The Dardanelles is the strait separating the Aegean Sea from the Sea of Marmara, between the European portion and the Asian portion of Turkey at the northeastern end of the Mediterranean basin. It is one of the narrowest straits used for international shipping, being about 38 miles long and only ¾ of a mile wide at its narrowest spot. Tidal differences between the Aegean and the Sea of Marmara result in fluctuating currents, and the winding strait can exacerbate the effects of them. The Dardanelles was known in Classical times as the Hellespont, and the ancient city of Troy was located on the Asian shore.