Gulf of Mexico- a section of the World Ocean, due to the peculiarities of the hydrological regime, equated to the seas (the same can be said, for example, about the Hudson, California and Persian bays). For the peculiar geographical position The Gulf (together with the Caribbean Sea) is often called the American Mediterranean, and the Gulf of Mexico is more than half the size of the Mediterranean Sea.
Outwardly resembling an oval between the Florida and Yucatan peninsulas and the island of Cuba, the Gulf of Mexico, in its hydrological regime, really is a semi-enclosed sea of ​​the western Atlantic Ocean. In the southeast, the bay is connected to the neighboring Caribbean Sea by the Yucatan Strait. In the east it is connected by the Strait of Florida to the Atlantic Ocean.
The basin is quite deep: over 4 km. The relief of the basin is uneven with underwater hills up to 300 m high. In the north, south and east, the bay is framed by a shelf strip up to 250 km wide, where the main oil and gas reserves in the bay are concentrated.
The coastline is uneven and changes during the hurricane season. The banks are mostly flat, and in some places very swampy. The Everglades swamps in the US state of Florida have developed a unique tropical ecosystem, protected in Everglades National Park. The bay coast is also characterized by long sandbanks and islands.
The Gulf of Mexico is one of the warmest bodies of water in the world, although the blissful picture is spoiled by summer and autumn hurricanes. The history of the United States includes the most powerful and destructive: “Ivan” in 2004, “Katrina” and “Rita” in August and September 2005, “Gustav” in 2008. The Gulf of Mexico is also known for the fact that the most powerful current in the World Ocean. Having collected heat reserves in the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Stream enters the Atlantic and flows along the coast of North America.
Mass tourism, which actively developed during the 20th century, led to the formation of vast resort areas on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico: Pensacola, Destin, Miami, Panama City in Florida, Orange Beach in Alabama, Cancun in Mexico. Americans call the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, facing the Gulf of Mexico, the Third Coast of the United States - after the Atlantic and Pacific. A separate area of ​​tourism is amateur fishing in the bay, including shark fishing. Another exotic activity in the Gulf of Mexico is searching for the wrecks of Spanish and pirate ships with valuable cargo. And today, waves occasionally throw up ancient Spanish coins on the sandy shores of the bay: gold doubloons and silver piastres.
Ships have plied the waters of the bay since the 16th century, when the Spaniards carried out treasures taken from the indigenous peoples of Central America on caravels. Currently the Gulf of Mexico is important area shipping: there are ports in the USA, Mexico and Cuba. The ports of New Orleans (Louisiana, USA) and Houston (Texas, USA) are among the ten largest ports in the world. Seven of the ten largest US ports are in the Gulf of Mexico.
Significant reserves of oil and natural gas are concentrated on the shelf of the Gulf of Mexico. Mining is carried out on oil platforms.

Origin

The Gulf of Mexico is believed to have formed about 300 million years ago. There are several theories about its origin. The most plausible version is about the subsidence of the seabed as a result of tectonic processes, while the popular version about the collision of the Earth with a large meteorite, as a result of which a basin of almost regular round shape allegedly appeared, filled over time with the waters of the Mississippi and Atlantic, has not yet received scientific confirmation.

Population

Long before the era of great geographical discoveries, the coast of the bay was inhabited by Indian tribes. On the territory of what is now Mexico, the civilizations of the Mayans and Aztecs, destroyed by Europeans, flourished, the Caribs and Arawaks lived in Cuba, and hunters from the Choctaw tribe lived on the North American coast. The racial picture changed radically when Europeans began to exterminate the Indians and import slaves to work on plantations. Subsequently, the majority of the population of vast areas were mestizos. The modern population of the Gulf of Mexico is extremely diverse ethnic composition, including the descendants of Europeans, African Americans, mulattoes and mestizos (mainly in Mexico and Cuba), as well as such specific ethnic groups as the Francophone Louisiana Cajuns (Cajuns) - descendants of the French Acadians.
The first European to explore the Gulf of Mexico was the Florentine navigator Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) in 1497. In 1500, the Gulf of Mexico was first mapped by the Spanish explorer Juan de la Cosa (1460-1510). In the 16th century the coast and islands of the bay were actively explored by the Spanish conquistadors, and in the 17th century. - French and English. A detailed map of the bay compiled by the Americans appeared only in late XIX V.: Before this, research was hampered by frequent wars, uncertainty of state borders and the reluctance of the local population to pay taxes. Detailed description hydrological regime and bottom surface of the Gulf of Mexico was made in the middle of the 20th century.

