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Information of Bothnian Sea

The Bothnian Sea is the southern part of the Gulf of Bothnia, which streches from the northern part of Åland up to Kvarken. Bothnian Sea occupies about one-fifth of the total of the Baltic Sea. The bedrock of the coast of the Bothnian Sea was formed by continental glacier and is covered by layers of non-contemporaneous types of rock. the foundation of the eastern part of the Bothnian Sea is even and deepens gently, whereas the western part deepens steeply and is fragmented. The shapes of the basement rock, the quality of the types of rock and movement of the continental glacier have all had their effect on the present depth of  the Bothinian Sea.

Land uplift from the sea is typical of the Bothnian sea area. The land currently rises by about sixty centimeters every 100 years. New areas of land are constantly being formed. The landscape has changed even within one generation, and land uplift can be seen in the changes in coastal vegetation. With the land revealed from the sea, nature around the coast goes through the different stages of succession.

The Bothnian Sea is different from other sea areas of the Baltic Sea. On the whole it is good condition and its open sea is even in excellent condition. On the other hand, eutrophication both in the open sea and near the coast is threatening to increase.For many travelling in the archipelago, eutrophication exemplifies the deterioration in the condition of the sea. Climate change, chemicalisation, changes in species and risks of accidents challenges also present challenges.