Great Belt

Geographical location

The Great Belt (Danish: Great Belt ) is the strait between the Danish islands of Funen ( Fyn Danish ) to the west and Zealand (Danish: Sjælland ) in the east. In a broader sense the south then only 10 to 12 km wide Langelandsbæltet is (Danish: Langelandsbælt ) between Langeland and Lolland in the west to the east with included as well. Between Zealand and Lolland, the great Belt extends eastwards to Smålandsfarvandet (translated: Smålandshavet ) from which both sides of the island of Falster the eastern exits Storstrømmen ( east) and Guldborgsund ( to the southeast ) has. The northern extension of the Great Belt into the Kattegat between the island of Samsø in the west and belonging to Zealand Røsnæs peninsula and the island of Samsø Bælt Sejerø in the east is called.

Detmar of Lübeck mentions in his chronicle in the 14th century, the Great Belt Baltesund ( Baltic Sound ).

The Great Belt is up to 60 m deep, 20 to 30 km wide and 70 km long in the strict sense, with Langelandsbæltet about 100 km.

Traffic

Through the Great Belt leads the ferry line between Oslo and Kiel. Overall, about half of the waterway between the Kattegat and the Baltic Sea uses this road.

Between Korsør and Nyborg existed since the 19th century, the most important Fährquerung across the Great Belt. Here in 1997, a railway tunnel was opened in 1998 and the Storebæltsbroen ( Great Belt Bridge ). About the Langelandsbæltet there is a ferry between Spodsbjerg on Langeland and Lolland Tårs.

Ecology

About three-quarters of the water exchange between the Baltic Sea oxygen deficient and oxygen - and salt-rich sea world takes place through the Great Belt. It flows north, the salt-rich, heavier water from the Kattegat south and the salt, and therefore lighter Baltic Sea water above it in depth. Measurements before and after the construction of Storebælt have shown that the bridge piers swirl the previously clearly separated water layers together. It is feared that by doing the two opposing flows are slowed and thus gets less oxygen-rich water into the Baltic. From long-term comparisons, we know that the influx of oxygen-rich water through the Danish Straits and its variations have a strong impact on the fauna of the Baltic Sea.