Swimming Through The Sea 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Aegean Sea

Located between the Balkan (Greece) and Anatolian (Turkey) peninsulas, the Aegean Sea has been historically important since ancient times. The first European civilization - built by the Minoans on the island of Crete - began there, and the sea continued to be important to ancient people who lived on the Greek islands and mainland, creating a need for the shipbuilding and seafaring trades, as well as providing important foodstuffs for the people.

Answer: Caspian Sea

The largest lake in the world, the Caspian Sea is completely enclosed by land. It is not freshwater, however, which explains its classification as a sea. Evidence found in the area, remains of Homo erectus fossils, suggest that man has been living in the region for over a million years. Today the area is known for its oil reserves and deposits of natural gas.

Answer: Black Sea

Originally called "Pontus Axeinus" or "inhospitable sea" by the ancient Greeks because of the hostile people, the name was eventually changed to "Pontus Euxinus", or "hospitable sea" by the same ancient Greeks; it was written that they founded over 80 colonies on its shores. Why is it called the Black Sea today? That question is still being debated! One of the explanations is that it had to do with color representations of the cardinal points north, south, east, and west. Black or dark was the color of the north.

Answer: Coral Sea

The Coral Sea, located between northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, gained its name because of the number of coral formations found there. It contains the largest reef system, the Great Barrier Reef, which is found off the cost of Queensland, Australia. Known for its warm, tropical climate, the Coral Sea was the site of a major naval battle between the Japanese and the United States and Australia during WWII.

Answer: Arabian Sea

Known by many names throughout history, such as the Persian Sea or the Indian Sea, the Arabian Sea has been an important trade area since the 3rd century BC. The main trade route between Europe and Asia for centuries, there are still many important seaports on the Arabian Sea, including Karachi, Pakistan, and Port of Salalah, Oman, which is used by the International Task Force as a base.

Answer: South China Sea

A very important location to the world's economy, it is estimated that 33% of the world's shipping passes through the South China Sea annually, resulting in $3 trillion in trade. It is also the location of fisheries, as well as oil and gas reserves. Called the South Sea in China, and the East Sea in Vietnam, it is a vital economic asset to those who live on its borders, and is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world today.

Answer: Caribbean Sea

Named after the Carib Indians who were native to the area, the Caribbean Sea is the fourth largest sea by area in the world. It is believed that Christopher Columbus was the first European to enter the Caribbean in 1492. After that, of course, it became the main shipping area for the Spanish colonization of the New World, although other countries did found colonies nearby. Today the area is important for the tourist trade and the production of goods, such as coffee and sugar.

Answer: North Sea

Because so many different nations border on the North Sea, it has been known by several names, such as the Frisian Sea and Noordzee. Very important to trade and the fishing industry, the North Sea has also both protected England from invasion, and created the path from which invasion occurred. Today, all of the bordering countries have claimed their territorial waters, that are not only rich in fish, but also oil and natural gas reserves.

Answer: Red Sea

Famously crossed by Moses and the Hebrews as they escaped from Egyptian slavery, the Red Sea may have been given its name because of the seasonal blooming of "Trichodesmium erythraeum", a bacteria that grows near the surface of the water. Trading on the Red Sea was so valuable to the ancient Egyptians that they dug at least two canals in the desert that linked the Nile River with the sea.

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 linked the waterway with the Mediterranean Sea, which greatly increased the value of the Red Sea as a shipping lane.

Answer: Sea of Okhotsk

The Sea of Okhotsk, located in the western Pacific Ocean, was named after the first Far East Russian settlement, which became the most important Russian Pacific base from 1650-1860. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was an important center of the whaling industry for both Europe and the United States. Today, oil and natural gas have been discovered along the coast.