Geography
The typical tidal range in the open ocean is about 0.6 metres (2 feet). Closer to the coast, this range is much greater. Coastal tidal ranges vary globally and can differ anywhere from near zero to over 11 metres (38 feet). The exact range depends on the volume of water adjacent to the coast, and the geography of the basin the water sits in. Larger bodies of water have higher ranges, and the geography can act as a funnel amplifying or dispersing the tide. The world's largest tidal range of 11.7 metres (38.4 feet) occurs at Burntcoat Head in the Bay of Fundy, Eastern Canada. The Bristol Channel, between England and Wales, regularly experiences tidal ranges of up to 9 metres. The top 50 locations with the largest tidal ranges world-wide are listed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States.
Some of the smallest tidal ranges occur in the Mediterranean, Baltic, and Caribbean Seas. A point within a tidal system where the tidal range is almost zero is called an amphidromic point.
Read more about this topic: Tidal Range
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