Minerals

The Gulf of Mexico is a site for the development of valuable minerals and an area of ​​intense shipping, fishing and tourism. The most intensive growth of cities and population density in the Bay Area began in the second half of the 20th century, especially in the areas of popular resorts and oil and gas production centers such as Houston (Texas, USA). The Gulf of Mexico is so rich that it is able to feed a huge population.
The Gulf's most valuable mineral resources are oil and natural gas on the northwest shelf. 25% of American natural gas and about 15% of oil are produced here. About 60 thousand people are employed in the oil industry alone. Oil and gas platforms in the open sea are used for production. The Gulf of Mexico holds the honor of installing the world's first oil platform in Louisiana in 1938. It also holds another sad “record” in this area: the largest explosion in the history of American oil production of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform in 2010.
Fish and seafood are the second treasure of the bay. In terms of fish stocks and their reproduction, the bay ranks first in the World Ocean. 25% of all fish in the United States is caught here, and half of the country's largest fishing ports are located here. Commercial species include tuna, menhaden herring, Campechino (Mexican) snapper, horse mackerel, bluefin, swordfish, and grouper. There is intensive fishing on the shelf for shrimp, crabs, lobsters and turtles. Oyster cages have been built along the entire coast.

general information

Location: the southeastern part of North America, between the Florida and Yucatan peninsulas, as well as the island of Cuba.

Ethnic composition: whites, mestizos, African Americans.

Languages: English, Spanish.
Religions: Protestantism, Catholicism.

Currency: American dollar, Mexican peso (MHP).

The largest rivers flowing into the bay: Mississippi, Rio Grande, Colorado, Brazos, Alabama.

The most important ports: Havana (Cuba) - 2,135,498 people. (2010), Veracruz (Veracruz, Mexico) -552,156 people. (2010), New Orleans (Louisiana, USA) - 360,740 people. (2011).
Largest cities: Mexico (Tampico, Tamaulipas, - 305,554 people, 2010, San Francisco de Campeche, Campeche, - 220,389 people, 2010), USA (Houston, Texas, -2,099,451 people, 2010 , Tampa, Florida, - 335,709 people, 2010, Mobile, Alabama, - 195,111 people, 2010, Biloxi, Mississippi, - 45,670 people, 2008)
Washes states: in the north - the USA (states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas), in the west - Mexico (states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan), in the southeast - the Republic of Cuba.

Largest islands: Cuba, Galveston (Texas, USA).

Numbers

Area: 1.6 million km2.

Length of coastline: from Cape Sable (southern Florida, USA) to the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) - 5505 km (USA - 2700 km, Mexico - 2805 km), the northwestern coast of the island of Cuba - 380 km.

Length from east to west: 1600 km.

Length from north to south: 900 km.

Average depth: 1615 m.

Maximum depth: Sigsby depression (4384 m).
Water volume: 2434 thousand km 3.

Salinity: on the surface - 36.0-36.9% °, at a depth of more than 2000 m - 34.98%."

Tides: mostly daily, up to 0.6 m.
Evaporation per year: 1000-1750 mm.

Climate and weather

Tropical in the south, subtropical in the north.
Average air temperature in January: Veracruz (Veracruz, Mexico) +19°С, New Orleans (Louisiana, USA) +12°С.

Average air temperature in July: Veracruz (Veracruz, Mexico) +31°С, New Orleans (Louisiana, USA) +28°С.

Average water temperature in summer:+29°С.
Average water temperature in winter: from +18°С in the north, to +25°С in the south.

Average annual precipitation: 1000-1200 mm.
Relative humidity: 60-80%.

Economy

Minerals: oil, natural gas.

Fishing.
Services sector: transport (shipping), tourism.

Attractions

■ Natural: Everglades National Park (Florida, USA); resorts: Key Biscayne, Pensacola, Destin, Miami, Panama City (Florida, USA), Orange Beach (Alabama, USA), Cancun (Mexico);
■ Historical and cultural: ruins of Mayan cities (Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico); Aztec pyramids (Mexico);
■ City of Havana (Cuba): La Fuerza fortress (second half of the 16th century), Santa Clara monastery (mid-17th century), cathedral Immaculate Conception(mid-17th century), Town Hall (late 18th century), cathedral square with the cathedral of the 18th century, memorial complex named after Jose Marti, Prado Boulevard, National Capitol (first half of the 20th century), Grand Theater of Havana;
■ City of Veracruz (Veracruz, Mexico): Santiago fortress, Fort San Juan de Ulua, ruins ancient city, La Venta Museum-Reserve, Velacruz Aquarium, lighthouse on the island of Sakrifisios;
■ City of New Orleans (Louisiana, USA): Saint-Louis Cemetery, Bourbon Street, French Quarter, Dam Bridge over Lake Pontchartrain (the longest bridge in the world - 38.5 km), Saint Louis Cathedral (XVIII century), Jazz Museum;
■ City of Houston (Texas, USA): Lyndon Johnson Space Center, Downtown skyscrapers (GP Morgan Chase Tower - 305 m, Wells Fargo Bank Plaza - 302 m, Williams Tower - 275 m).
■ City of Tampa (Florida, USA): Ybor City Historic District, Florida Aquarium, Challenger Space Shuttle Memorial Museum.

Curious facts

■ On the American island of Galveston, about 12 thousand people died from a terrible hurricane in 1900: the largest number of hurricane victims in the United States.
■ There is a gradual shallowing of the northern Gulf of Mexico as a result of sediment from rivers, primarily the Mississippi River.

