Burgas Bay
Encyclopedia
Burgas Bay is the largest bay of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast
and one of the largest ones in the Black Sea
. It is 41 km at its widest and 25 m at its deepest, reaching 31 km at its greatest innermost extent,http://www.omda.bg/engl/priroda/gines_pr.html approximately where the Bulgaria
n city and major port
of Burgas
is located. Other towns in the region include Pomorie
, Sozopol
and Nesebar
. The Burgas Bay is the Black Sea's westernmost point.
The bay gets narrow to the west. While the northern coast is lower and has two big peninsulas, at Nesebar and Pomorie, the southern part of the bay is rougher, with many little inlets and headlands. The water's salinity in the bay is 17‰; the sand is of magnetite
origin. The Burgas Lakes
are located in the wetlands to the west.
There are several small islands in the southern part of Burgas Bay, most notably St. Ivan Island
and St. Peter Island
, St. Anastasia Island
(the old Bolshevik), St. Thomas Island
(popularly the Snake Island).
Bulgarian Black Sea Coast
The Bulgarian Black Sea Coast covers the entire eastern bound of Bulgaria stretching from the Romanian Black Sea resorts in the north to European Turkey in the south, along 378 km of coastline. White and golden sandy beaches occupy approximately 130 km of the 378 km long coast...
and one of the largest ones in the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. It is 41 km at its widest and 25 m at its deepest, reaching 31 km at its greatest innermost extent,http://www.omda.bg/engl/priroda/gines_pr.html approximately where the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n city and major port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
of Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
is located. Other towns in the region include Pomorie
Pomorie
Pomorie is a town and seaside resort in southeastern Bulgaria, located on a narrow rocky peninsula in Burgas Bay on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is situated in Burgas Province, 20 km away from the city of Burgas and 18 km from the Sunny Beach resort. The ultrasaline lagoon...
, Sozopol
Sozopol
Sozopol is an ancient seaside town located 35 km south of Burgas on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Today it is one of the major seaside resorts in the country, known for the Apollonia art and film festival that is named after one of the town's ancient names.The busiest times of the year...
and Nesebar
Nesebar
Nesebar is an ancient town and one of the major seaside resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, located in Burgas Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Nesebar Municipality...
. The Burgas Bay is the Black Sea's westernmost point.
The bay gets narrow to the west. While the northern coast is lower and has two big peninsulas, at Nesebar and Pomorie, the southern part of the bay is rougher, with many little inlets and headlands. The water's salinity in the bay is 17‰; the sand is of magnetite
Magnetite
Magnetite is a ferrimagnetic mineral with chemical formula Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides and a member of the spinel group. The chemical IUPAC name is iron oxide and the common chemical name is ferrous-ferric oxide. The formula for magnetite may also be written as FeO·Fe2O3, which is one part...
origin. The Burgas Lakes
Burgas Lakes
The Burgas Lakes or Burgas Wetlands are a group of coastal lakes of varying saltiness located around the Bulgarian city of Burgas in the proximity of the Black Sea...
are located in the wetlands to the west.
There are several small islands in the southern part of Burgas Bay, most notably St. Ivan Island
St. Ivan Island
St. Ivan Island is the largest Bulgarian island in the Black Sea, with an area of . It lies off the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast near Sozopol, a town with rich history and a popular tourist place, and is separated by a strait several hundred metres long from the small neighbouring St. Peter Island....
and St. Peter Island
St. Peter Island
St Peter Island is an island on the south coast of South Australia near Ceduna to the south of Denial Bay. It is the second largest island in South Australia and about 13km long...
, St. Anastasia Island
St. Anastasia Island
St. Anastasia Island is a Bulgarian islet in the Black Sea. It is located 1.5 km off the coast near Chernomorets, at 12 metres above sea level, and embraces a territory of 0.022 km². It is the only inhabited island off the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast.The island is supplied with...
(the old Bolshevik), St. Thomas Island
St. Thomas Island
St. Thomas Island or Snake Island is a Bulgarian island in the Black Sea, 15 km south of Sozopol. It has an area of 0,012 square kilometres and is the only place in Bulgaria where wild cacti grow, brought from Bratislava, Slovakia and planted on the orders of Tsar Boris III in 1933. They...
(popularly the Snake Island).