| Inland Sea | |
|---|---|
| Qawra | |
 The Inland Sea in 2016 | |
  Inland Sea Location of the Inland Sea in Malta | |
| Location | Gozo,Malta |
| Coordinates | 36°03′14″N14°11′28″E / 36.0538°N 14.1911°E /36.0538; 14.1911 |
| Type | Lagoon |
| Part of | Mediterranean Sea |
| Basin countries | Malta |
| Max. length | 119 metres (390 ft) |
| Max. width | 81 metres (266 ft) |
| Surface area | 6,652 square metres (71,600 sq ft) |
| Average depth | 2 metres (6.6 ft) |
| Max. depth | 26 metres (85 ft) |
| Shore length1 | 330.53 metres (1,084.4 ft) |
| 1 Shore length isnot a well-defined measure. | |
TheInland Sea, sometimes calledQawra inMaltese and also known asDwejra, is alagoon of seawater on the island ofGozo linked to theMediterranean Sea through an opening formed by a narrownatural arch.[1][2]
It was probably formed where ageological fault in thelimestone had created asea cave and the roof then collapsed.[3]
On one side there is a gently shelving stony beach with several fishermen's huts.[1] The boats are often pulled up on to the stony beach. The bottom of the lagoon is also mostly pebbles and rocks and is fairly shallow. Exiting through the tunnel towards open sea, the floor drops away in a series of shelves to a depth of up to 35 meters on the outside. It is reported thatJacques Cousteau said the Inland Sea was among his top tendives.[4]
On calm daysfishing boats, known in Maltese asluzzijiet, can pass through the tunnel. Some of the boats are used to take visitors through the archway and then for a tour of the nearby cliffs and other sites, mainly to theFungus Rock and to the site of the former large natural arch in the cliffs called theAzure Window.[1]
Media related toInland Sea, Gozo at Wikimedia Commons
