Oceans are the largest bodies of water that make up the bulk of the world's water resources. These objects are located between continents, having their own system of currents and other features. Each ocean continuously interacts with the land, the earth's crust and the atmosphere. These bodies of water are studied by a special science called oceanology.
Global reserves of salt water contained in the oceans make up a significant portion of the hydrosphere. Ocean waters are not a continuous shell washing the planet. They surround land areas of different sizes - continents, archipelagos and individual islands. All the earth's ocean waters are usually divided into parts, taking into account the relative positions of the continents. Separate parts of the oceans form seas and bays.
How many oceans are there on the planet?
Currently, most experts tend to distinguish five oceans on Earth: Indian, Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic and Southern. But before there were only four of them. The fact is that not everyone and oceanologists still recognize the existence of a separate Southern Ocean, which is also called the Antarctic Ocean. This huge reservoir of water surrounds Antarctica, and its border is most often conventionally drawn along the sixtieth parallel of southern latitude.
The title of the largest rightfully belongs to the Pacific Ocean, whose area is almost 180 million square meters. km. This is where the deepest place on the planet is located - the Mariana Trench. Its depth is 11 km. The Pacific Ocean, washing the shores of East Asia, Australia, North and South America, is distinguished by an abundance of islands, most of which are located in the west and center.
The second largest in size is the Atlantic Ocean. In terms of water area, it is approximately two times smaller than the Quiet. The waters of the Atlantic wash Europe, part of Africa, the eastern regions of the two American continents, and in the north Iceland and Greenland. The Atlantic Ocean is extremely rich in commercial fish and underwater vegetation.
The Indian Ocean is slightly smaller in size than the Atlantic. As its name suggests, it is located near India, also washing the eastern shores of Africa, the western edge of Australia and Indonesia. This ocean contains a very small number of seas.
The Arctic Ocean is the least explored. Its area is just over 14 million square meters. km. This water basin is located in the inaccessible northern part of the planet. Almost all year round its surface is covered with thick ice. The lack of light and oxygen in the water depths led to the scarcity of flora and fauna in this ocean.
How many oceans are there on earth?
How many oceans are there in the world?
It’s an amazing thing, when I was in school (and I graduated only 9 years ago), we were told that there are only 4 oceans on planet Earth: Quiet, Atlantic, Indian And Northern Arctic. But it turns out that another ocean has appeared Southern, washing Antarctica.
Live and learn!
- Pacific Ocean (largest)
- Atlantic
- Indian Ocean
- Arctic Ocean
- Southern (Antarctic) Ocean
Yes. Really 5. Everything as listed above. The Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic and Indian, then the Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean.
At the moment, scientists distinguish five oceans on planet earth.
The first is the Pacific Ocean, the second is the Atlantic Ocean, the third is the Indian Ocean, the fourth is the Arctic Ocean, the fifth is the Southern Ocean.
Interesting fact. Until 2000, scientists identified only four oceans, but later they decided to identify a new ocean - the Southern Ocean.
Also, scientists suggest that, in about 50-100 million years, the crack in Africa will increase to the size of an ocean and fill with water, and then a sixth ocean will appear.
Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic and Indian = 4
It is generally accepted that there are four oceans. These are the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Arctic Ocean. But there is another one, which used to be called the Southern Arctic Ocean, but is now called the Southern Ocean, or it has another name - the Antarctic Ocean.
In 2000, the IHO (International Hydrographic Organization) decided that the World Ocean should be divided into five oceans. Here is their list (in alphabetical order):
Until 2000, the World Ocean was usually divided into 4 oceans without the Southern Ocean.
How many oceans are there on Earth
Officially, there are 5 oceans on Earth. List of oceans in descending order of area:
- Pacific Ocean (155,557,000 sq. km);
- Atlantic Ocean (76,762,000 sq. km);
- Indian Ocean (68,556,000 sq. km);
- Southern Ocean (20,327,000 sq. km);
- Arctic Ocean (14,056,000 sq. km).
The total area of the Earth covered by water is (361,419,000 sq. km) 70.9%.
The correct answer would be that there are exactly 5 oceans on Earth. This is the Pacific Ocean, which is located on the eastern coast of Eurasia, this is the Atlantic Ocean, located off the western coast of Eurasia. This is the Arctic Ocean (north of Russia), this is the Indian Ocean (south of India). And then there is the Southern Ocean, which was discovered relatively recently and is located near Antarctica.
