Surely each of us at least once in his life saw the ocean. Maybe it was a picture or a photograph, but someone was more fortunate, and he saw the expanses of the ocean with his own eyes. Endless expanses, the blue expanse of water smoothly turning into the horizon, amazing ocean inhabitants and a lot of enchanting legends - all this beckons to find out so much, but what is this “ocean” anyway?

The entire water surface of the Earth, surrounding the continents and islands, is called the World Ocean. In turn, the World Ocean is divided into five oceans, which are separated by continents and ocean currents. Until 2000, there were four oceans on Earth: the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Arctic. In 2000, the International Geographic Organization decided to designate another ocean, calling it the Southern Ocean, but this decision has not yet been formalized.

Atlantic Ocean

Indian Ocean

Pacific Ocean

Arctic Ocean

South ocean

Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean ranks second in size, second only to the Pacific Ocean. Its location is on the north side - between Iceland and Greenland, in the east - between Europe and Africa, in the south - Antarctica, and in the west - South and North America.
The total area of ​​the ocean is 91.66 million square meters. km, of which only 16% are seas, straits and bays. The size of the coastal seas is also not significant and does not even exceed 1% of the total area. The greatest depth is 8,742 meters. The coastline of the ocean is heavily indented by seas and bays.
There are three versions of where the name of the ocean was borrowed from, according to one of them, it comes from the name of the titan in Greek mythology - Atlanta. The second version says that the name was obtained from the Atlas Mountains, and the third version - that from the mythical continent of Atlantis. The name of the ocean comes from the name of the titan in Greek mythology - Atlanta.
Interestingly, the Atlantic Ocean collects all fresh water from all over the land, and its distinguishing feature from other oceans is that it connects the two polar regions of the Earth in the form of a wide strait.
In the center of the Atlantic there is a ridge - the so-called "belt of instability of the earth's crust." Some elevations of this ridge can also be observed above the surface of the water as volcanic islands - Iceland also belongs to them.
On the south side, part of the ocean is constantly exposed to the dry tropical wind, so here, the sky above the ocean looks like cotton wool and is slightly clouded by cumulus clouds - for tourists this is an indescribable beauty. And yet, this is a unique place in the Atlantic, because there are no cyclones.
The color of the water in the Atlantic Ocean varies from a dark blue hue, and closer to Africa, the equator and the southern coast of Brazil, it becomes bright green.
The flora and fauna of the Atlantic Ocean truly fascinates with its diversity and abundance - there is a huge number of flying, predatory fish and sharks. The southern part of the ocean is special in that there are no builder corals here - they cannot withstand the cold current in the ocean. But, despite this, most researchers argue that warm currents are less rich in living creatures than cold ones.
But in the equatorial part, everything is completely different. The sky is always overcast with thick clouds, and the weather is hot and stuffy all year round. The water near coastal areas is usually quite muddy, due to the fact that it is here that the Amazon, Congo and other rivers begin to flow.
And there are practically no corals to be found in the Atlantic Ocean, since it has quite strongly desalinated water.

Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean not much less than the Atlantic or the Pacific. Its total area is 76 million square meters. km., and the maximum depth that was explored in the ocean is 7,729 meters and it is located in the Yavan Trench. The greatest width of this ocean is reached in the southern hemisphere, and in the northern part the ocean takes the form of a sea, cutting sharply into the shores.
It is interesting to know that it was the shores of the Indian Ocean that became the native land for ancient civilizations. Most scientists say that the Indian Ocean began to be studied earlier than others - about 6 thousand years ago.
The first description of the Indian Ocean was made and its oceanic routes were made by the Arabs. And more accurate geographical information began to accumulate from 1497 and is associated with the name of Vasco de Gama. A complete or comprehensive study of the ocean falls only on the 19th century.
In the western part of the ocean there is an underwater ridge that connects to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Interestingly, approximately in the center of the ridge there are many faults and splits, their appearance is associated with earthquakes and volcanism at the bottom of the ocean. But the very bed of the ocean is crossed by multiple uplifts.
If the waters of the Atlantic Ocean are famous for their multicoloredness, then the water in the Indian Ocean has won its respect for its transparency and purity. Of course, the water has a certain shade, and it varies from dark blue to azure.
In the northern part, the Indian Ocean is heavily influenced by land, and it is because of this that it is nicknamed the "Monsoon Sea". In the winter season, arid air flows to Eurasia, but in the summer, on the contrary, it "attacks" the ocean waters.
Another interesting fact about the ocean are its tides. In the same Northern part, they are rather weak, and only occasionally can reach seven meters. But a single tidal wave can rush, reaching a speed of 20 km / h, and 10 meters in height.
Flora and fauna in the Indian Ocean is not the best picture. Coral development is almost impossible due to the steep coastline, monsoonal climate and influx of fresh water.
Surprisingly, few people actually know that it is from the Indian Ocean that humanity takes fish and seafood. But in the north, this is, in principle, the only source of food.
In the Indian Ocean, the industry of holothurians - trepangs is quite well developed (they are very fond of the inhabitants of China). And yet, since ancient times, pearls have been mined in the Indian Ocean, and some coastal areas are considered major sources of precious stones.

Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean of all, in addition, it is the Pacific Ocean that is older than the rest. Its total area is 178.6 million square meters. km.
It is interesting that the Pacific Ocean will be able to absolutely freely accommodate all the islands and continents of the planet, for which it received the title of "Great".
But the name "Quiet" was obtained thanks to the sailor F. Magellan, who made trip around the world, and he managed to swim across the Pacific Ocean in good weather, when there was not even a hint of waves on the water surface, and in the air - gusts of wind.
The Pacific Ocean rightfully deserves the title of "Great", since it occupies a third of the entire planet Earth, and almost half of the entire World Ocean.
Its shape is close to an oval, and closer to the equator is its widest part.
Interesting fact: only by research Pacific Ocean a specialized international organization has now been opened. During the last years of its activity, updated data have been obtained regarding its nature, depth, existing currents, bottom, as well as the situation of flora and fauna.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the ocean is calmer, with mostly light winds and a more or less stable atmosphere. It was for such peace and quiet that the traveler Magellan called the ocean "Pacific". However, closer to the western part of the ocean, everything changes dramatically and dramatically.
Peaceful or calm weather conditions in the Pacific Ocean are quite rare. As a rule, stormy winds prevail here, which quite often turn into hurricanes. Such winds are called the southern squalls of Australia, and their exacerbation occurs to a greater extent in December.
Tropical cyclones are also less common, but with higher intensity. They begin at the beginning of autumn, and they come from the Coral Sea, and already near New Zealand they become warm westerly winds.
The waters of the Pacific Ocean, as a rule, are always transparent and clean, and their dark blue color always amazes tourists. However, due to the fact that marine life in the ocean is actively developing, sometimes the water acquires a greenish tint. The temperature above sea level is almost always 25 degrees Celsius, the wind is always moderate.
The most amazing thing is that it is over the Pacific Ocean that the darkest nights are.
Of all the listed oceans, it is in the Pacific that the most favorable environment for the development of corals. And it is not at all surprising that there are a huge number of them here.
And yet, it was the shores of the Pacific Ocean (near Australia) that "sheltered" the Great Reef - the largest ridge created by ocean organisms.
Today, the Pacific Ocean plays a significant role for many countries. Almost half of the total catch of crabs, shrimp, shellfish and fish comes from the Pacific Ocean.
But California was completely surprised and began to produce oil off the coast of the Pacific Ocean, which once again emphasizes its uniqueness.