■ Contrary to popular belief, in 1494 Christopher Columbus did not enter the Gulf of Mexico, limiting himself to exploring the western tip of the island of Cuba.
■ According to one version, the name of the city of Tampa (Florida, USA) comes from the Indian expression “fire sticks”: this is what the Indians called lightning, a frequent occurrence during summer storms.
■ Indian mounds in Baton Rouge (Louisiana, USA) were created approximately 450 years before the construction of the first Egyptian pyramid.
■ The city of New Orleans is located several meters below sea level and is protected from waves by high levees. They had to be restored after the terrible flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina in September 2005.
■ The coast and islands of the Gulf of Mexico are believed to have the largest number of pirate treasures in the world, still unfound and awaiting treasure hunters.
■ Most unfavorable factors affecting the environmental situation in the Gulf of Mexico is the use of strong chemical fertilizers on US plantations, which are washed out by rain and rivers into the Gulf, where they stimulate excessive algae growth, which leads to the death of fish and other marine organisms.

Gulf of Mexico
25°22′ N. w. 90°23′ W d. /  25.367° N. w. 90.383° W d. / 25.367; -90.383 Coordinates:
Location	Atlantic Ocean
Square	1,543,000 km²
Volume	2,332,000 km³
3D perspective of the Gulf of Mexico.
3D perspective of the Gulf of Mexico.
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K: Water bodies in alphabetical order

The Gulf of Mexico was formed approximately 300 million years ago as a result of tectonics lithospheric plates. The surface of the bay is shaped like an oval about 1.5 thousand kilometers wide. The bottom of the bay is composed of sedimentary rocks and recent deposits. It communicates with the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Florida between the United States and Cuba, and with the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatan Strait between Cuba and Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea are sometimes combined under the name American Mediterranean Sea. Due to its weak connection with the Atlantic Ocean, the bay experiences only small ebbs and flows. The area of ​​the bay is 1.5-1.6 million square meters. km, about half are continental shelf waters. The volume of water in the bay is estimated at 2.5 million cubic kilometers.

Origin

In a 2002 essay, geologist Michael Stanton proposed an alternative hypothesis for the bay's origin as a result of a collision with a large meteorite around the end of the Permian period. However, experts in the geology of the bay did not support the hypothesis. The widely accepted view is that the bay was formed as a result of the movement of lithospheric plates (plate tectonics). Stanton's unproven hypothesis should not be confused with the large Chicxulub impact crater, about 180 km in diameter on the Yucatan Gulf coast, probably formed about 65 million years ago by the impact of a 10 km asteroid.

Story

Before the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries of Europeans, the shores of the bay were inhabited by a wide variety of American Indian tribes, at different stages of development. In the south - in Mexico, on the Yucatan Peninsula, the economically advanced slave-owning civilizations of the Mayans and Aztecs flourished major cities and developed infrastructure. The tribes of the Caribs and Arawaks lived in Cuba. On the northern, cool shore of the bay lived tribes of hunters and gatherers (Choctaws), who were at the stage of a tribal/communal system. The arrival of Europeans and especially the struggle between European powers for control over the waters and shores of the bay led to the gradual destruction of the traditional ways of life of the Indian communities of the region. And if the Spanish (Spanish Mexico, Spanish Florida) and French (French Louisiana, New France) colonial models largely allowed the natives, African slaves and Europeans to coexist within a single colonial empire, partly making concessions in the form of plazaage and mestización, then the more aggressive the Anglo-American model emphasized the absolute superiority of the Anglo-Saxon element as the only possible one. Following the Louisiana Purchase, the occupation of Florida, and the annexation of Texas in the first half of the 19th century, the northern shore of the Gulf came under U.S. jurisdiction and underwent dramatic landscape changes associated with urban development and rapid population growth. Today the population of the Bay is extremely mixed - white settlers of the most diverse origins, Cajuns, African Americans, mulattoes and mestizo (mainly Mexicans and Cubans).

Geography

Hydrography

Economic importance

Not all of the bay coast is suitable for a good rest. Due to severe swampiness, constant hurricanes and storms, hot and humid air, poor quality sand and muddy water The northern part of the Gulf, especially the area around the mouth of the Mississippi River, is simply unsuitable for recreation. However, families with low social status and income come here as “savages”, which is why the bay coast has received the humorous name “Red River Riviera”. In more attractive regions (Destin, etc.) in the east of the bay, tourists face other dangers (dangerous tidal currents, massive invasions of poisonous jellyfish and stingrays, electric eels, many species of sharks, alligators and saltwater crocodiles). Because of sharks, most Americans vacationing near the bay either don't go into the water at all (swimming in hotel pools) or just get their feet wet and sunbathe.

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Seagulls in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico

Ecology

The northern part of the bay, which belongs to the United States, has an extremely unfavorable environmental situation. The main cause of pollution is the abuse of powerful chemical fertilizers by US agricultural enterprises to increase crop yields in fields and plantations north of the Gulf. The chemicals are washed away by rain and carried by rivers into the bay, where, in turn, they stimulate the growth of small brown algae, which, in the process of their mass reproduction, absorb all the oxygen in the water around them, which leads to the death of fish and other organisms. Another problem is the massive construction of large residential complexes (condominiums) directly at the water's edge. The gently sloping, marshy shore of the bay is not suitable for multi-storey construction. Frequent hurricanes, which are nature's method of renewing coastal regions, force construction companies carry out massive repair and construction work on high-rise buildings every 2-3 years, which leads to the destruction of the ecological balance in the dunes, construction waste dumps, deterioration of sand quality, beach erosion, disappearance of coastal floodplains and mangrove forests, and increased salinity in the northern part of the bay. Moreover, wastewater from condominiums attracts sharks closer to the shore, and increased salinity leads to a massive proliferation of poisonous jellyfish, creating a danger for vacationers.