I read on a website that has little to do with geography, http://tattooshka-studio.ru, that this decision was never ratified - as Wikipedia writes.
How is that correct? What to tell children?
From the school curriculum we know that there are 5 oceans on earth. These are the Pacific Ocean (the largest), the Atlantic and Indian, in second place in size, followed by the Arctic Ocean and the Southern (Antarctic) Ocean.
According to the normal logical definition, an ocean is a vast area of water, connected by straits (or directly) to two or more oceans, having seas and bays, and separated from other oceans by continents and islands.
Only 4 water areas fall under this definition:
1) Pacific Ocean
2) Atlantic Ocean
3) Indian Ocean
4) Arctic Ocean
All the confusion began from the moment the IHO (International Hydrographic Association), without consulting geographers and based on the climatic differences of the oceans, decided to self-proclaim the Southern Ocean. Also, the allocation of the Southern Ocean has a political background - after all, the territory and water area south of 60 degrees south latitude cannot belong to any state. The decision to allocate the Southern Ocean has not yet been ratified - read Wikipedia.
So the normal logical definition of the 4 oceans is geography; The Southern Ocean is politics, human stupidity and greed.
All oceans on earth are connected to each other, so we can assume that there is one giant ocean of the world, consisting of four or five parts. And if we look at it geographically and count the body of water surrounding Antarctica, which is called the Antarctic Ocean, then in the end we get five of them. But these are the arguments of scientists, and the existence of four oceans on earth is officially recognized: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the fourth - the Arctic Ocean.
Zmiter gave a complete answer to the question: there are currently 5 oceans on earth (let’s compare notes, it’s March 2012) - this is what geographers decided, although he forgot to include the World Ocean here - this is the entire volume of sea water on earth. So, speaking geographically, there are not five, but six oceans on earth!
And I also want to remind you that there is an ocean Grz, as well as an ocean Sz, humanity cannot do without them...
And we also have Elzy’s Ocean on earth
Today there is five oceans, whereas before 2000 there were only four oceans, all this happened because the union of hydrographers decided to separate, or one might even say open a new Southern Ocean.
There are five oceans in total on planet Earth:
1) The Pacific Ocean, which is the largest in area and occupies about fifty percent of all land
2) The Indian Ocean, which occupies about twenty percent of the Earth’s landmass
3) Atlantic Ocean, the second largest ocean
4) Southern Ocean, which has very arbitrary boundaries
5) The Arctic Ocean, as is known, is almost entirely covered with centuries-old ice.
A few years ago it came as a big surprise to me when a child told me that there are 5 oceans on earth. I was taught that there are only 4 of them. It turns out that geography does not stand still, and they decided to add a fifth ocean. They added Yuzhny. But they say that there will be another one, but after some time (50-100 million years), when the crack in Africa increases to the size of the ocean and fills with water.
How many oceans are there on Earth?
Quick answer: There are officially 4 oceans on the planet.
What is the ocean? This is a huge body of water located among the continents, which is constantly in interaction with the earth's crust and the earth's atmosphere. Interestingly, the area of the World Ocean, which includes the seas, is about 360 million square kilometers of the Earth’s surface (or 71 percent of the total area of the planet).
In different years, the so-called World Ocean was divided into four parts, while others - into five. For a long time, four oceans were actually distinguished: Indian, Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic (minus the Southern). The latter is not included due to its very conditional boundaries. However, at the beginning of the 21st century, the International Hydrographic Organization adopted a division into five parts, but at the moment this document still does not have legal force.
And now - a little more detail about each of the oceans. So:
- Quiet- is the largest in area (179.7 million km2) and the deepest. It occupies about 50 percent of the entire surface of the Earth, the volume of water is 724 million km3, the maximum depth is 11022 m (the Mariana Trench is the deepest known on the planet).
- Atlantic- second in size after Tikhoy. The name was given in honor of the famous titan Atlanta. The area is 91.6 million km2, the volume of water is 29.5 million km3, the maximum depth is 8742 m (an oceanic trench that is located on the border of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean).
- Indian covers approximately 20 percent of the Earth's surface. Its area is just over 76 million km2, its volume is 282.5 million km3, and its greatest depth is 7209 m (the Sunda Trench extends for several thousand kilometers along the southern part of the Sunda island arc).