Arctic Ocean

Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean of the entire planet Earth. Its total area is only 15 million square meters. km. But, despite this, the Arctic Ocean is shrouded in many stories and legends. Its location is very cold - right in Antarctica, occupying significant areas near the North Pole.
The first story about the Arctic Ocean is its exploration. Only the discovery of the Arctic Ocean was shrouded in a chain of heroic deeds of more than one generation of sailors. In ancient times, Russian coast-dwellers traveled across the ocean on wooden boats. Their goal was to conduct fishing, hunting, and most importantly, that they were aware of the conditions of navigation and knew how to navigate by the stars and the sun.
The most accurate map of the western part of the Arctic Ocean was drawn only in the 16th century after the return of Willem Barents, who made an attempt to find the shortest sea route from Europe to the Eastern countries.
The greatest depth that was explored in the Arctic Ocean was 5,527 meters. Another feature of this ocean is its relief - it is a large shelf, which reaches a width of 1,500 kilometers, and its central part is crossed by numerous mountain ranges, as well as deep faults.
A feature of the Arctic Ocean is its climate, which is one hundred percent dependent on the location of the ocean. Arctic air masses are always present above the water masses, the temperature does not rise above 20 degrees below zero, and in the coldest time it reaches 40 degrees below zero. But, even despite such low temperatures, the western part is never covered with blocks of ice.
Ocean water is constantly updated and replenished by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. So, receiving warm water from them, the Arctic Ocean does not freeze and is able to warm marine inhabitants.
Another characteristic feature is the presence of a huge amount of ice, the formation of which is associated with a low level of salt in the water and low temperatures.
There were even cases that frightened many sailors, when ships that fell into such an ice blanket were squeezed up or completely crushed.
The bulk of living organisms are algae that have adapted to live not only in critically cold water, but even on ice floes. Of the fish, halibut, navaga and cod live here.
Another significant feature of the Arctic Ocean is that its habitual inhabitants are not at all standard fish and corals, but walruses, seals and whales. And in the area of ​​the Barents Sea, a huge amount of ocean plankton is always based, which in summer is an attraction for birds that form the so-called bird colonies.
The Arctic Ocean is of great importance for such countries as Russia, Norway, Denmark, Canada and others. Severe weather conditions sometimes make it difficult to search for minerals in the Arctic Ocean. However, deposits have already been found on its coastline. natural gas and oil. But at the bottom of the Laptev and East Siberian Seas, even deposits of various ores were found.
But the flora and fauna, again, due to the harsh weather and climatic conditions, are quite poor. In the Atlantic latitudes, daredevils fish, harvest rare algae and hunt seals.

South ocean

South ocean, by right, can be considered among the youngest, since it was separated only in 2000. However, the question of its exact boundaries, to date, is still open.
In fact, the Southern Ocean is symbol the confluence of the three oceans of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic. Even despite the fact that it was officially separated only in 2000, on maps and atlases it was signed "Southern" back in the 20th century.
In the south, this is the coast of the polar continent, but from the border of the West and East, they still can’t talk about limiting the ocean. According to modern and scientifically based theories, the northern boundary is represented by the northern boundary of the Antarctic region.
And here the first peculiarity of the ocean appears, connected precisely with the geographical boundary - some of its changes that occur over time due to interannual fluctuations of the Antarctic convergence.
In general, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe ocean occupies 86 million square meters. km, with its greatest depth of 8,264 meters, called the Meteor depression.
On the territory of the Southern Ocean there are a considerable number of islands, most of which are of volcanic origin and have a complex mountainous terrain.
Scientists and researchers characterize the bed of the ocean with rugged basins, ridges and minor uplifts. The most significant ranges are called the Central Indian and West Indian.
The climate of the Southern Ocean cannot be called the coldest and most severe, but it cannot be said about it either, as about a warm ocean. The average temperature of the water in the ocean ranges from two degrees below zero to ten degrees Celsius. Strong winds are always observed near the Antarctic Circle, so that the coastline sometimes remains without ice throughout the winter period.
But you can meet Iceberg in the Southern Ocean throughout the year, and it is surprising that some of them sometimes reach a size of several hundred meters. Such huge boulders are a frequent cause of shipwrecks in the Southern Ocean.
Despite the fact that the climate of the Southern Ocean is quite severe, life in it exists in abundance. Subpolar location favors the life of phytoplankton. But the inhabitants of the bottom directly depend on the relief of the bottom, which does not contribute to the exchange between flora and fauna. Here, diatoms exist to a greater extent - there are more than 180 species of them.
And also, king penguins feel very good here.
In terms of resources and minerals, significant numbers of krill, sponges, echinoderms, zooplankton and the Notothenian fish family have been found in the waters of the Southern Ocean.

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Often World Ocean confused with the Earth's hydrosphere. Therefore, we immediately note that these are two different concepts.

The hydrosphere is a more general concept, The world ocean is its most “prominent” and largest part. We wrote about the hydrosphere in our article HYDROSPHERE - THE WATER SHELL OF THE EARTH (read →)

The oceans are...

The oceans are all the oceans of our planet, the seas and other bodies of water that communicate with them. For a more accurate understanding, here are a few definitions from authoritative sources.

