What is Gulf of Riga?
{{Infobox body of water | name = Gulf of Riga | image = Locatie Golf van Riga.PNG | caption = Location in Northern Europe. |pushpin_map=Latvia | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Europe | coords = {{Coord|57|45|N|23|30|E|type:waterbody_scale:2500000|display=inline,title}} | type = | inflow = [[Daugava]], [[Pärnu river]], [[Lielupe]], [[Gauja]], [[Salaca]] | outflow = | catchment = | basin_countries = | length = | width = | area = {{convert|18,000|km2|abbr=on}} | depth = {{convert|26|m|abbr=on}} | max-depth = {{convert|54|m|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Gulf-of-Riga|title=Gulf of Riga &#124; Baltic Sea|website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> | volume = {{convert|424|km3|acre.ft|abbr=on}} | residence_time = 30 | salinity = | shore = | temperature_high = | temperature_low = | frozen = Most or all during winter | islands = | trenches = | benches = | cities = [[Riga]], [[Jūrmala]], [[Pärnu]], [[Kuressaare]], [[Salacgrīva]], [[Saulkrasti]], [[Ainaži]] }} The '''Gulf of Riga''', '''Bay of Riga''', or '''Gulf of Livonia''' is a [[bay]] of the [[Baltic Sea]] between [[Latvia]] and [[Estonia]]. 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 river|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.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Press|first=Associated|date=2013-03-29|title=Latvia rescues 220 people stranded on ice