World Oceans Map, Oceans of the World, Oceans Map

World Oceans Map - Map shows the location of five oceans of the world; the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean (Antarctic) and the Arctic Ocean. The world's oceans are large bodies of saltwater that cover over 70.8% of the Earth's surface and and contains 97% of Earth's water.

World Oceans Map

World Oceans Map - Map shows the location of five oceans of the world
About Map: Map showing the location of five oceans of the World.

Oceans of the World

The ocean, a vast body of saltwater, occupies around 71 percent of the surface of the planet. Oceanographers and nations around the world have traditionally split the ocean into four different regions: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic oceans. The term "ocean" is derived from the Latin word "keanos," which means "great stream encircling the earth's disc." The Greeks used this phrase to describe the single body of water that they believed surrounded the earth. Oceans provide us with food, control our climate, and produce the majority of the oxygen we breathe. They also act as the cornerstone of much of the global economy, providing support for industries like tourism, fishing, and international shipping. Historically there are four great oceans in the world and they are the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Arctic Ocean. The Southern (Antarctic) Ocean is now regarded as the fifth ocean by the majority of nations, including the United States. The most well known are the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. The 'newest' named ocean is the Southern Ocean.

Oceans of the World largest to smallest

#OceanArea (km2)Volume (km3)Avg. depth(m)Coastline(km)Location
1Pacific Ocean168,723,000 (46.6%)669,880,000 (50.1%)3,970135,663 (35.9%)Asia and Australasia and the Americas
2Atlantic Ocean85,133,000 (23.5%)310,410,900 (23.3%)3,646111,866 (29.6%)Americas and Europe and Africa
3Indian Ocean70,560,000 (19.5%)264,000,000 (19.8%)3,74166,526 (17.6%)Southern Asia, Africa and Australia
4Antarctic/Southern Ocean21,960,000 (6.1%)71,800,000 (5.4%)3,27017,968 (4.8%)Antarctica and the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans
5Arctic Ocean15,558,000 (4.3%)18,750,000 (1.4%)1,20545,389 (12.0%)Northern North America and Eurasia in the Arctic

The Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of the five oceanic regions of the planet. It is bordered by the continents of Asia and Australia in the west and the Americas in the east, and stretches from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south. Asia and Australia are separated from the Americas by the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean, with a total area of 165,200,000 km2, covers about one-third of the Earth's surface. The Pacific Ocean is split into the South Pacific Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean as the equator runs through it. The Pacific Ocean is a serene ocean because it rarely experiences harmful ocean currents or movements. There are more than 75,000 volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean's temperatures vary. The temperature of the water rises with proximity to the equator. Water near the poles gets cold enough to freeze. The Pacific Ocean is home to penguins, puffins, albatrosses, terns, curlews, pelicans, and egrets, seals, fur seals, walruses, and sea lions, Salmon, cod, halibut, marlin, tuna, ladyfish, herring, and sardines.

The Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the world's second-largest ocean, after the Pacific Ocean. The size of the Atlantic Ocean is approximately 106,460,000 km2 (41,100,000 sq mi). It covers around 29% of the sea surface area and about 20% of the planet's surface. It is connected to the Arctic Ocean in the north, the Pacific Ocean in the southwest, the Indian Ocean in the southeast, and the Southern Ocean in the south as a part of the globally connected World Oceans. Equatorial Counter Current separates the Atlantic Ocean into two parts: the North Atlantic Ocean and the South Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic influences our weather patterns, including hurricanes, and is home to a variety of animals, including dolphins and sea turtles. The Atlantic Ocean has played a significant role in trade and travel for many years.

The Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the world's third-largest ocean on this earth. It covers 70,560,000 km2 (27,240,000 sq mi) of the water on the planet's surface. The Indian Ocean is bordered by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east and Antarctica to the south. The Arabian Sea, Laccadive Sea, Somali Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Andaman Sea are some of the larger marginal or regional seas that are part of the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean is a significant sea route that links Europe and America with the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia.

The Southern Ocean

The Southern Ocean commonly referred to as the Antarctic Ocean. It is the second smallest of the five major oceanic divisions. It is smaller than the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans but larger than the Arctic Ocean. The Southern Ocean covers 20,327,000 km2 of the earth. The fourth-largest ocean in the world is the Southern Ocean. It is the only ocean that circumnavigates the entire planet, surrounding Antarctica and the South Pole. In the winter, portions of the ocean freeze, creating enormous sheets of ice. The Southern Ocean is rough and has large waves because of the extremely high winds.

The Arctic Ocean

Of the five major oceans in the globe, the Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest. It is regarded as the coldest ocean and covers an area of roughly 14,060,000 km2 (5,430,000 sq mi). The Arctic Ocean is roughly centered on the North Pole. The landmasses of North America, Eurasia, and Greenland almost completely encircle the ocean. The Arctic Ocean is considered to be the northernmost portion of the entire World Ocean because it is located in the Northern Hemisphere. The majority of the Arctic Ocean is always covered in ice, but as temperatures rise, this is beginning to change. The Arctic Ocean, which appears to be pale and bleak, is actually home to an incredible variety of life.

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