Sea of Azov

Sea of Azov
Sea of Azov shoreline at Yalta, Donetsk Oblast
Sea of Azov Location within Black Sea Sea of Azov Location within Europe
Sea of Azov, upper right
Coordinates	46°N 37°E
Type	Sea
Primary inflows	Don and Kuban
Basin countries	Russia, Ukraine
Max. length	360 km (220 mi)
Max. width	180 km (110 mi)
Surface area	39,000 km2 (15,000 sq mi)
Average depth	7 metres (23 ft)
Max. depth	14 m (46 ft)
Water volume	290 km3 (240×10^6 acre⋅ft)

The Sea of Azov is an inland shelf sea in Eastern Europe connected to the Black Sea by the narrow (about 4 km (2.5 mi)) Strait of Kerch, and sometimes regarded as a northern extension of the Black Sea. The sea is bounded by Russia on the east, and by Ukraine on the northwest and southwest (the parts of Ukraine bordering the sea have been under Russian occupation since 2022). It is an important access route for Central Asia, from the Caspian Sea via the Volga–Don Canal.

The sea is largely affected by the inflow of the Don, Kuban, and other rivers, which bring sand, silt, and shells, which in turn form numerous bays, limans, and narrow spits. Because of these deposits, the sea bottom is relatively smooth and flat, with the depth gradually increasing toward the middle. Because of the river inflow, water in the sea has low salinity and a high amount of biomass (such as green algae) that affects the water colour. Abundant plankton result in unusually high fish productivity. The sea shores and spits are low; they are rich in vegetation and bird colonies. The Sea of Azov is the shallowest sea in the world, with the depth varying between 0.9 and 14 metres (3 and 46 ft). There is a constant outflow of water from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.