Deepwater Horizon platform

On April 22, 2010, the company's Deepwater Horizon oil platform, located 64 km off the coast of Louisiana, sank after an explosion and 36-hour fire. The oil well was damaged by flooding, and oil from it flowed into the ocean for several months. After a few months, the concentration of oil in the plume hanging in the water column decreased significantly, and a large number of microorganisms that processed the oil turned out to be at the disaster site.

see also

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Notes

1. Gulf of Mexico // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
2. . Retrieved December 27, 2006. .
3. Huerta, A.D., and D.L. Harry (2012) Wilson cycles, tectonic inheritance, and rifting of the North American Gulf of Mexico continental margin. Geosphere. 8(1):GES00725.1, first published on March 6, 2012, DOI :
4. Stanton, M. S., 2002, AAPG Explorer (Dec. 2002) American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Tulsa Oklahoma.
5. Stern, R.J., and W.R. Dickinson (2010) Geosphere. 6(6):739-754.
6. Galloway, W. E., 2008, Depositional evolution of the Gulf of Mexico sedimentary basin. in K.J. Hsu, ed., pp. 505-549, The Sedimentary Basins of the United States and Canada, Sedimentary Basins of the World. v. 5, Elsevier, The Netherlands.
7. Mickus, K., R. J. Stern2, G. R. Keller, and E. Y. Anthony (2009) Potential field evidence for a volcanic rifted margin along the Texas Gulf Coast. Journal of Geology. v. 37, p. 387-390.
8. // BBC, 8 February 2013: "A 180km (110mi)-wide crater in the Caribbean off the Yucatan coast of Mexico is presumed to be the result of that impact. Called Chicxulub, the crater is thought to have been created by an object 10km (6mi)"

Literature

• Gulf of Mexico- article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.

Links

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Excerpt describing the Gulf of Mexico

