for Norse merchants, who established trade empires and controlled trade activities in and around the sea. This period, known as the Viking Age, also saw conflict between the Norse and Wendish tribes dwelling on the southern shore. From the 8th to the 14th centuries, piracy was prevalent in the Baltic Sea, particularly near Prussia and Pomerania.

Starting in the 11th century, migrants from Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Scotland settled on the southern and eastern shores of the Baltic Sea in a movement called the Ostsiedlung. During this time, Denmark gained control over most of the Baltic coast until they lost their possessions after being defeated in the 1227 Battle of Bornhöved.

In the 13th to 16th centuries, the Hanseatic League, a federation of merchant cities around the Baltic and North Seas, became the strongest economic force in Northern Europe. Subsequently, Poland, Denmark, and Sweden fought wars for control of the Baltic Sea, with Sweden eventually gaining dominance.

In the 18th century, Russia and Prussia rose as the leading powers over the sea. Russia's Peter the Great recognised the strategic importance of the Baltic and founded his new capital, Saint Petersburg, at the mouth of the Neva River. The Baltic Sea also played a role during the Crimean War, with British and French fleets attacking Russian fortresses in the Åland War.

After World War I, Poland was granted access to the Baltic Sea at the expense of Germany, and the sea became a site for disposing of chemical weapons. During World War II, the Baltic Sea became a mass grave for retreating soldiers and refugees, with the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff remaining the worst maritime disaster in history.

Since the end of World War II, the Baltic Sea has been a site of tension between opposing military blocs, separating NATO and the Warsaw Pact. The collapse of Communist regimes in the late 1980s eased these tensions, and Finland and Sweden joined NATO in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Today, the Baltic Sea remains an important waterway for trade and shipbuilding, and it is the main trade route for Russian oil export. Efforts are also being made to address environmental concerns, such as chemical weapon disposal and algal blooms caused by agricultural runoff.

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