Size: The North Sea covers 218,178 square miles. It extends almost 600 miles from north to south and about 360 miles from west to east. It has an average depth of 100 feet in the south and 400 feet in the north. The Strait of Dover and the English Channel connect the North Sea with the Atlantic Ocean.
Interesting Information:
1. The fishing grounds of the North Sea rank among the richest in the world. They supply about 3 million tons of fish annually.
2. During World War I, Britain controlled the North Sea and prevented the German Navy from using it as a route to the Atlantic Ocean.
3. In the 1960's, vast amounts of petroleum and natural gas were found under the North Sea.
4. Weather conditions in the North Sea are unpredictable, especially in winter. Winds of up to 100 miles an hour and severe storms sometimes occur, making navigation extremely dangerous.
5. It is also an important source of petroleum, natural gas, and fish.
Bibliography:
1) D. Ian Scargill, North Sea. , World Book Encyclopedia, 01-01-2000.
2) http://www.mapquest.com/ Mapquest 9-24-01
3)Author not available, It's England's oil too. Vol. 350, The Economist, 09-21-01.