Source: DD News
Subject: Mapping
Context: Finland has seized a ship suspected of damaging an undersea telecom cable in the Baltic Sea, amid heightened NATO alert following repeated incidents targeting critical subsea infrastructure since the Ukraine conflict.
About Baltic Sea:
What it is?
- The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed, shallow, brackish water body and an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean, making it the largest expanse of brackish water in the world. It has historically served as a major trade and strategic maritime corridor in northern Europe.
Located in: Northern Europe
- Extends from southern Denmark in the southwest to near the Arctic Circle in the north
- Connected to the North Sea through narrow straits such as the Øresund, Great Belt and Little Belt.
Bordering nations: The Baltic Sea is bordered by nine countries:
- Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany.
- Eight of these are NATO members, adding to its geopolitical significance.
Key features:
- Low salinity (brackish water): Due to limited connection with the North Sea and large freshwater inflow from rivers like the Vistula and Oder.
- Shallow seabed: Makes undersea cables and pipelines vulnerable to damage and sabotage.
- Sub-regions: Includes the Gulf of Finland, Gulf of Bothnia, Gulf of Riga, and straits like Kattegat and Skagerrak.
- Strategic infrastructure hub: Hosts critical energy pipelines, power cables and telecom links.
- Cold climate and seasonal ice: Parts of the sea freeze in winter, especially in the Gulfs of Bothnia and Finland.
