Skagerrak

Skagerrak, rectangular arm of the North Sea, trending southwest to northeast between Norway on the north and the Jutland peninsula of Denmark on the south. About 150 miles (240 km) long and 80–90 miles (130–145 km) wide, the Skagerrak narrows between Cape Skagen (the Skaw), Denmark, and the Swedish coast before turning south into the Kattegat toward the Danish sounds and the Baltic Sea. Shallow along the Danish shore, it deepens toward the Norwegian coast, reaching a depth of more than 2,000 feet (600 meters). The Skagerrak is a busy shipping lane. Its ports include Oslo and Kristiansand (Norway) and Uddevalla and Strömstad (Sweden). The Battle of Jutland, a major naval battle during World War I, was fought near the Skagerrak in 1916.