Gulf of İzmit
Gulf of İzmit (Turkish: İzmit Körfezi), also referred to as Izmit Bay, is a bay at the easternmost edge of the Sea of Marmara, in Kocaeli Province, Turkey. Its ancient names were Gulf of Astacus, Sinus Astacenus (Ancient Greek: Ἀστακηνὸς κόλπος),[1] Olbianus Sinus (Ancient Greek: Ὀλβιανὸς κόλπος, romanized: Olbianos kolpos)[2] and Gulf of Nicomedia.[3]
It took the names Gulf of Astacus and Sinus Astacenus from the city Astacus.[4][5]
The gulf takes its name from the city of İzmit, other cities and towns around the bay being Gebze, Körfez, Gölcük, and Altınova. In the east–west direction, it extends for a length of about 48 kilometres (30 mi), while in the north–south direction its width varies from 2 to 3 kilometres (1.2 to 1.9 mi) at the narrowest spots to about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) at its widest. The İzmit Bay Bridge is a suspension bridge that bridges the gulf.
See also
- Astacus in Bithynia
- Astacus – a genus of crayfish (from the Greek word αστακός (astakós), adopted into Turkish as ıstakoz, both meaning lobster)
- Nicomedia (modern İzmit) – the eastern and most senior capital of the Roman Empire during the Tetrarchy system
- İzmit
- İzmit Bay Bridge
- İzmit Körfez Circuit