Wendelsǣ
[[Ymele:Mediterranean Sea 16.61811E 38.99124N.jpg|thumb|350px|Onlīcnes be satelīte]]
Se '''Ƿendelsǣ''' is [[sǣ]] betƿeox [[Europe]], þe is benorðan him, and [[Affrica|Affrice]], þe is besūðan him, and [[Asia|Asie]], þe is beēastan him. Hē hæfþ mearce 2.5 þūsend þūsenda fēoƿerscētra þūsendmetera.

Se Englisca nama ''Ƿendelsǣ'' cymþ of þǣm [[Wendel|Wendlum]], þe wǣron Germanisc folc þæt hæfde þā sǣburg [[Cartaina|Cartaine]] geƿunnen. Ac se Ƿendelsǣ hæfþ manige ōðere naman þurh manncynnes stǣr gehæfd. Tō bisene, hine þā Rōmāne hēton oft ''Mare Nostrum'' (Lǣden ƿord þe mǣneþ ''ūre sǣ''). In þǣre [[Biblioþēce|Biblioþēcan]], hātte hē se Grēata Sǣ oþþe se Ƿesterna Sǣ. Þæt Nīƿenglisce ƿord ''Mediterranean'' cymþ of [[Lǣden]]um ƿorde ''mediterraneus'' þe mǣneþ 'in þǣm middle þæs landes' (''medius'' mǣneþ 'middel' and ''terra'' mǣneþ 'land' oþþe 'eorðe')

<center>[[Biliþ:Mediterranean Relief.jpg|350px|Landcarte of þǣm Wendelsǣ]]
[[Biliþ:Locatie Middellandse Zee.PNG|350px]]</center>
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Se Ƿendelsǣ is connected to [[Westsǣ]] be þǣre [[Calpis Nearunes]]se be westen and mid [[Proponditis]] and [[Euxinus]], be [[Ellaspontus]] and [[Bosporos]] respectively, be ēasten. Oft hycgð man Propontis Wendelsǣ dǣl, ac ne Euxinus. Mangewrohtede gedelf, [[Suez Gedelf]], þurh [[Ǣgypt]] be Wendelsǣs ēastsūð ecge hlincþ Wendelsǣ mid þǣm [[Rēad Sǣ|Rēadan Sǣ]].

[[Tide]]s are very limited in the Ƿendelsǣ as a result of the narrow connection mid þǣm [[garsecg]].

The [[Mediterranean climate]] is generally one of wet winters and hot, dry summers. Special crops of the region are [[olive]]s, [[grape]]s, [[orange (fruit)|orange]]s, [[tangerine]]s, and [[cork (material)|cork]]. The region has a long stǣr of civilization.

Large [[island]]s in the Mediterranean include:
* [[Cipros]], [[Crēto]], [[Euboea]] and [[Roðos]] in þǣre ēasternan Ƿendelsǣ.
* [[Sardinia]], [[Corsica]], [[Sicilia]], and [[Melita]] in þǣre middel Ƿendelsǣ
* [[Ibiza]], [[Majorca]] and [[Minorca]] (the [[Baleares Īege]]) in þǣre westernan Ƿendelsǣ

Modern states bordering Ƿendelsǣ sindon:
*'''Europe''' (fram west oð ēast): [[Spēonland]], [[Francland]], [[Monaco]], [[Italia]], [[Melita]] þæt īegland rīce, [[Slofenia]], [[Croatia]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Sweartbeorg]], [[Albania]] and [[Crēcaland]].
*'''Asia''' (fram norþ oþ sūþ): [[Turkey]], [[Syria]], [[Cipros]] þæt īegland rīce, [[Lebanon]], [[Israhēl]] and the [[Palestinian Authority]].
*'''Affrica''' (from ēast oð west): [[Ǣgypt]], [[Libya]], [[Tunisia]], [[Algeria]] and [[Morocco]].

Ƿendelsǣ is bedælede in a number of smaller seas, each with their own designation (from west to east):
* the [[Ligurian Sea]] north of Corsica,
* the [[Tyrrhenian Sea]] enclosed by Sardinia, [[Italian peninsula]] and Sicily,
* the [[Adriatic Sea]] between the Italian peninsula and the [[Dalmatia]]n coast,
* the [[Ionian Sea]] between Italy and Greece,
* the [[Aegean Sea]] between Greece and Turkey, with the [[Thracian Sea]] in its north,
* the [[Mirtoon Sea]] between [[Cyclades]] and the [[Peloponnesos]],
* the [[Sea of Crete]] north of Crete, and
* the [[Sea of Marmara]] between the Aegean and Black Seas.

