How many do you know? Do you know all 20 United Nation Member States that have coastline on the Mediterranean Sea?  

Test your knowledge, write down the names in the book and then check your answers here.

Think about these questions and discuss:
-Which country do you think has the largest population?
-Which one covers the greatest area?
-Which country touching the Mediterranean has is the smallest and with the least number of people?
-Which one is made up of the most islands?

Some fun facts about these countries:
-Egypt has the largest population
-Algeria has the greatest area
-Monaco has the smallest size and population
-Greece has the greatest number of islands!

There are over 10000 islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Most are small and uninhabited (no people live there), and most of these islands are found in Greece!

Test your knowledge, write down the names of islands you know in the book and then check your answers here. Of course, here are only some of the main ones, you may know more in the area around where you live!

Think about these questions and discuss:
-How were these islands formed?
-Which islands have active volcanoes?

Some fun facts about islands in the Mediterranean:
-Islands can form in many ways, through tectonics, erosion, and changing sea level. However, some of these islands have volcanic origins and a few are actively erupting!
-Have you heard of Stromboli? It has been considered the "lighthouse of the Mediterranean" from antiquity because of it's regular eruptions. What about Etna? It is Europe's largest active volcano and is found on the Eastern side of Sicily.  

The Mediterranean Sea is connected to our one big Ocean at the narrow Strait of Gibraltar, which is only 14km wide. This is the one and only area where water, species and boats from the Atlantic can enter and where water from the Mediterranean Sea can exit. It is quiet an important place!

Think about these questions and discuss:
-How big is 14km? Find a reference point that is 14km away from where you live.
-What would happen if the Strait was completely blocked?  

Some fun facts about the Strait of Gibraltar:
-On a clear day you can see Africa from Europe (and vice versa) because 14 km is only about the distance of 140 soccer fields!
-The Strait of Gibraltar actually closed due to tectonic processes about 6 million years ago and because more water was evaporating than entering the basin, the Sea actually started to dry up! It never completely disappeared but sea level in the Mediterranean started to get lower until finally the Strait reopened and water from the Atlantic filled it up again. 

Two currents of water are found at the place where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea meet, a surface current flows in from the Atlantic and a deep current flows out from the Mediterranean. 

Think about these questions and discuss:
-Why is the arrow going in red?
-Why is the arrow going our blue?
-Why is the water going out deep?

Some fun facts about the exchange of water:
-The red arrow is for warmer surface waters that are entering from the Atlantic Ocean. The temperature of these waters varies over the course of the year with the warmest waters passing into the Mediterranean in the summer.
-The blue arrow is for colder deep waters that exit the Mediterranean, remember, as you go deeper under the surface the water is no longer absorbing sunlight and so it is colder.
-Why does this water sink? In the Mediterranean there is a lot of evaporation, but only the water evaporates and leaves the salt behind. The salts build up making the water saltier and as we saw before saltier water is also denser, and heavier, so it sinks. In face, the water leaving the Mediterranean is colder, saltier and denser as it flows out, compared to the warmer and less salty water that flows in. 

The Mediterranean Sea can be divided into two halves, the Eastern basin and the Western basin, remember, basins are areas separated by natural boundaries. These halves can be split further into smaller basins.

Think about these questions and discuss:
-Why is the Eastern basin warmer and saltier?
-Which basin has greater biodiversity? 

Some fun facts about the basins:
-The Eastern basin has higher evaporation and a drier climate that leads to saltier waters while the Western basin has more rainfall and freshwater from rivers.

-Both basins have biodiversity and unique species for different ecosystems, however, both basins are now impacted by human pollution and invasive species.

The Mediterranean Sea receives freshwater from many rivers, here are just some of them, you may know others in the area around where you live or have visited. 

Think about these questions and discuss:
-What is the longest river that ends in the Mediterranean Sea?
-What river passes through Rome?

Some fun facts about the rivers:
-You may already know that the Nile is the longest river in the world, and it ends in the Mediterranean Sea! You may not know that the Nile looks much different today than how it looked during the times of the Ancient Egyptians. The main reason is because of the Aswan dam that was built in 1970.
-Today the Tiber river passes through Modern day Rome, however, in the past is ran next to the Ancient city which was built on seven hills that overlooked the river. 

The coastline around the Mediterranean Sea is home to many cities. This area has become a huge tourist destination in part because of attractive seaside towns.

Think about these questions and do a class survey while you are drawing the coastline:
-What is your favourite coastal city in the Mediterranean Sea?
-What Country do you want to visit that you haven't visited yet that has Mediterranean coastline?