- Arctic considered the smallest among all. Thus, its area is “only” 14.75 million km2, its volume is 18 million km3, and its greatest depth is 5527 meters (located in the Greenland Sea).
How many oceans are there on earth? Pacific Ocean
How many oceans are there on earth? The largest, deepest and oldest of all oceans is the Pacific Ocean. Its features are the large depths of the areas, the movement of the earth's crust, many volcanoes at the bottom, a large supply of heat in its waters (creating a favorable environment for further development), and an exceptional diversity of the organic world.
Geographical location. The Pacific Ocean, its second name is “Great”, occupies a third of the planet’s surface and almost half the area of the entire World Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is located on both sides of the equator and the 180th meridian. It divides and at the same time connects the shores of five continents.
From the history of ocean exploration. Since ancient times, the peoples inhabiting the Pacific coasts and islands have been sailing the ocean and exploring its riches. The beginning of the penetration of Europeans into the Pacific Ocean coincided with the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries. F. Magellan's ships crossed a huge expanse of water from east to west over several months of sailing. All this time the sea was surprisingly calm, which prompted Magellan to call it the Pacific Ocean.
Much information about the nature of the ocean was obtained during the voyages of J. Cook. Russian expeditions led by I.F. made a great contribution to the study of the ocean and its islands. Krusenstern, M.P. Lazareva, V.M. Golovnina, Yu.F. Lisyansky. In the same 21st century, comprehensive research was carried out by S.O. Makarov on the boat “Vityaz”. Regular scientific voyages have been carried out by Soviet expeditionary vessels since 1949.
Features of the relief. The topography of the ocean floor is complex. The continental shoal is developed only off the coasts of Asia and Australia. Continental slopes are steep, often stepped. Large rises and ridges divide the ocean floor into basins. Near America is the East Pacific Rise, which is part of the system of mid-ocean ridges. There are more than 10,000 individual seamounts, mostly of volcanic origin, on the ocean floor.
The lithospheric plate on which the Pacific Ocean lies interacts with other plates at its boundaries. The edges of the Pacific Plate are plunging into a tight space of trenches that ring the ocean. These movements give rise to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Here lies the planet's famous "Ring of Fire" and the deepest Mariana Trench (11,022 meters).
Pacific climate
The Pacific Ocean is located in all climate zones except the North Polar. Above its vast expanses the air is saturated with moisture. In the equator region, up to 2000 mm of precipitation falls. The Pacific Ocean is protected from the cold Arctic Ocean by land and underwater ridges, so its northern part is warmer than its southern part.
The Pacific Ocean is the most restless and formidable among the oceans of the planet. Trade winds blow in its central parts. In the west there are developed monsoons. In winter, a cold and dry monsoon comes from the mainland, which has a significant impact on the ocean climate. Devastating tropical hurricanes – typhoons (“strong winds”) often sweep over the western part of the ocean. In temperate latitudes, storms rage throughout the cold half of the year.
The properties of water masses are determined by climate characteristics. Due to the large extent of the ocean from north to south, the average annual surface water temperature varies from minus 1 to plus 29 degrees Celsius.
The organic world of the Pacific Ocean is distinguished by its extraordinary richness and diversity of plant and animal species. It is home to half of the total mass of living organisms in the World Ocean. This feature of the ocean is explained by its size, diversity of natural conditions and age.
The ocean is home to whales, fur seals, and sea beavers (these pinnipeds live only in the Pacific Ocean). There are also many invertebrate animals - corals, sea urchins, mollusks. The largest mollusk, tridacna (weight 250 kilograms), lives here.
The Pacific Ocean has all the natural zones except the North Polar. Each of them has its own characteristics. The northern subpolar belt occupies a small part of the Bering and Okhotsk seas. The temperature of the water masses here is low (-1 degree). In these seas there is active mixing of waters, and therefore they are rich in fish (pollock, flounder, herring). There are a lot of salmon fish and crabs in the Sea of Okhotsk.
Types of economic activities in the Pacific Ocean
There are more than 50 coastal countries on the shores and islands of the Pacific Ocean, home to approximately half of humanity.
The use of the natural resources of the ocean began in ancient times. Several centers of navigation arose here - in China, in Oceania, in South America, on the Aleutian Islands.