In addition to the seas, a number of [[gulf]]s and [[strait]]s are also recognised:

*the [[Gulf of Lyon]], south of [[France]]
*the [[Straits of Messina]], between [[Sicily]] and the toe of [[Italy]]
*the [[Gulf of Haifa]], between [[Haifa]] and [[Akko]], [[Israel]]

== Geology of the Mediterranean ==

The geology of the Mediterranean is quite complex, involving multiple periods of drying and re-flooding from the Atlantic Ocean. Sediment samples from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea that include [[evaporite]] minerals, soils, and [[fossil]] plants show that about 7.2 million years ago in the late [[Miocene]] period the [[Strait of Gibraltar]] was blocked and the Mediterranean Sea evaporated into a deep basin with a bottom over two miles below the world ocean level. The Sea was reduced to a couple of lakes with varying [[salt|salinity]] and probably even dried up, leaving for quite some time a desolate salt basin. 

The first solid evidence for this came in the summer of 1970, when geologists aboard the deep sea research and drilling ship ''[[Glomar Challenger]]'' brought up drill cores containing [[gypsum]], [[anhydrite]], [[Halite|rock salt]], and various other evaporite minerals that only form from drying of [[brine]] or seawater. One drill core contained a wind-blown cross-bedded deposit of deep-sea [[foraminifera]]l ooze which had dried into dust and been blown about by a sandstorm and ended up in a brine lake. These layers were alternated with layers containing marine fossils, indicating the different drying and flooding periods. Other evidence of drying comes from the remains of many (now submerged) canyons that were cut into the sides of the Mediterranean basin by river action when it was dry. The area underwent repeated flooding and dessication over a 700,000 year span. About 5.4 million years ago at the start of the [[Pliocene]] period the barrier at the Strait of Gibraltar broke, premanently reflooding the basin.

In the last few centuries, humankind has done much to alter Mediterranean geology. Structures have been built all along the coastlines, exacerbating and rerouting erosional patterns. Many pollution-producing boats travel the sea that unbalance the natural chemical ratios of the region. Beaches have been mismanaged, and the overuse of the sea's natural and marine resources continues to be a problem. This misuse speeds along and/or confounds natural processes. The actual geography has also been altered by the building of dams and canals. The perfect little Sea that geology gave Western history is, in many ways, in great jeopardy.

The Mediterranean was once thought to be the remnant of the [[Tethys Sea]], which formerly girdled the Eastern Hemisphere. It is now known to be a structurally younger basin.

Though the flooding of the Mediterranean happened long before any human being could observe it, it is sometimes referred as a possible basis for the Biblical story of [[Noah]], or even the myth of [[Atlantis]].

==Sēo ēac==
* [[Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and shrub]]
* [[Familial Mediterranean fever]]
* [[Holy League (Mediterranean)]]

== Útanwearde bendass ==
*[http://www.planbleu.org/indexa.htm Environment and Development in the Mediterranean Region]
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{{aganflocc}}
[[Flocc:Sǣ]]
Se Ƿendelsǣ is sǣ betƿeox Europe, þe is benorðan him, and Affrice, þe is besūðan him, and Asie, þe is beēastan him. Hē hæfþ mearce 2.5 þūsend þūsenda fēoƿerscētra þūsendmetera.

Se Englisca nama Ƿendelsǣ cymþ of þǣm Wendlum, þe wǣron Germanisc folc þæt hæfde þā sǣburg Cartaine geƿunnen. Ac se Ƿendelsǣ hæfþ manige ōðere naman þurh manncynnes stǣr gehæfd. Tō bisene, hine þā Rōmāne hēton oft Mare Nostrum (Lǣden ƿord þe mǣneþ ūre sǣ). In þǣre Biblioþēcan, hātte hē se Grēata Sǣ oþþe se Ƿesterna Sǣ. Þæt Nīƿenglisce ƿord Mediterranean cymþ of Lǣdenum ƿorde mediterraneus þe mǣneþ 'in þǣm middle þæs landes' (medius mǣneþ 'middel' and terra mǣneþ 'land' oþþe 'eorðe')

350px|Landcarte of þǣm Wendelsǣ
350px

Flocc:Sǣ