lagoon
Sign in to savethumb| Balos coastal lagoon of northwestern Crete. The shallow lagoon is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by narrow shoals connecting to a small, rocky mountain. thumb|Garabogazköl lagoon in [[Turkmenistan]] thumb|Venetian Lagoon
AI overview
A lagoon is a shallow body of water that is separated from the sea or ocean by a narrow strip of land or sandbars. Lagoons matter because they form unique coastal environments that support distinct ecosystems and communities, and they have historically been important to human settlements and cultures.
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Article
9 sectionsContents
- Definition and terminology
- Etymology
- Atoll lagoons
- Coastal lagoons
- Largest coastal lagoons
- Images
- See also
- Notes
- References
thumb| Balos coastal lagoon of northwestern Crete. The shallow lagoon is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by narrow shoals connecting to a small, rocky mountain. thumb|Garabogazköl lagoon in [[Turkmenistan]] thumb|Venetian Lagoon
A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as a reef, a barrier island or islands, a barrier peninsula, or an isthmus. Lagoons are commonly divided into coastal lagoons (or barrier lagoons) and atoll lagoons. They have also been identified as occurring on mixed-sand and gravel coastlines. There is an overlap between bodies of water classified as coastal lagoons and bodies of water classified as estuaries. Lagoons are common coastal features around many parts of the world.