Ocean, World Ocean (from the Greek Ōkeanós ≈ Ocean, a great river flowing around the Earth).
I. General information

The World Ocean (MO) is a continuous water shell of the Earth that surrounds the continents and islands and has a common salt composition. It makes up most of the hydrosphere (94%) and occupies about 70.8% of the earth's surface. In the concept of "O." often include the earth's crust and mantle underlying the mass of its waters. By physical and chemical properties and quality chemical composition O.'s water is a single whole, but in terms of quantitative indicators of the hydrological and hydrochemical regime, it is very diverse. As part of the hydrosphere, O. is in continuous interaction with the atmosphere and the earth's crust, which determine many of its essential features.

O. is a huge accumulator of solar heat and moisture. Thanks to it, sharp fluctuations in temperature are smoothed out on Earth and remote areas of land are moistened, which creates favorable conditions for the development of life. MO is the richest source of protein foods. It also serves as a source of energy, chemical and mineral resources, which are already partly used by man (tidal energy, some chemical elements, oil, gas, etc.).
…
According to the physical and geographical features, which are expressed in the hydrological regime, individual oceans, seas, bays, bays and straits are distinguished in the World Ocean. The most common modern subdivision of oceans is based on the idea of ​​the morphological, hydrological, and hydrochemical characteristics of its water areas, which are isolated to a greater or lesser extent by continents and islands. O.'s boundaries are distinctly expressed only by the coastlines of the land washed by it; internal boundaries between individual oceans, seas and their parts are to some extent conditional. Guided by the specifics of physical and geographical conditions, some researchers also distinguish the Southern Ocean as a separate one with a boundary along the line of subtropical or subantarctic convergence or along latitudinal segments of mid-ocean ridges.
…
Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978.

Encyclopedia Around the World

The World Ocean is a water shell that covers most of the earth's surface (four-fifths in the Southern Hemisphere and more than three-fifths in the Northern Hemisphere). Only in some places the earth's crust rises above the surface of the ocean, forming continents, islands, atolls, etc. Although the World Ocean is a single whole, for the convenience of research, its individual parts have been given different names: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic oceans.
…
Encyclopedia Around the World. 2008

Marine encyclopedic reference book

WORLD OCEAN is a set of oceans and seas of the Earth, the waters of which form a continuous oceanosphere surrounding all continents and islands. M.O. characterized by: a huge surface of 361 million km, or 70.8% of the Earth's surface; great depths (average depth 3.7 km) and a huge volume of water (1.3 billion km2); peculiar geological and geomorphological structure; salinity of water and constancy of salt composition; the presence of life up to the maximum depth (11 km); the unity and continuity of all properties, which is ensured by the movement of waters; variety of natural conditions and internal processes; active interaction with the atmosphere, which plays a huge role in the nature of the Earth. M.O. divided into oceans, seas, bays and straits.
…
Marine encyclopedic reference book. - L.: Shipbuilding. Edited by Academician N. N. Isanin. 1986

The oceans and its parts

• Pacific Ocean:

  • Area - 179 million km 2;
  • Average depth - 4,000 m;
  • The maximum depth is 11,000 m.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world in terms of area and depth. It is located between the continents of Eurasia and Australia in the West, North and South America in the East, Antarctica in the South. The maritime boundaries of the Pacific Ocean pass: with the Arctic Ocean - along the Bering Strait, from Cape Peek (Chukotka Peninsula) to Cape Prince of Wales (Seward Peninsula in Alaska); with the Indian Ocean - along the northern edge of the Strait of Malacca, the western coast of the island of Sumatra, the southern coasts of the islands of Java, Timor and New Guinea, through the Torres and Bass Straits, along the eastern coast of Tasmania and further, adhering to the ridge of underwater elevations, to Antarctica (Cape Williams on the Coast Otsa); with the Atlantic Ocean - from the Antarctic Peninsula (Antarctica) along the rapids between the South Shetland Islands to Tierra del Fuego. The Pacific Ocean stretches approximately 15.8 thousand km from North to South and 19.5 thousand km from East to West. The area with the seas is 179679 thousand km 2, the average depth is 3984 m, the volume of water is 723 699 thousand km 2 (without the seas, respectively: 165246.2 thousand km 2, 4282 m and 707 555 thousand km 2). The greatest depth of the Pacific Ocean (and the entire World Ocean) is 11,022 m in the Mariana Trench. The International Date Line passes through the Pacific Ocean approximately along the 180th meridian ...

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. — M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978

• Atlantic Ocean:

  • Area - 92 million km 2;
  • Average depth - 3,600 m;
  • The maximum depth is 8,700 m.

