The World's Oceans
The oceans of the world cover 71 percent of the Earth's surface. In the past, ecologists counted four main oceans - the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic. But today, the world also recognizes a fifth ocean - the Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean.
The term 'ocean,' is often used interchangeably with the term 'sea,' but technically these are two different bodies of water. An ocea is defined as a body of saline water while a sea is a body of saline water partly of fully enclosed by land.
Seas are generally divisions of nearby oceans.
The Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world in terms of both area and volume. It separates Asia and Ocean from the the Americas. The Pacific Ocean is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Southern Ocean to the south, Asia and Australia in the west and North and South America to the east.
With 85,000 miles of coastline and 64 million square miles of area, the Pacific Ocean spans one-third of the Earth's surface and is larger than all of the Earth's land area combined.
Herring, snapper, salmon, sardines, swordfish, and tuna, and many shellfish make their homes in the Pacific Ocean. As do many species of seals, sharks, dolphins, porpoises, and whales.
One of the greatest threats facing the Pacific Ocean is the formation of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - a huge mass of garbage that has formed in that body of water.
The Atlantic Ocean
The next largest ocean in the world is the Atlantic Ocean - covering 42 million square miles and encompassing almost 70,000 miles of coastline. The Atlantic Ocean covers 22 percent of the Earth's surface.
The Atlantic is an "S" shaped ocean bordered by Europe, Asia, and Africa to the east and North and South America to the west. It is also connected to the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans to the south.
On average, the Atlantic Ocean is the saltiest of the world's oceans.
The Indian Ocean
Next up on the list we have the Indian Ocean, containing 20 percent of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bordered by Asia to the north, Africa to the west, Australia to the east and the Southern Ocean to the south. It is about 28 square miles in area.
Endangered marine species, such as the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales and oil pollution are two issues facing the Indian Ocean.
In 2002, after many years of debate, the world's then four oceans were redefined to create a fifth ocean. The world's newest ocean - the Southern Ocean - goes by many names. It is also referred to as the Great Southern Ocean, the Antarctic Ocean, the South Polar Ocean and the Austral Ocean. This ocean is bordered to the north by the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
You might think that life would be sparse in this cold Antarctic biome, but penguins, mackerel icefish, Antarctic toothfish, blue whales, orcas, colossal squids, and fur seals all call the Southern Ocean home along with plenty of krill and mollusks.
Climate change, illegal whaling, and ozone hole radiation are all issues facing the marine species that rely on the Southern Ocean.
The Arctic Ocean, also known as the Northern Ocean encompasses the Arctic north polar region of the Earth. It is the smallest and shallowest of the world's oceans. This ocean is almost completely surrounded by Europe, Asia, and North America. It is partly covered by sea ice for most of the year. Thus the temperature and salinity of this ocean changes throughout the year as the ice freezes and melts.
Climate change is affecting this pattern of freezing and melting, causing the ice to melt to more drastically than ever before. Some ecologists even worry that the Arctic Ocean could be ice free within the next few decades. Melting ice in the Arctic Ocean not only affects the marine life in this area, it also melts into the other oceans - namely, the Atlantic Ocean, changing the salinity and other characteristics of these waters.
The oceans of the world cover 71 percent of the Earth's surface. In the past, ecologists counted four main oceans - the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic. But today, the world also recognizes a fifth ocean - the Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean.
The term 'ocean,' is often used interchangeably with the term 'sea,' but technically these are two different bodies of water. An ocea is defined as a body of saline water while a sea is a body of saline water partly of fully enclosed by land.
Seas are generally divisions of nearby oceans.
The Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world in terms of both area and volume. It separates Asia and Ocean from the the Americas. The Pacific Ocean is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Southern Ocean to the south, Asia and Australia in the west and North and South America to the east.
With 85,000 miles of coastline and 64 million square miles of area, the Pacific Ocean spans one-third of the Earth's surface and is larger than all of the Earth's land area combined.
Herring, snapper, salmon, sardines, swordfish, and tuna, and many shellfish make their homes in the Pacific Ocean. As do many species of seals, sharks, dolphins, porpoises, and whales.
One of the greatest threats facing the Pacific Ocean is the formation of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - a huge mass of garbage that has formed in that body of water.
The Atlantic Ocean
The next largest ocean in the world is the Atlantic Ocean - covering 42 million square miles and encompassing almost 70,000 miles of coastline. The Atlantic Ocean covers 22 percent of the Earth's surface.
The Atlantic is an "S" shaped ocean bordered by Europe, Asia, and Africa to the east and North and South America to the west. It is also connected to the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans to the south.
On average, the Atlantic Ocean is the saltiest of the world's oceans.
The Indian Ocean
Next up on the list we have the Indian Ocean, containing 20 percent of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bordered by Asia to the north, Africa to the west, Australia to the east and the Southern Ocean to the south. It is about 28 square miles in area.
Endangered marine species, such as the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales and oil pollution are two issues facing the Indian Ocean.
In 2002, after many years of debate, the world's then four oceans were redefined to create a fifth ocean. The world's newest ocean - the Southern Ocean - goes by many names. It is also referred to as the Great Southern Ocean, the Antarctic Ocean, the South Polar Ocean and the Austral Ocean. This ocean is bordered to the north by the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
You might think that life would be sparse in this cold Antarctic biome, but penguins, mackerel icefish, Antarctic toothfish, blue whales, orcas, colossal squids, and fur seals all call the Southern Ocean home along with plenty of krill and mollusks.
Climate change, illegal whaling, and ozone hole radiation are all issues facing the marine species that rely on the Southern Ocean.
The Arctic Ocean, also known as the Northern Ocean encompasses the Arctic north polar region of the Earth. It is the smallest and shallowest of the world's oceans. This ocean is almost completely surrounded by Europe, Asia, and North America. It is partly covered by sea ice for most of the year. Thus the temperature and salinity of this ocean changes throughout the year as the ice freezes and melts.
Climate change is affecting this pattern of freezing and melting, causing the ice to melt to more drastically than ever before. Some ecologists even worry that the Arctic Ocean could be ice free within the next few decades. Melting ice in the Arctic Ocean not only affects the marine life in this area, it also melts into the other oceans - namely, the Atlantic Ocean, changing the salinity and other characteristics of these waters.
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