Dardanelles Strait – Turkey

Current Context: Turkey recently closed the Dardanelles Strait to ships because of nearby forest fires.

About Dardanelles Strait:

• Narrow waterway in northwestern Turkey, linking the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara.
• Separates Europe from the tip of Asia Minor.
• Ancient name: Hellespont – named after a mythical princess, Helle.
• Length: 61 km, width: 1.2 to 6.5 km.
• Connects with the Bosporus Strait, which links to the Black Sea – together they form the only sea route from the Black Sea to the rest of the world.
• Gallipoli Peninsula lies on its west side.
• Important ports: Gallipoli, Eceabat, Çanakkale (all in Turkey).