Brief geographical dictionary

The Atlantic Ocean is located mostly to the west. hemisphere, stretched from the North to the South for 16,000 km. The area is 91.56 km 2 , the average depth is 3600 m, the greatest depth is 8742 m. It washes North and South America, Antarctica, Africa, and Europe. Widely connected to all oceans. In the northern hemisphere, the coastline is highly dissected, 13 seas. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge, about 2000 km high, stretches across the entire ocean, with a rift valley from 6 to 30 km wide. The active volcanoes of Iceland and the Azores are confined to the rifts. The shelf area is larger than in the Pacific Ocean. There is oil on the shelf of the North Sea, in the Gulf of Mexico, Guinea, Biscay, and Venezuela; placer tin is off Great Britain and Florida; diamonds are off Yugo-Zal. Africa, phosphorites off the coast of tropical Africa, jelly-manganese nodules off Florida and Newfoundland. Located in all climatic zones. The most severe southern regions. Currents: Sev. Trade wind, Gulf Stream, North Atlantic (warm), Canary (cold) South. Passat, Brazilian (warm). Zap. Vetrov, Benguela (cold). The zonality of water masses is strongly disturbed by currents and the influence of land. Salinity is higher than in other oceans, as evaporating moisture is carried away to the continents. Temperature surface water lower than in the Pacific due to the influence of the Arctic. It freezes not only in the south, but also in shallow desalinated bays and seas of Eurasia. The abundance of icebergs and floating ice is characteristic in the North and South. The organic world is poorer than in the Pacific. There are a lot of demersal and demersal fish in the shelf regions, the resources of some of them are depleted.

Brief geographical dictionary. Edwart. 2008

• Indian Ocean:

  • Area - 76 million km 2;
  • Average depth - 3,700 m;
  • The maximum depth is 7,700 m.

Mountain Encyclopedia

The Indian Ocean is a basin of the World Ocean, located in the main. in the Southern Hemisphere, between the coasts of Asia, Africa, Australia and Antarctica. The western boundary between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean runs along 20°E. d., eastern - in the South from the southern tip of about. Tasmania to Antarctica at 147°E D., north of Australia - at 127 ° 30′ E. d. between the mainland and about. Timor and further in the West and North-West along the Lesser Sunda Islands, the islands of Java, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. Includes the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, marginal seas - Arabian and Andaman, large bays - Aden, Oman, Bengal, Great Australian. Islands of the Indian Ocean - of continental origin - Madagascar, Tasmania, Sri Lanka, Socotra, Seychelles, surface peaks of volcanoes - Kerguelen, Crozet, Prince Edward, Amsterdam, Saint-Paul, coral atolls - Laccadive, Maldives, Chagos, Cocos and others, volcanic islands bordered by coral reefs - Mascarene, Comoros, etc.

General information.

The third largest basin of the World Ocean, the area with the seas is 76.17 million km 2, the average depth is 3711 m; the volume of water is 282.7 million km 3. Includes internal (Red Sea and Persian Gulf) and marginal seas (Arabian, Andaman and Antarctic seas - Lazarev, Riiser-Larsen, Cosmonauts, Commonwealth, Davis, Mawson, D'Urville); large bays - Aden, Oman, Bengal, B. Australian. Islands of continental origin - Madagascar (square 596 thousand km 2), Tasmania (over 68 thousand km 2), Sri Lanka (65.6 thousand km 2), Socotra (3.6 thousand km 2 ), Seychelles (405 km 2); volcanic islands - Crozet (about 200 km 2), Amsterdam (66 km 2), etc., coral atolls - Laccadive (28 km 2), Maldives (298 km 2), Chagos (195 km 2), Cocos (22 km 2) and others; volcanic islands bordered by coral reefs - Mascarene (4.5 thousand km 2), Andaman (6.5 thousand km 2), etc. ...

