Strait of Messina:
Japan’s Prime Minister emphasized bilateral cooperation in the ambitious plan to build a bridge across Italy’s Strait of Messina recently.
- Strait of Messina is a narrow water body in the Mediterranean Sea in southern Italy.
- It is an example of a strait that runs through a country. It separates mainland Italy and the island of Sicily.
- It is named after the city of Messina, located on the northeastern tip of Sicily.
- It connects the Tyrrhenian Sea in the north with the Ionian Sea in the south. Both are parts of the larger Mediterranean Sea.
- The waters of the strait are known for strong currents, whirlpools, and tidal flows.
- The strait was greatly feared by sailors in antiquity, mainly because of the rocks and whirlpools known as Scylla and Charybdis, which were personified as female monsters in Greek mythology.
- It has a unique marine ecosystem due to its strong water currents.
- The alternating and intense current, abundant phosphorus and nitrogen, and low water temperature support abundant and diverse species.
- It is a migratory route used by fish and other species to access the Mediterranean Sea.
- Every year, several bird species pass through the strait to their breeding grounds in Europe.
