Sea of Marmara

Marmara, Sea of, sea between the Asian and European sections of Turkey. It is connected to the Black Sea on the northeast by the Bosporus and to the Aegean Sea on the southwest by the Dardanelles. The sea covers 4,300 sq mi (11,100 sq km) and is a key waterway for the passage of ships between the Mediterranean and the southern ports of the former USSR.