Mountain Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Edited by E. A. Kozlovsky. 1984-1991

• Arctic:

  • Area - 15 million km 2;
  • Average depth - 1,200 m;
  • The maximum depth is 5,500 m.

encyclopedic Dictionary

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean in the world. Located between Eurasia and Sev. America. 14.75 million km 2; the greatest depth is 5527 m. Many islands: Greenland, Canadian Arctic Arch., Svalbard, Nov. Earth, Sev. Earth and others with a total area of ​​4 million km 2. All in. The Arctic Ocean flows into large rivers - North. Dvina, Pechora, Ob, Yenisei, Khatanga, Lena, Indigirka, Kolyma, Mackenzie. According to its physical and geographical features, it is divided into the North European Basin and the Arctic Basin. and marginal Arctic seas, located mainly within the shelf (Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, Chukchi, Beaufort, Baffin, Hudson Bay and the straits of the Canadian Arctic arch.). In the bottom relief, a shelf (1200-1300 km wide), a steep continental slope and a bed dissected by the Gakkel, Lomonosov, and Mendeleev underwater ridges into deep-sea basins stand out. The climate is arctic. In winter, 9/10 water area Sev. The Arctic Ocean is covered with drifting ice, the temperature of surface waters is close to its freezing temperature (with the exception of the Norwegian Cape and certain areas of the Greenland and Barents Seas); in summer, the water temperature varies from freezing to 5 ° C and more in some areas. Flora and fauna are represented by Arctic and Atlantic forms. Found on floating ice polar bear. Fishing, walrus fishing (for the indigenous population) and seals. Transportation is carried out mainly along the Northern sea ​​route(Russia) and along the Northwest Passage (USA and Canada). The most important ports are: Murmansk, Belomorsk, Arkhangelsk, Tiksi, Dixon, Pevek (Russia), Tromso, Trondheim (Norway), Churchill (Canada).

Encyclopedic Dictionary. 2009

Also, some scientists combine the southern parts of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans into a separate part of the world ocean and call it the Southern Ocean.

Oceans. general information

Let's bring to your attention some statistics and useful information:

• 3/4 of the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe Earth belongs to the oceans;
• The average depth of all the oceans of the planets is approximately 3,900 meters;
• 77% of all oceans are deeper than 3,000 meters;
• 50% of all oceans are deeper than 4,000 meters;
• The depth record belongs to the Mariana Trench or the Challenger Abyss, 11,023 meters;
• The waters of the oceans contain 3.47% of various salts;

• Life originated and emerged from the ocean, the ocean regulates and supports all aspects of the life of our planet. The ocean is a source of food, water, regulates the climate, a source of energy, cleanses the planet;
• Ocean water is salty. It contains a huge amount of various microelements; almost all chemical elements are found in it;
• From the surface to depth, the temperature of the oceans decreases and at depths of the order of 3000 - 4000 km is 0-2 degrees Celsius;
• The salinity level of water is on average 35%, that is, there are 35 grams of salt in one liter of water;
• Salt water freezes at a temperature of 1-2 degrees Celsius. Water in the oceans freezes only in the Arctic and Antarctic latitudes and in some seas;
• The water mass of the oceans is in motion. The main engines of which are waves, undercurrents and winds. Undercurrents are warm and cold, the most famous of which is the Gulf Stream;
• The ocean floor differs from the continental crust, it is thinner and is 5-10 km. The relief of the ocean floor consists of three parts: the margins of the continents, the transition zone, the ocean bed;
• The word ocean is often used as a symbol of something immeasurably large and incalculable. For example, the ocean of thoughts, the ocean of love...
• Until now, despite all the achievements of science and technology, most of the world's oceans are poorly understood and inaccessible.

The oceans and global warming

It is obvious that any global natural event will be connected with the oceans. The phenomenon so sad for all of us as global warming is not an exception. One of the most obvious consequences of global warming will be the rise of the world's oceans. According to various sources, by 2100 the water level of the Moscow Region may rise from 20 cm to 4 meters, and this will inevitably lead to the inevitable flooding of densely populated parts of our planet. As simple calculations show, 40% of the population of our planet lives in close proximity to the shores of the Moscow Region.

Warming severely affects the world's oceans in the context of the qualities and properties of its waters. The oceans are changing.

The value of the oceans for planet Earth

From the point of view of the author of this material, the phrase itself - THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WORLD OCEAN FOR PLANET EARTH, is somewhat absurd, since the World Ocean is in many ways the planet Earth itself. Obviously, its influence extends to all events taking place on it.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest on Earth

Pacific Ocean- the largest ocean in terms of area and depth on Earth, occupies 49.5% of the surface of the World Ocean and holds 53% of its water volume. It is located between the continents of Eurasia and Australia in the west, North and South America in the east, Antarctica in the south.

The Pacific Ocean stretches approximately 15.8 thousand km from north to south and 19.5 thousand km from east to west. The area with the seas is 179.7 million km², the average depth is 3984 m, the volume of water is 723.7 million km³. The greatest depth of the Pacific Ocean (and the entire World Ocean) is 10,994 m (in the Mariana Trench).

