The North Sea is an integral part of Britain’s identity. That is why, as part of your language study trip to England with LEC, that our organization has decided to tell you a little more about it today.
The North Sea and the English Channel: two epicontinental seas
Just like the English Channel, which LEC already told you about in a previous Did you know, the North Sea is what’s known as an epicontinental sea. Translation: it’s a part of the ocean (the Atlantic) that covers a continental shelf (Europe).
The North Sea and the many countries it borders
To say that the North Sea has an international reach is an understatement: it is bordered by no fewer than seven countries. These include France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, and Denmark, not to mention the United Kingdom, which you’ll have plenty of opportunity to explore during a language study trip to England with LEC or a language trip to Scotland.
A sea bounded by three points
The North Sea covers the northwestern part of Europe, spanning approximately 575,000 km². It is bounded by three points:
- the Strait of Dover, the strait separating Great Britain from continental Europe
- the Shetland Islands, a British archipelago located northeast of Scotland
- the Skagerrak, a strait located between Norway, Sweden, and Denmark
Iconic cities on the estuaries of the North Sea
The North Sea, celebrated by Jacques Brel in *Le Plat Pays*, is home to many major ports and iconic cities along its shores—some of which you might have the chance to visit during a language study trip to England, Germany, or Scotland. For example? Let’s mention Hamburg, Felixstowe, Edinburgh, and of course, London!