The reality was different. She was, as it were, woven from a shimmering fog, which either sprayed, making her completely transparent, then became denser, and then her perfect body became almost physically dense.
Her shiny, night-black hair was falling soft waves almost to the very feet and just like the body, they were either denser or sprayed with a sparkling haze. Yellow, like a lynx, the huge eyes of the stranger glowed with amber light, shimmering with thousands of unfamiliar golden shades and were deep and impenetrable, like eternity... On her clear, high forehead, a pulsating energy star, as yellow as her unusual eyes, glowed with gold. . The air around the woman fluttered with golden sparks, and it seemed that just a little more, and her light body would fly to a height unattainable to us, like an amazing golden bird... She really was unusually beautiful with some kind of unprecedented, bewitching, unearthly beauty.
“Hello, kids,” the stranger calmly greeted us, turning to us. And already turning to Anna, she added: “What made you call me, dear?” Did something happen?
Anna, smiling, affectionately hugged her mother by the shoulders and, pointing at us, quietly whispered:
“I thought they needed to meet you.” You could help them in ways that I can't. I think they're worth it. But forgive me if I was wrong... - and already turning to us, she joyfully added: - Here, dears, is my mother! Her name is Isidora. She was the most powerful Vidunya during that terrible time that we just talked about.
(She had an amazing name - From-and-to-Ra.... Emerging from light and knowledge, eternity and beauty, and always striving to achieve more... But I understood this only now. And then I was simply shocked by his extraordinary sound - it was free, joyful and proud, golden and fiery, like a bright rising Sun.)
Smiling thoughtfully, Isidora peered very carefully into our excited faces, and for some reason I suddenly really wanted to please her... There was no special reason for this, except that the story of this wonderful woman interested me wildly, and I really wanted to know what no matter what it takes to find out. But I didn’t know their customs, I didn’t know how long they hadn’t seen each other, so I decided for myself to remain silent for now. But, apparently not wanting to torment me for long, Isidora herself started the conversation...
- What did you want to know, kids?
– I would like to ask you about your Earthly life, if this is possible, of course. And if it won’t be too painful for you to remember... – I immediately asked, a little shyly.
Such a terrible melancholy shone deep in the golden eyes that I immediately wanted to take back my words. But Anna, as if understanding everything, immediately gently hugged me by the shoulders, as if saying that everything was fine, and everything was fine...
And her beautiful mother was hovering somewhere very far away, in her never forgotten, and apparently very difficult past, in which at that moment her once very deeply wounded soul was wandering... I was afraid to move, expecting that now she will simply refuse us and leave, not wanting to share anything... But Isidora finally perked up, as if waking up from a terrible dream she knew only, and immediately smiling at us friendly, asked:
– What exactly would you like to know, dears?
I accidentally looked at Anna... And just for a short moment I felt what she experienced. It was terrible, and I don’t understand why people could do this?! And what kind of people are they in general after this?.. I felt that indignation was boiling inside me again, and I tried my best to somehow calm down, so as not to seem like a “child” to her. – I also have a Gift, although I don’t know how valuable it is and how strong it is... I still know almost nothing about it. But I would really like to know, because now I see that gifted people even died for this. This means that the gift is valuable, but I don’t even know how to use it for the benefit of others. After all, it was not given to me just to be proud of it, right?.. So I would like to understand what to do with it. And I would like to know how you did it. How did you live... Sorry if this doesn't seem important enough to you... I won't be offended at all if you decide to leave now.
I almost didn’t know what I was saying and was more worried than ever. Something inside told me that I really needed this meeting and that I should be able to “talk” to Isidora, no matter how hard it would be for both of us...
But she, like her daughter, seemed to have nothing against my childish request. And leaving us again into her distant past, she began her story...
– There was once an amazing city - Venice... The most beautiful city on Earth!.. In any case, it seemed so to me then...
– I think you will be pleased to know that it still exists! – I immediately exclaimed. – And he’s really very handsome!
Nodding sadly, Isidora lightly waved her hand, as if lifting the heavy “veil of bygone time,” and a bizarre vision unfolded before our stunned eyes...
The azure-pure blue of the sky reflected the same deep blue of the water, right from which the amazing city rose... It seemed as if the pink domes and snow-white towers had somehow miraculously grown straight from the depths of the sea, and now stood proudly, sparkling in the morning rays of the rising sun , showing off to each other the grandeur of countless marble columns and the joyful glare of bright, multi-colored stained glass windows. A light breeze cheerfully drove the white “caps” of curly waves straight to the embankment, and they, immediately breaking into thousands of sparkling splashes, playfully washed the marble steps going straight into the water. The canals glittered like long mirrored snakes, cheerfully reflected as sun “bunnies” on the neighboring houses. Everything around was breathing light and joy... And it looked somehow fabulously magical.
It was Venice... The city of great Love and beautiful arts, the capital of Books and great Minds, the amazing city of Poets...
I knew Venice, naturally, only from photographs and paintings, but now this wonderful city seemed a little different - completely real and much more colorful... Truly alive.
– I was born there. And I considered it a great honor. – Isidora’s voice began to gurgle in a quiet stream. – We lived in a huge palazzo (that’s what we called the most expensive houses), in the heart of the city, since my family was very rich.
The windows of my room faced east, and below they looked directly at the canal. And I really loved meeting the dawn, watching how the first rays of the sun lit up golden reflections on the water covered with morning fog...
The sleepy gondoliers lazily began their daily “circular” journey, waiting for early customers. The city was usually still asleep, and only inquisitive and successful merchants were always the first to open their stalls. I really loved coming to them when there was no one on the streets yet, and the main square was not filled with people. I especially often ran to the “scribes” who knew me very well and always saved something “special” for me. I was only ten years old at that time, about the same as you are now... Right?
I just nodded, enchanted by the beauty of her voice, not wanting to interrupt the story, which was like a quiet, dreamy melody...
– Already at the age of ten I could do a lot... I could fly, walk through the air, treat people suffering from the most serious illnesses, see what was coming. My mother taught me everything she knew...
- How to fly?!. Fly in a physical body?!. Like a bird? – Stella blurted out, unable to bear it.
I was very sorry that she interrupted this magically flowing narrative!.. But kind, emotional Stella apparently was not able to calmly withstand such stunning news...
Isidora only smiled brightly at her... and we saw another, but even more stunning, picture...
In a marvelous marble hall, a fragile black-haired girl was spinning... With the ease of a fairy fairy, she danced some kind of bizarre dance that only she understood, at times suddenly jumping up a little and... hovering in the air. And then, having made an intricate feast and smoothly flown several steps, she came back again, and everything began from the beginning... It was so amazing and so beautiful that Stella and I took our breath away!..
And Isidora just smiled sweetly and calmly continued her interrupted story.
– My mother was a hereditary Sage. She was born in Florence - a proud, free city... in which there was only as much of its famous “freedom” as the Medici, although fabulously rich, but (unfortunately!) not omnipotent, hated by the church, could protect it. And my poor mother, like her predecessors, had to hide her Gift, since she came from a very rich and very influential family, in which it was more than undesirable to “shine” with such knowledge. Therefore, she, just like her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, had to hide her amazing “talents” from prying eyes and ears (and more often than not, even from friends!), otherwise, if the fathers of her future suitors found out about it, she would remain unmarried forever, which in her family would be considered the greatest disgrace. Mom was very strong, a truly gifted healer. And while still very young, she secretly treated almost the entire city for ailments, including the great Medici, who preferred her to their famous Greek doctors. However, very soon the “glory” about my mother’s “stormy successes” reached the ears of her father, my grandfather, who, of course, did not have a very positive attitude towards this kind of “underground” activity. And they tried to get my poor mother married as soon as possible, in order to wash away the “brewing shame” of her entire frightened family...
Whether it was an accident, or someone somehow helped, but my mother was very lucky - she was married to a wonderful man, a Venetian magnate, who... himself was a very strong sorcerer... and whom you see with us now.. .
With shining, moist eyes, Isidora looked at her amazing father, and it was clear how much and selflessly she loved him. She was a proud daughter, with dignity carrying her pure, bright feeling through the centuries, and even there, far away, in her new worlds, she did not hide or be ashamed of it. And only then did I realize how much I wanted to become like her!.. And in her power of love, and in her power as a Sage, and in everything else that this extraordinary bright woman carried within herself...
And she calmly continued to talk, as if not noticing either our “overflowing” emotions or the “puppy” delight of our souls that accompanied her wonderful story.
– That’s when my mother heard about Venice... My father spent hours telling her about the freedom and beauty of this city, about its palaces and canals, about secret gardens and huge libraries, about bridges and gondolas, and much, much more. And my impressionable mother, without even seeing this wonderful city, fell in love with it with all her heart... She couldn’t wait to see this city with her own eyes! And very soon her dream came true... Her father brought her to a magnificent palace, full of faithful and silent servants, from whom there was no need to hide. And, starting from that day, mom could spend hours doing her favorite thing, without fear of being misunderstood or, even worse, insulted. Her life became pleasant and secure. They were a truly happy married couple, who gave birth to a girl exactly one year later. They called her Isidora... It was me.
I was a very happy child. And, as far as I can remember, the world has always seemed beautiful to me... I grew up surrounded by warmth and affection, among kind and attentive people who loved me very much. Mom soon noticed that I had a powerful Gift, much stronger than her own. She began to teach me everything that she knew and that her grandmother taught her. And later my father also became involved in my “witch” upbringing.
I am telling you all this, dear ones, not because I want to tell you my story. happy life, but so that you understand more deeply what will follow a little later... Otherwise, you will not feel all the horror and pain of what me and my family had to endure.
When I turned seventeen, rumors about me spread far beyond borders hometown, and there was no end to those wishing to hear their fate. I was very tired. No matter how gifted I was, the daily stress was exhausting, and in the evenings I literally collapsed... My father always objected to such “violence,” but my mother (she herself was once unable to fully use her gift) believed that I am in perfect order, and that I must honestly practice my talent.
Many years passed like this. I have long had my own personal life and my own wonderful, beloved family. My husband was a learned man, his name was Girolamo. I think we were destined for each other, since from the very first meeting that took place in our house, we almost never parted again... He came to us for some book recommended by my father. That morning I was sitting in the library and, as was my custom, studying someone else’s work. Girolamo entered suddenly, and when he saw me there, he was completely taken aback... His embarrassment was so sincere and sweet that it made me laugh. He was a tall and strong brown-eyed brunette, who at that moment blushed like a girl who met her fiancé for the first time... And I immediately realized that this was my destiny. We soon got married and were never apart again. He was a wonderful husband, affectionate and gentle, and very kind. And when our little daughter was born, he became the same loving and caring father. So ten very happy and cloudless years passed. Our sweet daughter Anna grew up cheerful, lively, and very smart. And already in her early ten years, she, too, like me, began to slowly manifest her Gift...

