arm of the Mediterranean Sea, between the western coast of Italy and the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily. It is connected with the Ligurian Sea (northwest) through the Tuscan Archipelago and with the Ionian Sea (southeast) through the Strait of Messina. Chief inlets of the sea include the Bay of Naples and the gulfs of Gaeta, Salerno, Policastro, and Sant'Eufemia. Islands within the sea are located in the north (Tuscan Archipelago, including Elba), east, and southeast (Eolie Islands). Ports include Civitavecchia, Pozzuoli, Naples, Salerno, and Palermo (in Sicily).