The White Sea is a big sea.
It is in Russia. The water can turn to ice in winter.
You might see a white whale there. It is a very special place. Do you like the cold?
The White Sea is a big sea in Russia.
It sits near the Barents Sea. Many rivers flow into it. These rivers bring fresh water. This water helps the sea change.
The sea has many islands. Some are very small. The Solovetsky Islands are in the middle. The water gets very cold in winter. It even turns to ice!
You might see a white whale there. It is a very cool place to see.
The White Sea is a large sea in Russia.
It sits on the northwest coast of the country. It is part of the Barents Sea area. To the west is Karelia. To the north is the Kola Peninsula.
Many rivers flow into the sea. These rivers bring fresh water every year. This fresh water makes the sea less salty. The sea has four main bays. The Kandalaksha Gulf is the deepest part. It reaches 340 metres deep. The sea also has many islands. Most are small, but the Solovetsky Islands are large. They sit near the middle of the sea.
The weather can be very cold. In the winter, the sea freezes over. The ice is often 40 cm thick. You might see animals in the water. There are 60 kinds of fish. You can also find the beluga whale. This is a friendly white whale.
The shore of Kiy Island has a historic monastery.
The White Sea is a large body of water in northwest Russia.
It sits inside the Barents Sea area and is part of the Russian coast. To the west, you will find the land of Karelia. To the north is the Kola Peninsula and to the northeast is the Kanin Peninsula. This sea is special because its name is a color term. It is one of only four seas named after colors, along with the Black, Red, and Yellow seas.
The sea has a very interesting shape with four main bays. These bays connect to the Barents Sea through a narrow opening called the "Gorlo," which means "throat." The Kandalaksha Gulf is the deepest part, reaching 340 metres down. Other large areas include Onega Bay, Dvina Bay, and Mezen Bay. Many rivers flow into these bays to bring fresh water. The Northern Dvina is a very large river that flows into Dvina Bay. This fresh water helps change how salty the sea is.
People have used this sea for a very long time. As far back as the 11th century, people from Novgorod knew about it. They visited the coast to find animals with thick fur. In 1492, a fleet of ships sailed from Kholmogory to Denmark. This was the first time Russia had an international seaport. Later, in 1553, an English ship called the Edward Bonaventure arrived.
This helped start trade between England and Russia. The port of Arkhangelsk became a very busy place for ships.
The weather in the White Sea can be quite extreme. It has a climate that is between polar and subarctic. This means it is often cloudy and foggy. In the winter, the sea freezes over for many months. The ice is usually about 40 cm thick, but it can reach 150 cm in very cold years.
In the summer, the water is much calmer. July and August are usually the quietest months. Even when it is frozen, icebreakers help ships move through the water.
Many different living things call this sea home. There are about 60 species of fish living in the water. You might also see five types of marine mammals. One of these is the friendly white beluga whale.
There are also many islands scattered throughout the sea. The Solovetsky Islands sit near the middle of the sea.
Another important place is Kiy Island, which has a historic monastery.
These islands make the sea a very special place to explore.
The White Sea is a significant body of water located on the northwest coast of Russia. It serves as a southern inlet to the Barents Sea. The sea is entirely under Russian sovereignty and is considered part of the country's internal waters. Geographically, it is bordered by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast.
It is one of only four seas named after common color terms, joining the Black, Red, and Yellow seas.
Physically, the White Sea is a water-filled depression within a continental shelf block known as the Baltic Shield. The seabed is quite uneven, featuring the Kandalaksha Hollow in the northwest and the Solovetsky Islands in the south. The sea is divided into four main bays or gulfs. These connect to the Barents Sea through a narrow, funnel-shaped strait called the "Gorlo," which means "throat."
The Kandalaksha Gulf is the deepest section, reaching depths of 340 metres. In contrast, the opening at the Gorlo is much shallower, with depths of 50 metres or less. An underwater ridge in the northern Gorlo limits depths to just 40 metres in that specific area.
Water exchange between the White Sea and the Barents Sea is a complex process. The shallow Gorlo restricts how easily water moves between the two bodies. However, tides assist this movement through a semidiurnal cycle, meaning the tide rises twice a day. The strength of these tides varies greatly across the sea. The amplitude is only 1 metre in the south but reaches 10 metres in Mezen Bay. While open sea currents are weak, staying below 1 km/h, tidal waves move much faster. These waves can reach speeds of 9 km/h in Mezen Bay and 3.6 km/h in Onega Bay.
Freshwater inflow plays a vital role in the sea's chemistry. Rivers bring an average of 215 km3 of fresh water into the sea every year. The Northern Dvina is a massive contributor, providing up to 171 km3 in some years. Other important rivers include the Mezen, Onega, Kem, and Vyg. Much of this water, about 40%, arrives during the snowmelt in May. This seasonal influx raises the sea level and helps drive water exchange. It also lowers the salinity, or salt content, in the upper layers of the water. In Dvina Bay, the salinity can drop to 10–12‰ (parts per thousand), while the central part stays around 24 to 26‰.
The climate of the White Sea ranges between polar and subarctic conditions. It is characterized by frequent fog, clouds, and varying wind patterns. In winter, the sea freezes over, with January water temperatures often staying below 0 °C. The ice thickness is typically around 40 cm, but it can reach 150 cm during particularly cold winters.
Even when frozen, the sea remains navigable because icebreakers are used to clear paths. Summers are generally cold and humid, with average July temperatures between 8 and 10 °C. However, warm air from Europe can occasionally push temperatures up to 17–19 °C or even 30 °C.
History shows that the White Sea has been a gateway for international trade for centuries. Residents of Novgorod were aware of the sea by the 11th century. By 1492, a merchant fleet from Kholmogory sailed to Denmark, establishing Russia's first international seaport. In 1553, the English ship Edward Bonaventure arrived, led by Richard Chancellor. This event opened formal trade connections between England and Russia.
While the importance of the White Sea declined after the founding of Saint Petersburg in 1703, it remains a vital traffic center. The White Sea–Baltic Canal now provides a link between the White Sea and the Baltic Sea.
The marine ecosystem is diverse and supports many different species. The sea hosts over 700 species of invertebrates and about 60 species of fish. Marine mammals are also present, including five specific species such as the beluga whale.
The economy relies on fishing for species like herring, cod, and salmon, as well as a developing seaweed industry. The sea also contains many islands, such as the Solovetsky Islands and Kiy Island. These locations are significant for both their natural beauty and their historic monasteries.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (6)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🔬 Go deeper
More advanced topics to explore
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.