The Mediterranean basin is an important area of the Earth for studying the interplay
between geodynamic processes and landscape evolution affected by tectonic, glacio-hydro-iso-
static and eustatic factors. We focus on determining vertical deformations and relative sea-level
change of the coastal zone utilizing geological, archaeological, historical and instrumental data,
and modelling. For deformation determinations on recent decadal to centennial time scales, seis-
mic strain analysis based on about 6000 focal mechanisms, surface deformation analysis based
on some 850 continuous GPS stations, and 57 tide gauge records were used. Utilizing data from
tectonically stable areas, reference surfaces were established to separate tectonic and climate
(eustatic) signals throughout the basin for the last 20 000 years. Predominant Holocene subsidence
(west coast of Italy, northern Adriatic sea, most of Greece and Turkey are areas at risk of flooding
owing to relative sea-level rise), uplift (local areas in southwestern Italy and southern Greece) or
stability (northwestern and central western Mediterranean and Levant area) were determined.
Superimposed on the long trends, the coasts are also impacted by sudden extreme events such
as recurring large storms and numerous, but unpredictable tsunamis caused by the high seismicity
of parts of the basins