The Pacific Ocean plays an important role in the lives of many peoples. Half of the world's fish catch comes from this ocean. In addition to fish, part of the catch consists of various shellfish, crabs, shrimp, and krill. In Japan, algae and shellfish are grown on the seabed. In some countries, salt and other chemicals are extracted from sea water and desalinated. Placer metals are being mined on the shelf. Oil is being extracted off the coast of California and Australia. Ferromanganese ores have been discovered on the ocean floor.
The nature of the Indian Ocean has many similarities with the nature of the Pacific Ocean, especially many similarities in the organic world of the two oceans.
Indian Ocean
Geographical position. The Indian Ocean has a unique position on the planet; most of it lies in the Southern Hemisphere. In the north it is limited by Eurasia and has no connection with the Arctic Ocean.
The ocean shores are slightly indented. There are relatively few islands. Large islands are located only on the border of the ocean. There are volcanic and coral islands in the ocean.
From the history of ocean exploration. The shores of the Indian Ocean are one of the areas of ancient civilizations. Some scientists believe that navigation began in the Indian Ocean. The first means of overcoming expanses of water could be bamboo rafts, which are still used in Indochina. Catamaran-type ships were created in India. Images of such ships are carved on the walls of ancient temples. Ancient Indian sailors in those distant times sailed to Madagascar, East Africa, and possibly to America. The Arabs were the first to write descriptions of voyage routes. Information about the Indian Ocean began to accumulate since the voyage of Vasco da Gama (1497 - 1499). At the end of the 18th century, the first measurements of the depths of this ocean were carried out by the English navigator J. Cook.
Comprehensive study of the ocean began in the 19th century. The most significant research was carried out by the British expedition on the Challenger ship. However, until the mid-20th century, the Indian Ocean was poorly studied.
Features of the nature of the Indian Ocean
The structure of the bottom topography is complex. Mid-ocean ridges divide the ocean floor into three parts.
The climate of this ocean is influenced by its geographical location. The climate is characterized by seasonal monsoon winds in the northern part of the ocean, which is located in the subequatorial zone and is confirmed by the significant influence of land. Monsoons have a huge impact on weather conditions in the northern part of the ocean.
The properties of water masses are associated with climate characteristics. The northern part of the ocean warms up well, is deprived of the influx of cold waters and is therefore the warmest. The water temperature here is higher (up to + 30 degrees) than at the same latitudes in other oceans. To the south, the water temperature decreases.
In the northern part of the ocean, the formation of currents is influenced by seasonal changes in winds. Monsoons change the direction of water movement, cause their vertical mixing, and rearrange the current system. In the south, the currents are part of the general pattern of currents in the World Ocean.
The organic world of the Indian Ocean is similar to the flora and fauna of the western Pacific Ocean. Tropical water masses are rich in plankton, which is especially rich in unicellular algae.
Types of economic activities in the ocean. The natural resources of the Indian Ocean as a whole have not yet been sufficiently studied and developed.
The ocean shelf is rich in minerals. There are huge deposits of oil and natural gas in the sedimentary rocks at the bottom of the Persian Gulf. Oil production and transportation pose a risk of water pollution. In countries located on the northwestern coasts of the ocean, where there is almost no fresh water, salt water is being desalinated. Fishing is developed.
Atlantic Ocean
Like the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean extends from subarctic latitudes to Antarctica, but is inferior to it in width. The Atlantic reaches its greatest width in temperate latitudes and narrows towards the equator. The ocean coastline is strongly dissected in the Northern Hemisphere, and weakly indented in the Southern Hemisphere. Most of the islands lie near the continents. Since ancient times, the Atlantic Ocean began to be developed by man. Navigation centers in Ancient Greece, Carthage, and Scandinavia arose on its shores in different eras. Its waters washed the legendary Atlantis, the geographical position of which in the ocean is still debated by scientists.
Since the Age of Discovery, the Atlantic Ocean has become the main waterway on Earth. Comprehensive studies of the nature of the Atlantic began only at the end of the 19th century. The English expedition on the ship Challenger took depth measurements and collected material about the properties of water masses and the organic world of the ocean. Especially a lot of data on the nature of the ocean was obtained during the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958). And today, an expeditionary squadron of science ships from many countries continues to conduct research on water masses and bottom topography. How many oceans are there on earth?
