The Chinese call the Yellow Sea Huanghai. It belongs to the basin of the world's largest ocean - the Pacific. This sea, bearing such a strange name, is located off the eastern coast of the Eurasian continent, washes the western coast of the Korean Peninsula.
Location on the world map
So, the Yellow Sea is located in the northeastern hemisphere off the coast of the Eurasian continent. From the south it borders on the East China Sea. Only from this side the sea is not limited by land. On the other sides, it washes the shores of three peninsulas: Korean, Liaodong and Shandong, that is, the coasts of three countries: China and two Koreas. More precisely, how and where the Yellow Sea is located on the world map can be seen in the photo below.
General characteristics
The water area of this sea covers an area of about 416 thousand square kilometers. The average volume of water is approximately 17 thousand cubic kilometers, and the average depth is 40 meters. In the deepest places it reaches 105 m. The bottom of the sea is covered with sand and silt. The coastline is uneven. Because of her sinuousnessforms many large and small bays. From the side of China, the coasts are mostly gentle, and the coast of Korea consists entirely of rocks. Near the coast in the waters of the sea are small islands. Some of them are popular resorts.
Why is the sea yellow?
So why is this natural reservoir named like that? Its waters have a strange greenish-yellow color. The reason for this is the sediments that are carried with them by the Chinese rivers (Huanghe, Haihe, Luanhe, Liaohe, Yalujiang), which flow into the Yellow Sea. China is rich in water resources, and there are a great many such rivers. In some of them, the waters are not just yellow, but ocher. However, merging with the water of the sea, they acquire a golden-green color, especially in sunny weather. One of the largest is the Huang He, the river that gave its name to the Yellow Sea. Another reason for the yellowness is powerful spring dust storms, which subsequently settle on the water and color it in an atypical shade for the sea.
A little about the Yellow River
The Yellow River is one of the largest water arteries on the planet. She got this name due to the huge amount of suspended particles that give the waters a yellowish-ocher tint. The Yellow River originates in the Tibetan Plateau, at an altitude of 4,500 meters. Its channel is winding, it constantly winds on its way, now and then changing direction. At the end of its journey, the Yellow River flows into the sea.
Climate
The coast of the Huanghai Sea is characterized by rather cold winters, when the temperaturewater drops to zero, and hot summers (water temperature - up to + 27-28 degrees). This is facilitated by the fact that the Yellow Sea on the map is located in the temperate zone. In winter, ice floes can form on the reservoir. And in the summer, despite the warmth of the air and water, the sea is by no means gentle and pleasant for a long vacation. From time to time there are dust storms, heavy rains and typhoon.
Movement of waters and currents
The temperature of sea waters, as well as their movement, is influenced by a warm current from the East China Sea and a cold one from the northwest. Therefore, the water temperature can constantly change. The current on the surface is directed counterclockwise and forms a cycle. Depending on the coast, the magnitude of the tides varies, and if in the west they do not exceed the level of 1 meter, then in the southeast, especially in narrow bays, they can reach up to 9 meters.
Flora
The flora of the Yellow Sea is similar to that of Japan. In the waters and on the coast, you can see thickets of red and brown algae, as well as kelp. Coastal vegetation is widely used for industrial purposes.
Fauna
From the above, it follows that the flora of the Huanghai Sea is rather scarce, which cannot be said about the animal world, that is, about the marine fauna. It is much richer and more diverse and has a huge number of species of marine animals and microorganisms.
Inhabitants of the bottom of the sea
We will start the review of the fauna from the very bottom of the sea, whichin some places it is covered with silt, and in other parts with sand. The following living organisms live here:
- crustaceans: oysters, crabs, crayfish, cuttlefish, etc.;
- echinoderms (starfish, urchins, kitetails);
- sea snakes;
- sea worms;
- shellfish: bivalves (mussels), cephalopods (squid) and others;
- bottom fish (gobies, flat flounders, etc.).
By the way, oysters, as well as squids and mussels, are of great commercial and industrial importance. They are even grown in specialized coastal farms, because China is the world leader in the production of shellfish, in particular oysters. I can't even believe that 80 percent of the world's oyster production belongs to China. However, unlike Europeans, the Chinese do not eat oysters raw. They use these mollusks to make oyster sauce, which is popular in the Celestial Empire. Squids that live in the Yellow Sea are also important for food production. These are giant clams, reaching a size of 80 centimeters.
Besides bottom fish, many other “peaceful” and predatory fish live in the waters of this reservoir: herring, cod, saury and pollock. Pike-winged eel is in the greatest demand. Its length can reach 2 meters. This predatory fish loves to hunt for small fish that live on the bottom, as well as squid and other bottom living creatures. Eel meat is very fatty and tender, which is why it is in great demand in oriental cuisine.
Other inhabitants of the sea
Here, in the depths of the sea, there are also root-mouthed jellyfish, as well asaurelia. They are also eaten, and they are in great demand for the preparation of some Chinese, Japanese, Korean national dishes. Probably, few people know that the seafood, which today is called "crystal meat" is a processed carcass of a jellyfish. This is a real delicacy that can only be found in the cuisines of the Pacific Rim countries.
