Dardanelles Strait

Published on 20 Nov 2025

• Turkey recently suspended all shipping traffic through the Dardanelles Strait due to extensive forest fires.

• Dardanelles is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey, 61 km long and 1.2 to 6.5 km wide, linking the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara. 

• The surface current is freshwater and flows from the Sea of Marmara toward the Aegean Sea. 

• The underwater current is salt water and flows in the opposite direction. 

• Together with the Bosporus Strait, it serves as a vital route for commercial shipping between Europe and Asia.

• Historically known as Hellespont, it has also been connected to significant ancient events, such as the Trojan War, and has witnessed the crossings of notable figures like Xerxes I and Alexander the Great. 

Keywords:

Dardanelles Strait Turkey Straits Aegean Sea Sea of Marmara Hellespont Russia-Ukarine war Trojan War Alexander the Great