Throughout his existence, man has repeatedly had a negative impact on C development modern technologies, began to take on larger-scale forms. A clear confirmation of this is the Gulf of Mexico. The disaster that happened there in the spring of 2010 caused irreparable damage to nature. As a result, the waters were polluted, leading to the death of huge numbers and a decline in their population.

The cause of the disaster was the accident on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform, which occurred due to the unprofessionalism of workers and the negligence of the owners of the oil and gas company. As a result of incorrect actions, an explosion and fire occurred, resulting in the death of 13 people who were on the platform and took part in eliminating the consequences of the accident. For 35 hours, fire ships extinguished the fire, but it was possible to completely block the oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico only after five months.

According to some experts, during the 152 days during which oil spilled from the well, about 5 million barrels of fuel got into the water. During this time, an area of ​​75,000 square kilometers was contaminated. American military personnel and volunteers from all over the world, who gathered in the Gulf of Mexico, were involved in eliminating the consequences of the accident. Oil was collected both manually and by special vessels. Together, it was possible to remove approximately 810 thousand barrels of fuel from the water.

The hardest thing was to stop the plugs being installed did not help. Cement was poured into the wells and drilling fluid was pumped, but complete sealing was achieved only on September 19, while the accident occurred on April 20. During this period, the Gulf of Mexico became the most polluted place on the planet. About 6 thousand birds, 600,100 dolphins, and many other mammals and fish were found dead.

Enormous damage has been caused to coral reefs, which cannot develop in polluted water. The mortality rate of the bottlenose dolphin has increased almost 50 times, and this is not all the consequences of the accident on the oil platform. also suffered significant damage as the Gulf of Mexico was one-third closed to fishing. The oil even reached the waters of coastal reserves, which were very important for other animals.

Three years have passed since the disaster, the Gulf of Mexico is slowly recovering from the damage caused. American oceanographers closely monitor the behavior of marine life, as well as corals. The latter began to multiply and grow in their usual rhythm, which indicates the purification of the water. But an increase in water temperature in this place was also recorded, which could negatively affect many marine inhabitants.

Some researchers assumed that the consequences of the disaster would affect the Gulf Stream, which affects the climate. Indeed, recent winters in Europe have been especially frosty, and the water itself has dropped by 10 degrees. But scientists have not yet been able to prove that the weather anomalies are related specifically to the oil accident.

