Oceans of the World

Oceans all over the world are interconnected. Essentially, they make up one massive "ocean of the
world" that accounts for about 71% of Earth's surface area. Oceans make up 97% of the earth's water
composition. .

Oceanographers have divided the world's oceans into five parts: the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and
Antarctic Oceans. They have also identified many smaller saltwater bodies, such as bays, estuaries, and
seas.

The Arctic

In terms of surface area, the Arctic Ocean occupies the smallest part of the Earth as compared to other
oceans. It is surrounded by Europe, Asia, North America, and Greenland. It is almost entirely frozen in
the winter, and just 50% of its surface thaws in the summer.The Arctic Ocean receives lots of freshwater
through the enormous Siberian Rivers as well as warm saltwater from both the Pacific (20%) and Atlantic
Oceans (80%). The chunks of ice (icebergs) that break off from Greenland account for 2% of the water
entering the Arctic Ocean.

There are numerous surface tides and breezes in the region. The Northwest Passage, a treacherous
sailing path, connects the Atlantic and the Arctic oceans.

The Atlantic

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean on Earth. The majority of storms,such as hurricanes and
tornadoes, form across the Atlantic.It occupies nearly 20% of the planet's surface and has an area of
around 106 million kilometers squared. It holds around 29% of the world's water. t forms an “S” like
shape since it is bounded on the west by North and South Americas and in the east by Africa and Europe.

Its name is taken from the Greek language and translates to "the Sea of Atlas." It has a mass of around
310 million kilometers cubed and an average depth of approximately 12,000 feet (3.66 km). It extends
across both the Southern and Northern hemispheres. Every year, it grows in size because of the melting
icebergs and also because the continents are constantly in motion and drifting apart.

The Indian
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean out of the five and covers 19.8% of the earth's water surface.
With an area of almost 70 million km2, it roughly covers the same area as the Atlantic Ocean. c. It is
found in the Southern Hemisphere, with a some parts of it touching the north of the Equator.

It witnesses some of the most erratic wind systems across the globe. It is because of this incredibly high
frequency of these violent winds that that ocean is nicknamed as "Roaring Forties."

In July and August, the peak mean wavesare recorded as high as 15 feet or sometimes above that. The
part of the Indian Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere might have aggressive and unsteady wind systems,
however, the seasonal shift in the Northern Hemisphere is minor.

The Pacific

The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world. It was first named by a Portuguese explorer,
Ferdinand Magellan, after he sailed around the globe in 1521 and came upon this ocean that he named
Mar Pacifico, which translates to "Peaceful Sea."

Several land masses surround the Pacific Ocean, such as the western coasts of North, South, and Central
America, as well as the eastern coasts of Australia and Asia. As a result, it covers both the Southern and
Northern hemispheres of the Earth. It also has up to 30,000 islands spread across three regions of the
ocean.

It is now reducing in size by roughly 1 inch (2.54 cm) every year because of plate tectonic activity on 3 of
its 4 sides. The Pacific covers almost one-third of the Planet's surface and has a surface area of up to 165
million kilometers squared, which is bigger than the entire land area of the world.

The Antarctic

The Antarctic Ocean is Earth's fourth-largest and newest ocean. The International Hydrographic
Organization agreed to define the fifth ocean in 2000. Borders were then drawn from the Atlantic,
Indian, and Pacific Oceans.

It stretches from the Antarctic coastline and is everything south of the 60° south latitude. It occupies a
land area of 7,848,300 sq miles (20,327,000 sq. km) and has an average depth of 10,700 ft (5 km).

The Antarctic Ocean's lowest point remains unidentified. It is located at the southern extremity of the
South Sandwich Trench, which has a depth of -23,737 ft (7.24 km). The Antarctic Circumpolar Current,
which is the world's largest ocean current, travels east and is 21,000.33 kilometers long.

How Were the Oceans Formed?

It is important we understand how these massive water bodies were formed that take up so much of the
earth's surface. Because the world we inhabit today and the world that existed a thousand years ago is
not the same, it's always interesting to know the origin story of various elements that are found across
the planet

The oceans emerged a long time ago as a result of the continuous 'degassing' of the Earth's crust. Water
was present as gas until the earth's temperature started decreasing.

There was no liquid water on Earth approximately 4.5 billion years ago. The rocks were in the form of
liquid because the Earth was extremely hot. Then, when the volcanoes erupted, one of the gases was
released as water vapor.

As the Earth cooled, the water vapors accumulated and showered down eventually onto the Earth's
surface for thousands of years. Some experts believe that is how liquid water got to the surface of the
planet.

Lets Wrap It up

The oceans of the world are one of the nine life support system of our planet. It absorbs 50% of the
world's carbon dioxide and is integral to climate regulation. It houses massive ecosystems and provides
transportation and trade channels across the globe. The basic facts about the five oceans of the world
and how they came into being will help you better understand this body of water and how it flows
around the world.