Strait called relatively narrow section of the ocean or sea that divides the two pieces of land (islands or continents) and connects with the adjacent body of water.Mozambique Channel is the longest in the world.These kind of natural crossing, connecting the seas and oceans play an important role in trade relations between the two countries.
Mozambique Channel on the world map
In the western Indian Ocean is the largest water crossing, which separates Africa and the island of Madagascar.Mozambique Channel reaches a length of 1760 km, width - from 422 km to 925 km, and its depth varies from 117 m to 3292 m. The greatest depth recorded in the northern and southern parts, in the middle of it is about 2.4 km away.
If we consider the Mozambique Channel on the map, we can see the Comoros in the north.Along its banks are located smaller islands and reefs.One of the characteristic features is fairly constant over a northwesterly direction at a speed of about 1.5 knots.The height of the tide sometimes reaching 5 meters.
Who first discovered the strait between Africa and Madagascar?
Long before Europeans longest strait actively used by Arabs to trade with the people of Madagascar, but controversial was the question of the discoverer of European origin.Some experts called the name of Vasco da Gama as the first who crossed him.There is another point of view that should be regarded as a pioneer of Marco Polo, which has two centuries before Vasco da Gama told the world about the discovery.
origin of the name
Interesting facts associated with the name "Mozambique".The ancient Arabs called it al-Khumri, it means that the title has gone away.When Vasco da Gama made his trip to Mozambique it was not there, and in its place was a country of Monomotapa.
Some scientists have linked the origin of the name of both the state and of the Strait with a funny case of history, when the Portuguese mangled the name of the head of the port town, aligning it with the name of the country - Musa-bin-KIBI.An unusual combination of stick and the Mozambique Channel appeared on the map so still called.
picturesque coast of Mozambique Channel
the incredible beauty of the coast is different.The golden sandy beaches surrounded by rolling hills which offer a great view of the Strait of the longest in the world.Also features a wide variety of flora and fauna, unique nature of these places, is home to a very rare species of fish.Mozambique Channel strewn with underwater volcanoes off the coast of Mozambique and Madagascar can meet a large number of islands of volcanic origin, the water passing into the scenic coral reefs.
For example, in its waters in 1938 discovered a unique view - bony fish coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae), who lived on the planet 50-70 million years ago and is now considered extinct.This living fossil is found mainly in the direction of the coast of South Africa.According to rough estimates, it is much older than the dinosaurs themselves, and even here found scat - Manta.These and other interesting inhabitants of a place called Mozambiysky Strait are of great interest to divers.
successful attempt to cross the Strait of Mozambiysky
Two great athlete and a swimmer from South Africa, Thain and John Williams Prudfut spring 2014 made a huge swim up to 450 km from Mozambique to Madagascar.This extravagant event was for a noble purpose: the collection of funds for a special fund to help children.Thain and John returned to their homeland as the true heroes.
Swim without the help of any place where the Mozambique Channel was not the easiest task, but the mission was successfully accomplished.The water barrier, which is part of the Indian Ocean and sandwiched between Madagascar and Africa to the south-east, was conquered.Created by the very nature of the channel, which is about 460 kilometers at its narrowest point, located between the city Angoch Tambohorano in Mozambique and Madagascar, were able to swim two seemingly very ordinary person with ambitious goals and noble mission.
Marine Ecology Strait
depths of the Mozambique Channel pose a large number of tuna and other marine species, as well as lobsters, deep-water shrimp, crayfish and crabs.Among the mammals can be called Pacific bottlenose dolphin, striped dolphin, humpback whales and pilot whales korotkoplavnikovuyu.The biggest focus of cetaceans observed in the vicinity of Mayotte.
fishing mainly by local fishermen, and in recent years there has been a trend of decreasing fish stocks.There are other important environmental issues, including: the impact on the marine environment polluted by the use of phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture of water getting into the streams of various pesticides and herbicides.
history of Mozambique Channel
retaining only a small portion of the written sources, telling about the time of the Portuguese colonial era of the early 16th century in the coastal areas of the Mozambique Channel.It is known that one side of a natural canal was occupied by local African peoples for a long time, the fact is also that the Muslim traders and explorers came here from the north in the period from 800 to 1000 AD.
coastline of Mozambique has been mastered before from Madagascar, and the population density of the coast of Africa at times exceeded the number of inhabitants of the island.