Lords of the Deep Sea
The Yellow Sea is full of sharks. Here you can meet many types of sharks:
- feline;
- prickly;
- Japanese;
- largemouth;
- bearded;
- kunya;
- fox;
- collar;
- hammerhead;
- mako;
- grey;
- white and others
Despite this diversity, information that a shark attacked a person is extremely rare here. It turns out that stories about the bloodthirstiness of these large fish are either a myth, or tourists are a rarity on this sea. In any case, this proves that sharks are quite capable of peacefully existing in their favorite aquatic environment.
Yellow Sea Resorts
Perhaps due to constant dust storms and typhoons, this sea is not particularly attractive for tourists from all over the world. The Russians did not like it either, although in fact you can spend a very interesting vacation here. The only thing that can bring our citizens to the shores of the Yellow Sea is relatively cheap, but at the same time very effective he alth tours. From the side of China in the seasidethe cities of Qingdao and Dalian are large medical centers. The knowledge of Chinese doctors is more than extensive: in addition to academic information, they possess unique valuable information gleaned from the works of Chinese ancient healers. Probably, taking into account all this, people still buy tickets and go to the Yellow Sea. Rest here is mostly calm, without noisy thousands of parties, etc.
Weihai City
This is an ecologically clean place on the coast of China. The city is considered a he alth center, as there are many underground hot springs nearby. Other attractions in Weihang include Swan Lake, the largest haven for swans flying from north to south, as well as Xixiakou (wild animal habitat) and World's End Parks.
Beidaihe
This resort is another place that the Yellow Sea can be proud of. Where is it located? Where the Great Wall of China begins. This part of the wall is called the "Dragon's Head". It has excellent architecture. The city is also attractive for tourists with its extensive sandy beaches, comfortable hotels, pleasant climate, and pristine beautiful landscape. The swimming season lasts from May to October. There are many places for entertainment: dolphinarium, water parks, safaris.
Jeju Island
The most famous resort is about. Jeju. It belongs to the Republic of Korea. This paradise island in the Yellow Sea is famous for a unique natural phenomenon, which is called the Korean analogue of the miracle of Moses. “What does it represent?” - for sureyou will ask. So, not far from Chejudo there are two small islands - Modo and Chindo, they are separated from each other by a small part of the land flooded with water. From time to time, namely 3 times a year, the water between them recedes due to low tide, and then a narrow strip of land 30 meters wide and about three kilometers long appears in the form of a path along which you can go from one island to another, without soaking his feet. Naturally, this is a great bait for tourists, and many of them want to walk along the “mysterious” path by all means, making their innermost desires. The low tide period is the busiest for Korea's Jeju island, which is known to foreigners as a paradise island in the Yellow Sea. By the way, in the old days it was called Quelpart. It was under this name that the Europeans knew him. The local climate (subtropical) is much more pleasant than in the whole republic, so it is a favorite vacation spot for the residents of South Korea itself. Newlyweds also like to come here during their honeymoon. Especially for them, a beautiful amusement park called “Love Land” - “Land of Love” is organized on the island. The island is home to the Hallasan Volcano, the highest point in the country. At its foot is a snow-white beach - a paradise for vacationers. By the way, the island is of volcanic origin, and its symbol is a huge statue of an old man carved out of volcanic rock. In 2007, the nature of Jeju was taken under the care of the international organization UNESCO.
Another interesting feature of this island is that matriarchy still exists here - the structure of family relationships in which the woman - the mother of the family - occupies the dominant place. The roots of this social phenomenon go back centuries: the islanders have always been famous for their courage and devotion to the family, they made a living by diving to great depths without any special devices for harvesting the “harvest” - seafood. On the island there is a cult of hene - “women of the sea”.
Chindo Island
Chindo is another popular resort island in the Yellow Sea. Here, tourists can enjoy a serene vacation among natural beauties on a piece of land with a well-developed tourist infrastructure, among green and yellow expanses. The memories of tourists who have already managed to discover the Yellow Sea, the reviews of vacationers are always the warmest and most positive. By the way, Chindo is not just an island, but a whole archipelago. It consists of 45 small but inhabited and more than 180 uninhabited islets and rocks. Sightseeing lovers have a lot to see on Jindo. For example, a monument to the famous and highly revered Admiral Lee Sun Sin in all of Korea. The island is also famous for its special breed of dog, the Chindokke. You must have thought about whether these dogs are a delicacy of Korean cuisine? By no means, they are revered and somewhat sacred creatures in this territory. As on Jeju Island, here the main attraction is the “miracle of Moses”, because it is between him and Modois a fantastic path. Tourists can also be attracted to the island by the beauty of the national park. This is just a delightful picture: hundreds of small islands and rocks scattered over the water surface, indented coasts, a stunningly beautiful sunset, during which the yellowness of the sea becomes most noticeable. In a word, the scenery here is excellent. They are truly worthy of the brushes of great artists.
Interesting facts
During the Russo-Japanese War, two large-scale naval battles took place in the Yellow Sea. One of them is devoted to many literary and artistic works. Surely many people know the song about the famous cruiser "Varyag" and its brave crew. Well, it's about a Russian warship that took part in one of those naval battles in the Yellow Sea.
