The Gulf of Riga is also known as Rigas Juras Licis in Latvian and Rizhsky Zaliv in Russian.The Gulf of Riga, or Bay of Riga, is located between Latvia on the northern coast and Estonia on the eastern coast. It’s a bay present along the Baltic sea with several major cities located in the vicinity.A gulf is a part of a sea or an ocean that is enclosed on some sides by land. The Irbe Strait connects the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea. This gulf extends for approximately 7000 sq m in surface area, but it’s quite shallow compared to other gulfs. The Gulf of Riga has several islands like Saaremaa, Kinhu, and Ruhnu. There are several ports on the coasts of the gulf, including one of the main ports which is located in the capital city of Riga. The coastline of the Gulf of Riga also attracts several tourists, as they are a popular tourist destination in Europe.Read on to know more about the importance of the Gulf of Riga.The Gulf Of Riga And Pärnu BayThe Gulf of Riga is a bay that is connected from the Baltic Sea via the Irbe Strait. On the sub-basin of the Baltic is located the Vainameri Sea, which is connected to the Gulf of Riga by the Suur Strait.The area between the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga contains islands like Muhu, which are controlled by Estonia. The coasts of the gulf are low, and the maximum depth of the gulf is about 177 ft (53.9 m), making it a shallow bay.Many rivers like the Western Dvina reach the sea, while the Saaremaa islands shield the salt waters away from the Gulf of Riga. Daugava River, Pärnu River, Lielupe River, Gauja River, and Salacia River are the major rivers that pour into the gulf. This makes the water in the gulf brackish, i.e. less salty than seawater, as it has a constant flow of freshwater coming in from the rivers. The low salinity level also leads to freezing waters in winter. The Gulf of Riga freezes over in winters, mainly from December to April. A thick layer of ice forms on the surface of the bay at this time, which is so strong that many people actually walk on the surface to cross the bay. The thickest recorded layer of ice was in 1941, when it was almost 35.4 in (90 cm) thick.Parnu Bay is an area located at the mouth of the river Parnu, which is also a city named Parnu, located in Estonia. Parnu Bay holds a very significant port of Estonia, which is also a popular tourist destination with several holiday resorts. Parnu Bay is part of the Gulf of Riga.The Historic City Of Riga, LatviaRiga is the capital city of the country of Latvia. Latvia was occupied by the Soviets before World War I, and by Nazi Germany during World War II. Riga was declared the administrative capital of Ostland, which included the countries of Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, and Lithuania.In October 1944, the Soviets captured the area again and Riga became the Soviet Baltic Military District’s command post for several years later.Today, Riga has a very busy port located on the coast of the Gulf of Riga, which is the main location of transport and transit trade between Russia and Belarus to other European ports. The airport of the city of Riga is the center of national airlines called AirBaltic, which carries people every day to various European countries.Riga is involved in the primary production of machine tools, diesel engines, building and repairing ships, etc. The historic center of Riga was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.The Location Of The Gulf Of RigaThe Gulf of Riga is a bay located between the countries of Latvia on the northern side and Estonia on the eastern and southern part.On the northern part, one can find the islands of Saaremaa and Muhu which separate the Gulf of Riga from the Baltic Sea.The Marine Life In The Gulf Of RigaRivers, such as the rivers Dvina and Daugava enter into the Gulf of Riga, which makes the water of the gulf brackish. This has a substantial impact on marine life as the freshwater reduces the salinity of the water to 0.5-2% in the southern part of the gulf.The salinity increases gradually in the northern part as it grows higher there, up to 7%.Many species of crustaceans inhabit the waters of the Gulf of Riga. The most commonly found species of fish in the gulf are Baltic herring (Clupea harengus) and sprat (Sprattus Sprattus). The high level of oxygen in waters creates favorable conditions for pelagic fish and benthic organisms. Many phytobenthic species of marine life are also found in the waters of the Gulf of Riga, mainly because of the low salinity levels and silty sediments.Why It’s Important To Protect Our GulfsMany people from the bordering countries on the Gulf of Riga depend on fishing as their primary profession. Ice fishing in winters is also practiced commonly and is a basic source of food for many families.Although the people are not very aware of the adverse effects of climate change on the small Gulf of Riga, there are several organizations that are taking steps to ensure that the people are vigilant and trying not to pollute or harm the marine life in the Gulf of Riga.The government of Latvia has made several coastal policies, in which some areas have been marked under the Protection Zone Law. Areas like the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea are covered under these policies, wherein they have established some basic rules for protecting these zones, maintaining the conditions there as well as forming a proper procedure in doing so.Several economic activities which are considered harmful for marine and ecological life are restricted under this policy. Also, many tourist sites along the coast of the Gulf of Riga have been equipped with billboards and signs with information about restricted actions in order to maintain the natural balance of the Gulf of Riga.The Gulf of Riga, also known as the Harbor of Riga or the Gulf of Livonia, is a Baltic Sea Bay that separates Latvia and Estonia. It’s separated from the rest of the Baltic Sea by the island of Saaremaa. The Irbe Strait is the principal link between the Gulf and the Baltic Sea. The Väinameri Sea in the West Estonian archipelago is part of the Gulf of Riga, which is a Baltic sub-basin.Estonia controls the major islands in the gulf, including Saaremaa island, Kihnu island, and Ruhnu island. Kihnu is 6.3 sq mi (16.4 sq km) in size. Because it is somewhat ‘shielded’ from the Baltic Sea, these major islands are responsible for the brackish water of the Gulf of Riga.Freshwater runoff enters the Baltic Sea in small amounts, accounting for only 2% of its total volume. Water in the Baltic stays in the Baltic for an average of 30 years due to its short link to the North Sea. The steep and soft substrate there is very famous. The Baltic coastal waters are one of the most famous freshwaters in the world.The wide coastal zone in northern Europe has major cities near the Väinameri sea, famous for its gentle slopes. The waters in the Ruhnu island have a shallow body. Riga, Pärnu, Jurmala, and Kuressaare are also notable cities along the gulf. Daugava River, Pärnu River, Lielupe River, Gauja River, and Salacia River are the major rivers that pour into the gulf.The Pärnu Bay is in the southern part of the gulf near the Gotland Basin. Haapsalu Bay is in the phytobenthic zone of the gulf.
The Gulf of Riga is also known as Rigas Juras Licis in Latvian and Rizhsky Zaliv in Russian.