The Atlantic Ocean shelves are rich in oil and other mineral deposits. Thousands of wells have been drilled offshore the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea. Due to the growth of cities, the development of shipping in many seas and in the ocean itself, a deterioration in natural conditions has recently been observed. The waters and air are polluted, and conditions for recreation on the shores of the ocean and its seas have deteriorated. For example, the North Sea is covered with many kilometers of oil slicks. Off the coast of North America, the oil film is hundreds of kilometers wide. The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most polluted on Earth. The Atlantic is no longer able to clean itself of waste on its own. The fight against pollution in this ocean is an international matter. Treaties have already been concluded that prohibit the dumping of hazardous waste into the ocean.
How many oceans are there on earth - the Atlantic Ocean. This ocean is distinguished by its harsh climate, abundance of ice and relatively shallow depths. Life there is entirely dependent on the exchange of water and heat with neighboring oceans.
Arctic Ocean
Geographical position of the ocean. The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the Earth's oceans. It is the shallowest. The ocean is located in the center of Aktika, which occupies the entire space around the North Pole, including the ocean, adjacent parts of the continents, islands and archipelagos.
A significant part of the ocean area is made up of seas, most of which are marginal and only one is internal. There are many islands in the ocean located near the continents.
History of ocean exploration. The exploration of the Arctic Ocean is the story of the heroic exploits of many generations of sailors, travelers and scientists from a number of countries. In ancient times, Russian boats - Pomors - were launched on fragile wooden hummocks and boats. Wintered on Grumant (Spitsbergen), sailed to the mouth
How many oceans are there on earth? Features of the nature of the Arctic Ocean. The bottom topography has a complex structure. The central part of the ocean is crossed by mountain ranges and deep faults. Between the ridges there are deep-sea depressions and basins. A characteristic feature of the ocean is its large shelf, which makes up more than a third of the ocean floor area.
Climatic features are determined by the polar position of the ocean. Arctic air masses dominate over them. In summer there is frequent fog. The air masses of the Arctic are much warmer than the air masses that form Antarctica. The reason for this is the heat reserve in the waters of the Arctic Ocean, which is constantly replenished by the heat of the waters of the Atlantic and, to a lesser extent, the Pacific Ocean. Thus, oddly enough, the Arctic Ocean does not cool, but significantly warms the vast land areas of the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the winter months.
The most characteristic feature of the nature of this ocean is the presence of ice. The removal of ice to other oceans is difficult. Because of this, multi-year ice with a thickness of 2 to 4 meters is formed.
The bulk of organisms in the ocean are formed by algae, which can live in cold water and even in ice.
There are two natural zones in the Arctic Ocean. The boundary of the polar (Arctic) belt in the south approximately coincides with the edge of the continental shelf. This is the deepest and harshest part of the ocean, covered with drifting ice.
The part of the ocean adjacent to land belongs to the subpolar (subarctic) belt. These are mainly the seas of the Arctic Ocean. Nature here is not so harsh. In summer, the water off the coast is free of ice and is highly desalinated by rivers.
Our planet Earth is 70% water. Most of the water resources are 4 oceans. We will describe the existing oceans, their location, underwater inhabitants and interesting information.
1) Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the most significant ocean in terms of area and depth. Its size is 169.2 million sq. km. Maximum depth – 11022 meters. Despite the name, he is considered the most violent, since... 80% of tsunamis originate here due to the many underwater volcanoes. The commercial importance of the ocean is significant - more than half of the world's fish catch is caught in the Pacific Ocean. In addition, 40% of oil and gas reserves are in the ocean. The Pacific Ocean contains over 950 varieties of algae, as well as over 120 thousand representatives of the animal world.
Interesting information:
- There are about 25 thousand in the Pacific Ocean. islands
- On one of the islands of the ocean they found very interesting objects of monetary settlement - stone rings more than two meters high and weighing 15 tons.
- This ocean has the highest waves, which is very popular among surfers
- Ocean water is capable of enveloping the entire surface of the Earth and the thickness of the water cover will exceed 2500 meters.
- The average speed of crushing waves during a tsunami is 750 km/h
- If all the water in the ocean suddenly evaporated, a layer of salt 65 meters thick would remain at the bottom.
2) Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the next largest ocean on the planet. Its dimensions reach 91.6 million sq. km. The maximum depth reaches 8742 meters. All climate zones exist over the expanses of the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean provides two-fifths of the world's fish catch. It is enriched in mineral resources - there is oil, gas, iron ore, barite, limestone. The inhabitants of the ocean are very diverse - whales, fur seals, seals, sea urchins, parrot fish, sharks, surgeon fish, etc. There are many dolphins living in the ocean.
