Editing Sea of Azov (section)

==Coastal features and major population centres==
{{see also|Spits of the Sea of Azov}}
[[File:AzovseaNASA3.jpg|thumb|Major spits of the Sea of Azov: 1. Arabat 2. Fedotov 3. Obitochna 4. Berdyansk 5. Belosaraysk 6. Krivaya 7. Beglitsk 8. Glafirovsk (east) and Yeysk (west) 9. Dolgaya 10. Kamyshevatsk 11. Yasensk 12. Achuevsk 13. Chushka]]

Many rivers flowing into the Sea of Azov form bays, [[lagoon]]s and [[Liman (landform)|limans]]. The sand, silt and shells{{Verify source|date=June 2024|reason=Need specific source for the shells being mainly riverine rather than marine, as this is doubtful.}} they bring are deposited in the areas of reduced flow, that is the sides of the bays, forming narrow sandbanks called [[spit (landform)|spits]]. Typical maximum depth in the bays and limans is a few metres. Because of shallow waters and abundant rivers, the spits are remarkably long and numerous in the sea – the [[Arabat Spit]] stretches over {{convert|112|km}} and is one of the world's longest spits; three other spits, Fedotov Spit, Achuevsk Spit and Obitochna Spit, are longer than 30&nbsp;km. Most spits stretch from north to south and their shape can significantly change over just several years.<ref name=r2>{{Cite web|url=http://www.coruna.coastdyn.ru/theme/azov.pdf|title=Complex characteristics of the present condition of the Sea of Azov shore within the Krasnodar Krai|website=www.coruna.coastdyn.ru|accessdate=Jul 29, 2022}}</ref><ref name=b1>{{cite book |last=Lotysh |first=I.P. |title=Geography of Kuban. Collegiate Dictionary |publisher=Maikop |year=2006}}{{Full citation needed|date=June 2024|reason=Is this citation accurate? Is this an English source or is it perhaps Большой академический словарь русского языка?}}</ref>

A remarkable feature of the Sea of Azov is the large complex of shallow lagoons called [[Syvash]] or "Rotten Sea". Their typical depth is only 0.5–1 metres with a maximum of 3 metres. They cover an area of {{convert|2560|km2}} in the northeastern [[Crimea]] which is separated from the sea by the Arabatsk Spit. North of the spit lies the city of [[Henichesk]] (population 22,500) and south of it is the [[Bay of Arabat]].<ref name=arabat>{{cite book |last=Semenov |first=Petr Petrovich |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HlEFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA111 |language=ru |title=Geografichesko-statisticheskìĭ slovar' Rossìĭskoĭ imperìi (Geographical-statistical dictionary of Russian Empire) |publisher=Oxford University |year=1862 |page=111}}</ref> Syvash accepts up to 1.5&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup> of Azov water per year. Because of the lagoons' wide extent and shallowness, the water rapidly evaporates, resulting in the high salinity of 170 on the [[Salinity|practical salinity scale]]. For this reason Syvash has long had an important salt-producing industry.<ref name=k66>Kostianoy, p. 66</ref>

[[File:AzovSeaCities.png|thumb|Population centres on the Sea of Azov]]
North of the Arabat Spit is the [[Molochnyi Liman]] with the associated Fedotov Spit (45&nbsp;km long) which are formed by the [[Molochna River]]. Farther north, between the Fedotov Spit and Obytochna Spit (30&nbsp;km long), lies Obytochny Bay. Further north, between Obytochna Spit and Berdyansk Spit (23&nbsp;km long), is Berdyansk Bay with two cities, [[Berdyansk]] (population 112,000) and [[Prymorsk|Primorsk]] (population 13,900). Further north again lies Belosaraysk Bay with Belosaraysk Spit, formed by the river [[Kalmius]]. The major city in the area is [[Mariupol]] (population 491,600). Then, approaching the [[Taganrog Bay]] and very close to [[Taganrog]], are the Mius Liman and Krivaya Spit formed by the [[Mius River]].<ref name=b1/>

