Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea as follows: Stretching from the Strait of Gibraltar in the west to the entrances to the Dardanelles and the Suez Canal in the east, the Mediterranean Sea is bounded by the coasts of Europe, Africa and Asia, and is divided into two deep basins: Being nearly landlocked affects conditions in the Mediterranean Sea: for instance, tides are very limited as a result of the narrow connection with the Atlantic Ocean. The Mediterranean is characterised and immediately recognised by its deep blue colour. Evaporation greatly exceeds precipitation and river runoff in the Mediterranean, a fact that is central to
Mediterranean Sea of kilometres away from its source. The temperature of the water in the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea is . The following countries have a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea: Several other territories also border the Mediterranean Sea (from west to east): The British overseas territory of Gibraltar, the Spanish autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla and nearby islands, the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus, and the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Major cities (municipalities) with populations larger than 200,000 people bordering the Mediterranean Sea are: The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) divides the Mediterranean into a number of smaller waterbodies, each