Gulf of Corinth


The Gulf of Corinth or the Corinthian Gulf is an inlet of the Ionian Sea, separating the Peloponnese from western mainland Greece. It is bounded in the east by the Isthmus of Corinth which includes the shipping-designed Corinth Canal and in the west by the Rion Strait which widens into the shorter Gulf of Patras and whose narrowest point has been crossed since 2004 by the Rio–Antirrio bridge. The gulf is bordered by the large administrative divisions : Aetolia-Acarnania and Phocis in the north, Boeotia in the northeast, Attica in the east, Corinthia in the southeast and south and Achaea in the southwest. The tectonic movement across the gulf is comparable to parts of Iceland and Turkey, growing by per year.
In the Middle Ages, the gulf was known as the Gulf of Lepanto.
Shipping routes between the Greek commercial port Piraeus to western Mediterranean and hemisphere ports pass along this gulf. A ferry crosses the gulf to link Aigio and Agios Nikolaos, towards the western end of the gulf.

Geology

The gulf was created by the expansion of a tectonic rift due to the westward movement of the Anatolian Plate, and is expanding by per year. The surrounding faults can produce earthquakes up to magnitude around 6.5, though they are relatively uncommon. On June 15, 1995, an 1995 [Aigio earthquake|earthquake of magnitude 6.2] occurred near the city of Aigion. Much of the northern margin of the gulf has gentle gradients. The southern margin of the gulf has largely steep gradients.

Nature

s such as fin whales and dolphins are known to enter the Gulf occasionally.

Gulfs and bays

The main cities and towns that lie next to the gulf are, from the northwest clockwise, and grouped by regional unit:
Tributaries are listed west to east:

Northern