Gulf of Trieste

The Gulf of Trieste is a shallow bay in the extreme northern part of the Adriatic Sea. It is part of the Gulf of Venice and is shared by Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. It is closed to the south by the peninsula of Istria, the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, shared between Croatia and Slovenia. The entire Slovenian sea is part of the Gulf of Trieste.

Gulf of Trieste
Gulf of Trieste highlighted in red within the Adriatic Sea
Gulf of Trieste
Location	Europe
Coordinates	45°40′N 13°35′E / 45.667°N 13.583°E / 45.667; 13.583
Basin countries	Italy, Slovenia, Croatia

Surface area	550 km² (210 sq mi)
Average depth	18.7 m (61 ft)
Max. depth	37.25 m (122.2 ft)
Water volume	9,500 km³ (7.7×10⁹ acre⋅ft)
Salinity	35-38 PSU

Settlements	Trieste, Koper

Overview

The gulf is limited by an imaginary line connecting the Punta Tagliamento on the Italian and Savudrija (Punta Salvore) on the Croatian coast. Its area is approximately 550 square kilometres (210 sq mi), its average depth is 18.7 metres (61 ft), and its maximum depth is 37 metres (121 ft). With the exception of flat islets blocking the entrance to Marano-Grado lagoon, there are no islands in the gulf. Its eastern coasts, with Trieste and the Slovenian Littoral, have more rugged relief.

The sea current in the gulf flows counterclockwise. Its average speed is 0.8 knots. Tides in the gulf are among the largest in the Adriatic Sea, but nevertheless do not usually exceed 60 centimetres (24 in). The average salinity is 37–38‰, but in the summer it falls below 35‰.

Its most prominent features are:

The Bay of Panzano in Italy
The Bay of Muggia in Italy
The Bay of Grignano in Italy
The Gulf of Koper in Slovenia
The Gulf of Piran, the sovereignty over which has been a matter of dispute between Croatia and Slovenia since 1991.

The entire Slovenian coastline is located on the Gulf of Trieste. Its length is 46.6 kilometres (29.0 mi). Towns along the coastline include (from east to west) Koper, Izola, and Piran.

Overview

See also