images

The Strait of Gibraltar seen from space shuttle Discovery in May 1991

by

Nasa/Novapix

Reference

t-eugib-00001

Date

2006-09-12

The Strait of Gibraltar (bottom center), the only opening between the Mediterranean Sea (right center) and the Atlantic Ocean, is not only narrow (10 miles-16 km) in width but shallow (1300 feet-396 meters) as well.  The northern peninsula of Morocco (lower right) extends northward towards the southwest coast of Spain.  The strait locates where the two tectonic plates of Eurasian (north) and Africa (south) collide.