Which sea lies between Europe and Africa?

The Mediterranean Sea lies between Europe and Africa. It is an almost landlocked sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar.

The Mediterranean also reaches Asia, so “between Europe and Africa” is a useful shorthand rather than a complete geographic description. Europe borders it to the north, North Africa to the south, and western Asia to the east. More than 20 countries have Mediterranean coastlines, including Spain, Italy, Greece, Türkiye, Egypt, Libya, and Morocco.

The Strait of Gibraltar, only about 14 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, separates southern Spain from northern Morocco and provides the Mediterranean’s main natural connection with the Atlantic. The sea is divided into western and eastern basins and includes named regions such as the Adriatic, Aegean, Ionian, and Tyrrhenian seas. A frequent mistake is choosing the Red Sea, which lies between northeastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula; the Red Sea connects to the Mediterranean indirectly through the Suez Canal.