Interesting information:
- The warm Gulf Stream flows through the Atlantic Ocean, giving a warm climate to European countries with access to the ocean.
- Among the inhabitants, a special place is occupied by delicacies: oysters, mussels, squid, cuttlefish, etc.
- In the ocean there is a sea without shore boundaries - Sargasso.
- In the Atlantic there is a mystery of humanity - the Bermuda Triangle. This is an area in the Bermuda region where a large number of aircraft and ships have gone missing.
- The ocean also became famous for the sinking of the ship, the Titanic. Research at the bottom continues to this day.
3) Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the 3rd largest ocean on the planet. Its dimensions reach 73.55 million sq. km. Maximum depth 7725 meters. It is considered the warmest and youngest ocean. Very numerous Tuna and various types of sharks are undoubtedly considered inhabitants of the ocean. IN smaller quantity Several different species of sea turtles, sea snakes, whales, sperm whales, and dolphins are present. The flora is represented mainly by brown and green algae. Mineral resources include natural gas, oil, rutile, titanite, zirconium, and phosphorite. Pearls and mother-of-pearl are mined in the ocean. Fishing reaches five percent of the world catch.
Interesting information:
- In the Indian Ocean there are the most popular holiday islands such as Sri Lanka, Bali, Mauritius, and the Maldives.
- The ocean contains the second most salinity sea on Earth - the Red Sea. The sea has completely clear water, since no rivers flow into it.
- The largest sea corals are found at the bottom.
- The most dangerous poisoner lives here - blue-ringed octopus . Its size is barely the size of a golf ball, and the poison kills in less than two hours.
- One of the main mysteries of the ocean is the disappearance of people. Floating ships were repeatedly found without the slightest damage, but not a single person was present on it.
4) Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean on Earth. Its dimensions are 14.75 million sq. km. Maximum depth 5527 meters. Ocean fauna is sparse due to the harsh climate. Among the fish, commercial fish such as herring, salmon, cod, and flounder predominate. Walruses and whales are found in large numbers.
Interesting Facts :
- The phenomenon of “dead water” - due to the occurrence of internal waves, the ship stops, despite the fact that all engines are functioning.
- The iceberg that destroyed the Titanic sailed from the Arctic Ocean.
- The largest species of seal lives in the Arctic, weighing approximately 200 kilograms.
- The most polluted ocean. There are a considerable number of bottles and bags at the bottom and on the surface.
- Based on the melting of ice throughout the year, the salinity of the ocean can vary.
In 2000 International hydrographic The organization decided to identify the 5th ocean washing Antarctica - the Southern Ocean. But already in 2010 it was decided to remove the 5th ocean and leave 4.
Instructions
All the water on the planet is called the World Ocean, which, in turn, is divided into four other oceans: the Pacific, Arctic, Atlantic and Indian. The very first open ocean was the Indian Ocean. Currently, it is rightfully considered the warmest body of water on the planet. It is curious that in summer the waters near its coasts warm up to 35°C. The area of this ocean is 73 million square kilometers. In terms of its size, it is in third place, behind the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
The water area of this reservoir is distinguished by a rich variety of animal and plant organisms. Scientists consider this ocean to be special: the fact is that its waters can change their flow in the opposite direction. This happens twice a year. The Indian Ocean borders the coasts of India, Australia, East Africa and Antarctica.
The Atlantic Ocean was discovered next. After Christopher Columbus tried to find a way to India, all of humanity learned about a new large body of water. They named it in honor of Atlas, a Greek titan who, according to ancient Greek mythology, was endowed with courage and an iron disposition. It should be noted that this ocean lives up to its name, since it behaves completely unpredictably at different times of the year. The area of the Atlantic Ocean is 82 million square kilometers. Its maximum depth is considered to be a depression reaching 9218 meters! It is curious that a long and large underwater ridge stretches across the entire middle of this reservoir. The waters of the Atlantic Ocean play a large role in shaping the weather in Europe.
Next in line was the Pacific Ocean. In fact, it received its name from the will of personal emotions. During his trip around the world along this body of water, the navigator Magellan was lucky with the weather - there was complete calm and tranquility. This is precisely what served as the impetus for this name. However, the Pacific Ocean is not nearly as quiet as it seemed to Magellan! Often near the Japanese islands and off the western coast of North America, and the reason for this is the Pacific Ocean, raging due to high seismic activity. This body of water is rightfully considered the largest in the world. Its area is 166 million square kilometers, and its water area covers almost half of the globe! The waters of this ocean wash territories from East Asia to America, including the coast of Africa.