On November 28, 1520, Ferdinand Magellan went out into the open ocean for the first time. He crossed the ocean from Tierra del Fuego to the Philippine Islands in 3 months and 20 days. All this time the weather was calm, and Magellan called the ocean - Pacific.

The second largest ocean on Earth after the Pacific Ocean, occupying 25% of the surface of the World Ocean, with a total area of ​​91.66 million km² and a volume of water - 329.66 million km³. The ocean is located between Greenland and Iceland in the north, Europe and Africa in the east, North and South America in the west and Antarctica in the south. The greatest depth - 8742 m (deep trench - Puerto Rico)

The name of the ocean is first encountered in the 5th century BC. e. in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who wrote that "the sea with the pillars of Hercules is called Atlantis." The name comes from the famous Ancient Greece the myth of Atlanta, the titan holding on his shoulders vault of heaven at the extreme western point of the Mediterranean. The Roman scientist Pliny the Elder in the 1st century used the modern name Oceanus Atlanticus - "Atlantic Ocean".

The third largest ocean on Earth, covering about 20% of its water surface. Its area is 76.17 million km², volume - 282.65 million km³. The deepest point of the ocean is in the Sunda Trench (7729 m).

In the north, the Indian Ocean washes Asia, in the west - Africa, in the east - Australia; in the south it borders on Antarctica. The border with the Atlantic Ocean runs along the 20 ° meridian of east longitude; from the Pacific - along the 146 ° 55 'meridian of eastern longitude. The most north point The Indian Ocean is located at approximately 30° north latitude in the Persian Gulf. The width of the Indian Ocean is approximately 10,000 km between southern points Australia and Africa.

The ancient Greeks called the western part of the ocean known to them with adjacent seas and bays the Erythrean Sea (Red). Gradually, this name began to be attributed only to the nearest sea, and the ocean gets its name from India, the country most famous at that time for its wealth on the shores of the ocean. So Alexander the Great in the IV century BC. e. calls it Indicon Pelagos - "Indian Sea". Since the 16th century, the name Oceanus Indicus, introduced by the Roman scientist Pliny the Elder back in the 1st century, was established - the Indian Ocean.

The smallest ocean on Earth, located entirely in the northern hemisphere, between Eurasia and North America.

The area of ​​the ocean is 14.75 million km² (5.5% of the area of ​​the World Ocean), the volume of water is 18.07 million km³. The average depth is 1225 m, the greatest depth is 5527 m in the Greenland Sea. Most of the relief of the bottom of the Arctic Ocean is occupied by the shelf (more than 45% of the ocean floor) and the underwater margins of the continents (up to 70% of the bottom area). The ocean is usually divided into three vast areas: arctic basin, North European Basin and Canadian Basin. Due to the polar geographical position, the ice cover in the central part of the ocean persists throughout the year, although it is in a mobile state.

The ocean was singled out as an independent geographer Varenius in 1650 under the name of the Hyperborean Ocean - "The ocean in the farthest north." Foreign sources of that time also used the names: Oceanus Septentrionalis - "Northern Ocean" (lat. Septentrio - north), Oceanus Scythicus - "Scythian Ocean" (lat. Scythae - Scythians), Oceanes Tartaricus - "Tartar Ocean", Μare Glaciale - "Arctic Sea" (lat. Glacies - ice). On Russian maps of the 17th - 18th centuries, the names are used: Sea Ocean, Sea Ocean Arctic, Arctic Sea, Arctic Ocean, North or Arctic Sea, Arctic Ocean, North Polar Sea, and the Russian navigator Admiral F. P. Litke in the 20s of the XIX century called it the Arctic Ocean. In other countries, the English name is widely used. Arctic Ocean - "Arctic Ocean", which in 1845 gave the ocean to the London Geographical Society.

By a resolution of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR of June 27, 1935, the name Arctic Ocean was adopted, as corresponding to the form already used in Russia since early XIX century, and close to earlier Russian names.

The conditional name of the waters of the three oceans (Pacific, Atlantic and Indian) surrounding Antarctica and sometimes unofficially distinguished as the “fifth ocean”, which, however, does not have a northern border clearly defined by islands and continents. The conditional area is 20.327 million km² (assuming the northern boundary of the ocean is 60 degrees south latitude). The greatest depth (South Sandwich Trench) - 8428 m.

