Gulf of Riga
The Gulf of Riga, Bay of Riga, or Gulf of Livonia is a bay of the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Estonia.
| Gulf of Riga | |
|---|---|
 Location in Northern Europe. | |
  Gulf of Riga | |
| Location | Europe |
| Coordinates | 57°45′N 23°30′E / 57.750°N 23.500°E |
| Primary inflows | Daugava, Pärnu river, Lielupe, Gauja, Salaca |
| Surface area | 18,000 km2 (6,900 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Max. depth | 54 m (177 ft)[1] |
| Water volume | 424 km3 (344,000,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Residence time | 30 years |
| Frozen | Most or all during winter |
| Settlements | Riga, Jūrmala, Pärnu, Kuressaare, Salacgrīva, Saulkrasti, Ainaži |
The island of Saaremaa (Estonia) is between it and the rest of the Baltic Sea. The islands of Kihnu, and Ruhnu are also in the gulf. The main connection between the gulf and the Baltic Sea is the Irbe Strait.
The Gulf of Riga also includes the Väinameri Sea in the West Estonian archipelago.
The main rivers flowing into the gulf are the Daugava, Pärnu, Lielupe, Gauja, and Salaca.
In winter, most or all of the gulf freezes as the water is not very salty. People walk over the bay on the ice. Sometimes they need to be rescued. The thickest recorded ice was 90 centimetres (2 ft 11 in) thick in the winter of 1941–42. Ice hole fishing has been a traditional source of winter food, and is still common.[2]
References
change- ↑ "Gulf of Riga | Baltic Sea". Encyclopedia Britannica.
- ↑ Press, Associated (2013-03-29). "Latvia rescues 220 people stranded on ice floes in Gulf of Riga". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-08-21.