The Arctic Ocean is considered the smallest in area, as well as the coldest and calmest ocean. The flora and fauna of this reservoir is a very rare phenomenon, since not every organism can exist in such harsh conditions. This body of water is located on the coast of Canada and Siberia. A distinctive feature of this ocean is that most of its water area is covered with glaciers, which does not allow for complete exploration of this body of water. Its greatest depth is a depression 5000 meters high. Closer to Russian territory in the Arctic Ocean there is a continental shelf that determines the depth of the coastal seas: the Chukchi, Kara, Barents, East Siberian and Laptev Seas.
How many oceans are there on Earth? I think even fifth-graders will immediately answer: four - and list: Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Arctic. All?
But it turns out that the four oceans are already outdated information. Today scientists are adding a fifth to them - the Southern, or Antarctic, Ocean.
Check out this wonderful and good article:
However, the number of oceans and especially their boundaries are still a matter of debate. In 1845, the London Geographical Society decided to count five oceans on Earth: Atlantic, Arctic, Indian, Quiet, Northern And Southern, or Antarctic. This division was confirmed by the International Hydrographic Office. But even later, for a long time, some scientists continued to believe that there are only four “real” oceans on Earth: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Northern, or Arctic Ocean. (In 1935, the Soviet government approved the traditional Russian name for the Arctic Ocean - .)
So how many oceans are there really on our planet? The answer may be unexpected: on Earth there is a single World Ocean, which people, for their convenience (primarily navigation), have divided into parts. Who will confidently draw the line where the waves of one ocean end and the waves of another begin?..
We found out what oceans are. What do we call seas and how many of them are there on Earth?? After all, the first acquaintances with the water element began on the shores of the seas.
Experts call seas “parts of the World Ocean that are separated from the open ocean by mountains or simply land.” At the same time, marine regions, as a rule, differ from the oceans in meteorological conditions, that is, weather, and even climate. Oceanologists distinguish between internal seas, closed by land, and external seas, as parts of the open ocean. There are seas without shores at all, just stretches of ocean. For example, the waters between the islands.
How many seas are there on Earth? Ancient geographers believed that there were only seven seas-oceans in the world. Today, the International Hydrographic Office lists 54 seas on Earth. But this figure is not very accurate, because some seas not only do not have shores, but are also located inside other water basins, and their names remained either due to historical habit or for the convenience of navigation.
Ancient civilizations developed along the banks of rivers, and rivers (I mean large water streams) flow into seas and oceans. So from the very beginning people had to become familiar with the water element. Moreover, each great civilization of the past had its own sea. The Chinese have their own (later it turned out that this is part of). The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans had their own - the Mediterranean Sea. The Indians and Arabs have the shores of the Indian Ocean, the waters of which each people called in their own way. There were other centers of civilizations and other main seas in the world.
In ancient times, people did not know much about the world around them and therefore they attributed special mystical meanings to many unknown things. So, back in those days, when even great thinkers did not know and there were no geographical maps of the world, it was believed that there were seven seas on Earth. The number seven, according to the ancestors, was sacred. The ancient Egyptians had 7 planets in the sky. 7 days of the week, 7 years - cycle of calendar years. Among the Greeks, the number 7 was dedicated to Apollo: on the seventh day before the new moon, a sacrifice was made to him.
According to the Bible, the world was created by God in 7 days. Pharaoh dreamed of 7 fat and 7 skinny cows. Seven is found as the number of evil (7 devils). In the Middle Ages, many nations knew the story of the seven wise men.
In the ancient world, there were considered seven wonders of the world: the Egyptian pyramids, the hanging gardens of the Babylonian queen Semiramis, the lighthouse in Atexandria (III century BC), the Colossus of Rhodes, the statue of Olympian Zeus created by the great sculptor Phidias, the Ephesian temple of the goddess Artemis and the mausoleum at Hapicarnassus.
How could one manage without the sacred number in geography: were there seven hills, seven lakes, seven islands and seven seas?
We won't list everything. As a European resident (and I live in the city of St. Petersburg), I will only tell you about the main historical sea of European civilization -.