The Gulf of Mexico is a semi-enclosed sea washing the shores of Mexico, Cuba and Central America. Its waters form the beginning of the most important current in the Northern Hemisphere - the Gulf Stream. The Gulf of Mexico is rich in fish and marine arthropods, and the main sea routes for industrial and cruise ships in North America pass through its waters.

Geology

Most researchers often mention the cosmic origin of the Gulf of Mexico. Early in the Earth's formation, the future Gulf area was rocked by the impact of a large meteorite. A cloud of dust formed at the crash site, covering the Sun. The huge funnel was gradually filled with fresh waters of inland rivers mixed with the salty waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Over the course of many years, the rotation of the Earth changed the shape of the bay off the coast of Central America, and gradually it took on the shape that is familiar to us.

Story

The state of Mexico appeared on the world map relatively recently. But people have explored the Mexican Gulf coast since time immemorial. Before the era of great discoveries, the shores of the bay were inhabited by various tribes of Indians at different stages of development. The southern Gulf Coast was inhabited by the advanced slave-owning civilizations of Central America. Populous cities with developed infrastructure flourished here. Small tribes of Arawaks and Caribs lived in Cuba and lived by hunting and fishing.

The invasion of European conquerors led to a radical change in the way of life of the inhabitants of the Gulf Coast. The brutal conquests of the conquistadors bled the indigenous population of Central America dry. The Gulf of Mexico became the site of naval battles for ownership of sea routes from the New to the Old World. Gradually, the hard assimilation of the indigenous peoples of America gave way to a soft one. The Spanish and French colonial models allowed Americans to coexist alongside conquering peoples.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Mexican lands changed owners, and the system began to adapt to the new, aggressive Anglo-American way of life. The Louisiana Purchase, intervention in Florida, and occupation of Texas led to the complete US takeover of the entire Gulf Coast. As a result, the local population was pushed away from the coast, where new cities and industrial enterprises arose. Mexico appeared on the world map as an independent state in 1821.

Population

The population of the Gulf of Mexico has an extremely heterogeneous composition. White settlers of various nationalities live here: Cajuns, mulattoes, mestizos and African Americans.

Oil fields

The first oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Mexico were discovered on the Gulf shelf by American marine geologists in 1896. The richest oil deposits: Agua Dals-Stratton, Cartridge, Caillou-Allen. They were discovered in the 30s of the 20th century. Oil fields in the Mexican part of the water area were discovered already in the 70s. The most famous oil deposits are the famous Bermudez, Cantarel and Iris Giraldas fields. In total, about five thousand oil fields were discovered, the vast majority of which are located in the waters of the United States.

Tragedy of 2010

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded. The tragedy occurred 80 kilometers from the Louisiana coast in US territorial waters. As a result of the tragedy, 11 people went missing and four were injured of varying degrees of severity. The platform's capacity was 8 thousand barrels of oil per day. After the explosion, a huge fire broke out on the platform, and after 36 hours of burning, it sank in the Gulf of Mexico. After the explosion and flooding, the well was put out of commission, and oil began to flow directly into the waters of the bay. This disaster caused Negative consequences first on a local and then on a global scale.

Oil slick with a total area of ​​965 square meters. km approached the US coast, posing a threat to beaches, shores and fishing areas. On April 26, underwater robots from an oil production company unsuccessfully attempted to repair a hole in the well. Strong waves and stormy winds prevented the repair flotilla from fully working in the disaster area. Government services The United States began to contain the spill by burning the oil slick around the perimeter.

A catastrophe on a global scale

According to the most rough estimates, the Gulf of Mexico received 5 thousand barrels of oil per day. On June 4, 2010, the US National Center for Natural Research modeled six possible scenarios. According to these forecasts, oil in the Gulf of Mexico was expected to reach the Cuban coast. In the second half of August, the oil slick was supposed to leave the Gulf of Mexico and begin moving towards Europe.

Over the course of several months in 2010, BP specialists made repeated attempts to eliminate the consequences of the platform explosion. On June 9, US President Barack Obama issued an ultimatum to the company administration, according to which the perpetrators of the tragedy were given 72 hours to present a convincing plan to eliminate the disaster. On the night of June 12, the company installed a new plug weighing 70 tons at the site of the tragedy. The previous plug, which could not completely stop the leak, was dismantled. During the process of reinstalling the plugs, an additional 120 thousand barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico.

Day by day, the financial costs of BP to eliminate the consequences of the explosion and flooding of the platform are growing. As of June 14, 2010, its losses exceeded $1.6 billion. By September of the same year, costs increased 9 times.

As a result of this disaster, more than 57 thousand square meters. km were contaminated. The bay area is closed to tourism and fishing activities. Restoring the ecological balance in this area will require huge amounts of money and a long time.

The Gulf of Mexico would be much more accurately called a sea. It is huge and separated from the Atlantic Ocean by straits. coastline Americans call this body of water the third coast, after the Atlantic and Pacific. The vast waters are adjacent to the US states of Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. They cover the reservoir from the north and west.

To the south are the lands of Mexico. States such as Yucatan, Tamaulipas, Tabasco, Campeche and Veracruz overlook the bay. To the east is the island of Cuba. It is he who fences off the reservoir from the Atlantic. Communication with ocean waters is carried out through the Florida and Yucatan Straits.

