Nordsee

Nordsee, or North Sea in English, is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean situated between Great Britain and Norway to the west and north, and Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium to the south and east. It covers about 570,000 square kilometres and has an average depth near 90 metres, with deeper troughs along the Norwegian trench. The sea connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel and the broader North Atlantic, and to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat.

Geology and hydrology shape the North Sea as a basin formed during the Cenozoic era, with sediments ranging from sands and gravels to muds. The seabed includes prominent sandbanks such as the Dogger Bank. The climate is temperate and influenced by the North Atlantic Current, yielding a mix of wave energy, winds and tides that affect coastal and marine conditions.

Economy and environment are dominated by energy, transport and fisheries. The North Sea hosts extensive offshore oil and gas production, with fields developed since the 1960s in Norwegian, British and Dutch sectors. It is also a major site for offshore wind development, including projects on the Dogger Bank. The sea supports commercial fisheries for species such as cod, haddock and sole, though stocks are subject to management to address overfishing. Environmental pressures include pollution, eutrophication, habitat loss and the impacts of climate change. Governance relies on national jurisdiction within exclusive economic zones, supplemented by international law and regional cooperation on fisheries and environmental protection.