Ligurian Sea Facts for Kids

The Ligurian Sea.

The Ligurian Sea is a part of the big Mediterranean Sea. It sits between the beautiful Italian Riviera (which includes areas like Liguria and Tuscany) and the island of Corsica. This sea likely got its name from an old group of people called the Ligures.

Where is the Ligurian Sea?
- Key Features of the Sea
Protecting Sea Animals
- The Cetacean Sanctuary
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Where is the Ligurian Sea?

The Ligurian Sea touches the countries of Italy, France, and Monaco. To the east, it connects with the Tyrrhenian Sea. To the west, it joins the main part of the Mediterranean Sea. Genoa is the largest and most important city found along its shores.

Key Features of the Sea

The northernmost part of the Ligurian Sea is called the Gulf of Genoa. The Arno River flows into this sea from the east. Many important ports like Genoa, La Spezia, and Livorno are located on its rocky coast. The sea is very deep, reaching more than 9,300 feet (2,850 meters) in some areas northwest of Corsica.

Protecting Sea Animals

The Ligurian Sea is a special place for many sea creatures. It is home to different kinds of cetaceans, which are sea mammals like whales and dolphins. (You won't find porpoises in this part of the Mediterranean Sea.)

The Cetacean Sanctuary

To help protect these amazing animals, the countries around the Ligurian Sea decided to make it a special protected area in 1999. This area is known as a SPAMI. The official name for this protected zone is the International Ligurian Sea Cetacean Sanctuary. It covers a huge area of 84,000 square kilometers (about 32,400 square miles). This sanctuary includes both the waters close to land (called territorial waters) and the open ocean (called the high sea).