The shape of the reservoir is oval, the area is 615 thousand square meters. miles or 1 million 544 thousand sq. km. The total volume of water is approximately 660 quadrillion gallons or 2 million 400 thousand cubic meters. m. The maximum width is 1500 km. The bottom is a continental shelf with a maximum depth of 4384 meters. The reservoir is well heated by the sun's rays, so its surface waters are warm.

Gulf of Mexico on the map

Geology

Geologists suggest that 200 million years ago there was no huge reservoir in the south of North America. In this place there was a soil cover similar in composition to the soil of the Yucatan Peninsula. This entire area was part of the supercontinent Pangea. The Gulf of Mexico basin was formed as a result of rifting (breaking up) of a giant landmass. The earth's crust stretched, became covered with faults and subsided between modern Florida and Yucatan. So, as a result of natural geological processes, a giant reservoir arose.

However, there is another version, proposed in 2002 by geologist Michael Stanton. According to his version, the bay has an impact origin. Stanton's theory states that 260-255 million years ago a huge meteorite fell on Earth. As a result, a pit was formed, the depth of which reached 5200 meters. It was gradually filled with the waters of the Mississippi River and the Atlantic Ocean.

For the most part, geological experts consider the second theory to be absolutely incorrect. Among them, the prevailing opinion is about plate tectonics, and not about a collision with an object from space.

Discovery of the Gulf of Mexico

We all know that America was discovered by Christopher Columbus for the Old World. However, he did not even know about the existence of a giant reservoir, as he sailed past it, rounding Cuba and Haiti from the east. The first explorer of the third coast of the United States was an Italian traveler and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci(1454-1512). He arrived on the Gulf coast in 1497. The Italian examined the reservoir, and then entered the Atlantic through the Strait of Florida. This gave him the basis to claim that Cuba is spicy.

The second is considered to be the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes (1485-1547). In 1506, he took an active part in the conquest of Haiti and Cuba. In 1510, he accompanied Diego Velazquez de Cuellar (1465-1524), the governor of Cuba, on his expedition across the waters of a huge reservoir.

The third on the shores of the bay was the discoverer of Yucatan Francisco Hernandez de Cordova (birth year unknown - died in 1517). He admired the reservoir from the southern coast. And then other Europeans appeared, and the endless expanse of water ceased to attract people with the unknown.

Holidays on the coast

Geographical characteristics

The US coastline is 2,700 km long. The length of the Mexican part of the coast is 2805 km. 33 large rivers flow into the reservoir. It is where the warm Atlantic current Gulf Stream originates. The largest bay of the reservoir is the Bay of Campeche. It is located in the south and is part of Mexican waters. It should be noted that cold deep and warm water of the upper layer sometimes create an explosive mixture, which manifests itself in the form of terrible destructive hurricanes. Here you can name such hurricanes as Katrina, Ivan and Gustav.

Overall, the Gulf of Mexico is considered aseismic. Throughout history, only mild tremors have been recorded, not exceeding 5 on the Richter scale. The only thing strong earthquake was recorded on September 10, 2006. Its amplitude was 6 points on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the underwater tremors was located 400 km southwest of Florida. The land shudder was felt by residents of Louisiana and Florida. But there were no casualties, injuries or destruction.

commercial activity

One of the most important commercial activities is fishing. They catch perch, tuna, shrimp, crabs, and swordfish. Oysters are harvested on a huge scale in the bays. There are many sharks in the water. The liver of these selachians is highly valued. Therefore, white shark, hammerhead shark, and bull shark are subject to capture. But in the 21st century, the number of toothy predators has noticeably decreased. There are many dolphins in the waters of the bay, which are also of commercial interest.

In terms of industrial activity, the continental shelf is rich in oil and gas. These minerals are extracted using oil platforms through drilling. The main part of the platforms is concentrated in the western part of the reservoir and in the Bay of Campeche.

Economy is economics, but sometimes irrepressible human activity provokes terrible tragedies. In April 2010, an explosion and fire occurred on an oil platform 65 km off the coast of Louisiana. In the process, an oil well was damaged and oil flowed into the ocean. Almost 14 thousand tons of oil leaked per day. An oil film bound the waters of the Atlantic and disrupted heat transfer. All this led to heavy torrential rains in Western Europe and abnormal heat in Eastern Europe.

Burning oil

The Gulf of Mexico has one of the largest hypoxic dead zones. This term refers to an area in the world's oceans with extremely low oxygen concentrations. And such a zone arises due to excessive environmental pollution as a result of human activity.

The dead area stretches along the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. Its area is 21 thousand square meters. km. This figure has doubled since 1985 as a result of the saturation of water with nitrogen and phosphorus. Harmful chemical elements got into the water from agricultural areas, of which there are extremely many on the northern coast of the reservoir. There are also 27 thousand abandoned and forgotten in the Bay oil wells. No one can say in what ecological state they are.

At the same time, it should be noted that the reservoir is the most important transport artery. It is crossed by ships from almost all countries of the world. Accordingly, tourism is developed, and there are many large seaports on the coast. The main task is to normalize the environmental situation in this region, which is important in all respects..