| Gulf Of Bothnia |
Index for Gulf Of |
Website Links For Gulf |
Information AboutGulf Of Bothnia |
|
The Gulf of Bothnia ( Fin. ; ''Pohjanlahti'', Sw. ; ''Botniska viken'') is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea . It is situated between Finland 's west coast and Sweden 's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands , between the Sea Of Åland and the Archipelago Sea . Name Bothnia is a Latinization of a name in an ancestral Nordic language from which the current Swedish ''botten'' also derives, Väster-botten on the Sweden side and Öster-botten the Finland side ("East Bottom" and "West Bottom"). The -th- in the Latinized word comes from the earlier Germanic letter, Thorn . The name of the Finland province in Finnish, Pohjan-maa, or "Pohjan"-land, gives us a hint as to the meaning in both languages: Pohja means both "bottom" and "north." ''Botten'' is believed to be related to English ''bottom'' as in bottomland. It might part of a general north European distinction of lowlands, as opposed to highlands, such as in the names Netherlands and Zemaitia (Lithuania) or Samland ( Prussia ). A second possibility is that botten follows an alternative Scandic connotation of 'furthermost'. Thus, the Gulf of Bothnia would be the farthest extent of the Ocean.
Which meaning prevailed is a distinction that may be too precise to determine, especially as European cultures tended to assimilate and exchange cultural elements. Whether Pohjanmaa translates botten or vice versa is a question for history and archaeology, relating to who settled and named the region first. Geophysical data The gulf is 725 Km (450 Mi ) long, 80-240 km (50-150 mi) wide and has an average depth of 60 M (200 Ft , 33 Fathom s). The maximum depth is 295 m (965 ft, 161 fathoms). The surface area is 117,000 sq km (45,200 sq mi). Into the gulf flow a number of rivers from both sides; consequently, a Salinity gradient exists from north to south. In the South the water is the normal Brackish Water of the Baltic Sea , but in the North the Salinity has dropped so low that one can no longer taste the Salt in the water and many Freshwater fish thrive in it. Being nearly fresh, the gulf is iced for five months. Icing of the Baltic Sea begins and ends there. Geologic history For the geologic history of the entire region, refer to Baltic Sea . Prehistory Commented out this section as it is empty --> History Some historians consider Ottar to refer to the Gulf of Bothnia when he uses ''Cwen sea'' ( 9th C. ). It is possible too that Claussön 's usage ''Mare Gotticus'' ( 15th C. ) refers to Gulf of Bothnia. Economy Botten or Pohjan are heavily forested. Trees are logged, then transported to the coast for milling. Rivers Cities |