Inland Seas

seas that protrude deeply into the land and are connected to the ocean or adjoining seas by one or several straits. They are greatly influenced by the land adjacent to them—in some seas the surface salt water is strongly diluted by the heavy influx of river water (for example, in the Baltic, Black, or Azov seas), and in others there is increased salinity as a result of the action of a dry climate and the weak influence of the continental flow combined with a high rate of evaporation (for example, in the Red or Mediterranean seas). Closed cyclic circulation of surface waters is characteristic of inland seas. For the specifications of hydrological regulations, inland seas are subdivided into the categories of mediterranean seas and semienclosed seas.

seas that extend deep within the boundaries of one continent. They are a particular case of mediterranean seas. Examples of inland seas are the Baltic and White seas, the Sea of Azov, and Hudson Bay.