Syvash

Syvash
Map of Crimea, showing the Syvash in violet
Syvash Show map of Crimea Syvash Show map of Kherson Oblast Syvash Show map of Ukraine
Location	Sea of Azov
Coordinates	46°05′N 34°20′E / 46.083°N 34.333°E / 46.083; 34.333
River sources	Salgir
Basin countries	Ukraine
Max. length	200 km (120 mi)
Max. width	35 km (22 mi)
Surface area	2,560 km2 (990 sq mi)
Average depth	0.5–1 m (1.6–3.3 ft)
Max. depth	3 m (9.8 ft)
Salinity	22-87‰
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Central Syvash
Designated	11 October 1976
Reference no.	115[1]
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Eastern Syvash
Designated	23 November 1995
Reference no.	769[2]

The Syvash or Sivash^[3] (Russian and Ukrainian: Сива́ш; Crimean Tatar: Sıvaş, Cyrillic: Сываш, "dirt"), also known as the Putrid Sea or Rotten Sea (Russian: Гнило́е Мо́ре, Gniloye More; Ukrainian: Гниле́ Мо́ре, Hnyle More; Crimean Tatar: Çürük Deñiz), is a large area of shallow lagoons on the western edge of the Sea of Azov. Separated from the sea by the narrow Arabat Spit, the water of the Syvash covers an area of around 2,560 km² (990 sq mi) and the entire area spreads over about 10,000 km² (3,900 sq mi). The Henichesk Strait is its eastern connection to the Sea of Azov. The Syvash borders the northeastern coast of the main Crimean Peninsula. The central and eastern Syvash were registered as wetlands of Ukraine under the Ramsar Convention. Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the entire Syvash has been occupied by Russia.