Which one of the following is a correct sequence in the increasing order of salinity concentration ?

The salinity of water bodies is determined by the balance between evaporation, precipitation, and freshwater influx. The Baltic Sea has the lowest salinity (approximately 7-31‰) due to significant freshwater influx from rivers and melting ice [c1][c3][c4]. The North Sea follows with higher salinity (around 34-35‰) because, despite its high latitude, it receives saline water from the North Atlantic Drift [c1][c2]. The Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) typically exhibits higher salinity than the open ocean (often exceeding 35-36‰) due to high evaporation in an arid environment [t8]. The Red Sea records the highest salinity among these (averaging 39-40‰) due to extreme evaporation rates and a lack of significant river discharge [c3][c4][t5]. Therefore, the increasing order is Baltic Sea, North Sea, Gulf of California, and Red Sea.

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 33: Ocean temperature and salinity > Marginal Seas > p. 519
2. [2] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > marine (sea/ocean) ecosystem > p. 29
3. [3] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: The Oceans > Salinity of the Ocean > p. 107
4. [4] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 12: Water (Oceans) > HORIZONTAL DISTRIBUTION OF SALINITY > p. 105
5. [5] https://saltonsea.ca.gov/webmaster/2021_proposals/Cordoba%20Corporation%20Inc%20Updates/Salton%20Sea%20Importation%20Project%20CORDOBA%20CORP.pdf