With an area of about {{convert|5600|km2}}, [[Taganrog Bay]] is the largest bay of the Sea of Azov. It is located in the north-eastern part of the Sea and is bounded by the Belosaraysk and [[Dolgaya Spit]]s. The [[Don River (Russia)|Don]] flows into it from the north-east. On its shores stand the two principal cities of the Sea of Azov, [[Taganrog]] (population 257,600) and [[Azov]] (population 83,200). South-east of the bay is Yeysk Liman. It lies entirely on the continent, entering the Taganrog Bay through the Yeysk and Glafirovsk Spits, and is the mouth of the [[Yeya River]]. Yeysk Spit is part of [[Yeysk]] city, which has a population of 87,500. It extends into the prominent Yeysk peninsula, which is tipped in the north-west by the [[Dolgaya Spit]]. South of it, also enclosed by the continent, lies Beisug Liman, which is restricted by the Yasensk Spit and is fed by the [[Beysug River]]. South-west of the liman, the 31&nbsp;km long Achuevsk Spit runs along the coastline. Between the Achuevsk spit and Beisug Liman stands [[Primorsko-Akhtarsk]] with 32,165 inhabitants.<ref name=r2/><ref name=b1/>

[[File:Sea of Azov.jpg|thumb|A spit in the Sea of Azov]]
In the south, the Sea of Azov is connected to the Black Sea via the [[Strait of Kerch]], which is bordered to the west by the Kerch peninsula of the [[Crimea]] and to the east by the Russian Taman peninsula in [[Krasnodar Krai]]. The city of [[Kerch]] (population 151,300) is located on the Kerch peninsula, and the Taman peninsula contains the delta of the [[Kuban (river)|Kuban]], a major Russian river. The strait is 41 kilometres long and 4 to 15 kilometres wide. Its narrowest part lies on the Sea of Azov side, restricted by the [[Chushka Spit]] which faces southwards in consequence of the [[Discharge (hydrology)|outflow]] from the Azov to the Black Sea.<ref>{{GSEn|060810|Керченский пролив (Kerch Strait)}}</ref>

The Strait of Kerch is spanned by the [[Crimean Bridge]], which was opened in May 2018. This is a major geopolitical issue since shipping vessels over a certain size can not pass under the span.<ref>{{cite news |last=Choursina |first= Kateryna |date=25 July 2018 |title=Ukraine Complains Russia Is Using New Crimea Bridge to Disrupt Shipping |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-25/ukraine-complains-russia-uses-crimea-bridge-to-disrupt-shipping |work=Bloomberg |access-date=1 September 2018 }}<br/>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=15 May 2018 |title=Putin Opens Crimean Bridge Condemned By Kyiv, EU |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-to-attend-opening-of-bridge-linking-russia-to-crimea/29227926.html |work=Radio Free Europe |access-date=1 September 2018 }}<br/>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Putin Inaugurates Bridge to Crimea |url=https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/putin-inaugurates-bridge-to-crimea#gs.cY3JWAg |work=The Maritime Executive |date=5 May 2018 |access-date=1 September 2018 }}</ref> Since then Russia has been accused of interdicting shipping through the Kerch Strait.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=U.S. Accuses Russia of Harassing Ukrainian Shipping |url=https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/u-s-accuses-russia-of-harassing-ukrainian-shipping#gs.XVtrcdM |work=Maritime Executive |date=30 August 2018 |access-date=1 September 2018}}<br/>{{cite magazine |last=Sharkov |first=Damien |date=31 August 2018 |title=Russia is Blocked 'Hundreds" of Ships from Ukraine's Ports and the U.S. Wants it to Stop |url=https://www.newsweek.com/russia-blocking-hundreds-ships-ukraines-ports-and-us-wants-it-stop-1099801 |magazine=Newsweek |access-date=2 September 2018 }}</ref>