The Fiji Sea is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. On its northern and eastern parts lies the border of the Australian and Pacific lithospheric plates. By its area, it takes 6th place in the list of the largest seas in the world, ahead of the Caribbean, Bering, Mediterranean, and the Weddell Sea.
Where is the Fiji Sea?
To find this pond, you need to carefully study the geographical map. Find on it New Zealand and the island of Fiji, between them lies the sea. Its eastern border is bordered by the archipelagos of Tonga and Kermadek, beyond which are located the same name deep-sea trenches. From the north, the sea is bounded by the island of Fiji. The western border is combined with the waters of the Tasman and Coral Seas. Norfolk Island, owned by Australia, is also located here.
Reservoir description
Fiji is an inter-island sea located in a zone of seismic activity. This is due to the fact that it is located on the territory where the largest lithospheric plates collide: Pacific and Australian. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions often occur in this region. There are many islands in the sea. Almost all of them are of volcanic origin. Take, for example, the Fiji archipelago, it includes 322 islands, 100 of which are considered uninhabited. The area of the sea is 3 177 thousand km 2 . The greatest depth is observed in the central part of the reservoir, there are hollows up to 5 km. The maximum depth of the Fiji Sea reaches 7 633 m. This pit is located near the island of Caledonia.
Island formation
The seismic activity that is observed in the Fiji Sea is causing the emergence of new islands. So in 1971 there was an eruption of the volcano Karau, located under water. Smoke and ash emitted from the crater rose to a height of more than 1 km. During the explosions, blocks of rock, which are also known as volcanic bombs, rose from the vent of the volcano.
The eruption power was quite powerful. Every minute, the volcano threw several bombs. A day later, near the epicenter of the elements, an island was discovered, the dimensions of which were 70 m in width and 200 m in length. When the tide came, the land height above the water was 1 m. The island in its structure consisted of fragments of rocks. But the Fiji Sea is destructive. Not many islands continue to exist, most of them disappear within six months after their appearance. Water gradually erodes them.
Climate and hydrological regime
Since Fiji is an inter-island sea and does not have clear boundaries, its hydrological regime has the same characteristics as the Pacific. Frequent tides are observed here, at which the water level can rise by 1 m or more. Their cycle is about a day.
The Fiji Sea is located in the equatorial zone, therefore, tropical trade winds prevail here, warming the air to a temperature of 35 degrees. Such indicators remain virtually unchanged throughout the year. Only slight temperature fluctuations are observed here, the error is only a few degrees. Thanks to the winds, the water temperature does not fall below plus 20.
The cold season in this region falls on May-November. During this period, the rainy season begins, during which the maximum annual precipitation falls.
Marine life
The equatorial location of the sea contributes to a favorable climate, due to which a wide variety of flora and fauna is found in its waters. Coral reefs located in numerous straits are inhabited by sea snakes, giant sea devils (Manta ray), eels, turtles, and reef sharks. In the open sea you can meet whale sharks and butterfly fish. Between October and December, whale migration can be observed in the waters of Fiji. From commercial fish there are tuna, marlin and sail fish.
The beauty of tropical paradise attracts diving enthusiasts and underwater photographers to these places. The Fiji Sea is poorly understood, most researchers visit only the waters of large islands. The lack of sea routes and large ports, as well as the remote location from civilization, is the main reason why the waters here are so clean. Human activity does not violate the order established by nature, which has a beneficial effect on the development of the animal and plant world. Although the population of the islands is engaged in the fishing of shellfish, fish and shrimp, this does not affect the ecosystem of the sea.
Interesting Facts
- Date Meridian (180th) crosses the Fiji Sea and some of the islands located in it. It is the inhabitants of these places who are among the first to meet a new day. You can also return here yesterday, just cross the symbolic line of the meridian.
- The International Sport Fishing Association has registered 2 records for catching large specimens of fish in the Fiji Sea. Sailing fish, which reached a weight of more than 85 kg, were caught in 1967. In 1988, barracuda was caught in Fiji, whose weight was 28 kg 300 g.
- Kermadek Archipelago (New Zealand), is a unique corner of nature, which is full of tropical forests and a variety of birds. More recently, goats were taken out of here to destroy the rarest plants. Also, there is a struggle with rats and cats ravaging bird's nests.