The ocean is the largest object and is the part that covers about 71% of our planet's surface. The oceans wash the shores of the continents, have a system of water circulation and have other specific features. The oceans of the world are in constant interaction with everyone.

Map of oceans and continents of the world

Some sources indicate that the World Ocean is divided into 4 oceans, but in 2000 the International Hydrographic Organization singled out the fifth - the Southern Ocean. This article provides a list of all 5 oceans of planet Earth in order - from the largest in area to the smallest, with the name, location on the map and main characteristics.

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean on a map of the Earth / Wikipedia

Due to its large size, the Pacific Ocean has a unique and varied topography. It also plays an important role in shaping the world's weather patterns and the modern economy.

The ocean floor is constantly changing through the movement and subduction of tectonic plates. Currently, the oldest known area of ​​the Pacific Ocean is about 180 million years old.

In terms of geology, the area surrounding the Pacific Ocean is sometimes called. The region has this name because it is the world's largest area of ​​volcanism and earthquakes. The Pacific region is subject to violent geological activity, because much of its floor is in subduction zones, where the boundaries of some tectonic plates are pushed under others after a collision. There are also some hotspot areas where magma from the Earth's mantle is forced out through the Earth's crust, creating underwater volcanoes that can eventually form islands and seamounts.

The Pacific Ocean has a diverse bottom topography, consisting of oceanic ridges and which formed in hot spots below the surface. The relief of the ocean differs significantly from large continents and islands. The deepest point of the Pacific Ocean is called the "Challenger Abyss", it is located in the Mariana Trench, at a depth of almost 11 thousand km. The largest is New Guinea.

The climate of the ocean varies greatly depending on the latitude, the presence of land, and the types of air masses moving over its waters. Ocean surface temperature also plays a role in climate as it affects the availability of moisture in different regions. The climate in the vicinity is humid and warm during most of the year. The far north Pacific and the far south are more temperate, with large seasonal variations in weather patterns. In addition, some regions are dominated by seasonal trade winds that affect the climate. Tropical cyclones and typhoons also form in the Pacific Ocean.

The Pacific Ocean is almost the same as in other oceans of the Earth, with the exception of local temperatures and salinity of the water. The pelagic zone of the ocean is inhabited by marine animals, such as fish, marine and. Organisms and scavengers live at the bottom. Habitats can be found in sunny shallow areas of the ocean near the coast. The Pacific Ocean is the environment that hosts the greatest variety of living organisms on the planet.

Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean on a map of the Earth / Wikipedia

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean on Earth with a total area (including adjacent seas) of 106.46 million km². It occupies about 22% of the planet's surface area. The ocean has an elongated S-shape and extends between North and South America in the west, as well as , and - in the east. It connects to the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Southern Ocean to the south. The average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is 3,926 m, and the deepest point is located in the Puerto Rico Ocean Trench, at a depth of 8,605 m. The Atlantic Ocean has the highest salinity of any ocean in the world.

Its climate is characterized by warm or cool water, which circulates in different currents. Water depth and winds also have a significant effect on ocean surface weather. Severe Atlantic hurricanes are known to develop off the coast of Cape Verde in Africa, heading towards the Caribbean from August to November.

The time when the supercontinent Pangea broke up, about 130 million years ago, was the beginning of the formation of the Atlantic Ocean. Geologists have determined that it is the second youngest of the world's five oceans. This ocean has played a very important role in connecting the Old World with the newly explored America since the late 15th century.

The main feature of the floor of the Atlantic Ocean is an underwater mountain range called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which extends from Iceland in the north to approximately 58°S. sh. and has a maximum width of about 1600 km. The water depth above the ridge is less than 2,700 meters in most places, and several mountain peaks of the ridge rise above the water to form islands.

The Atlantic Ocean flows into the Pacific Ocean, however they are not always the same due to water temperature, ocean currents, sunlight, nutrients, salinity, etc. The Atlantic Ocean has coastal and open ocean habitats. Its coastal areas are located along the coastlines and extend to the continental shelves. Marine life is usually concentrated in the upper layers of the ocean waters, and closer to the coast there are coral reefs, algae forests and sea grasses.

The Atlantic Ocean is important contemporary meaning. The construction of the Panama Canal, located in Central America, allowed large ships to pass through the waterways, from Asia across the Pacific Ocean to the east coast of North and South America across the Atlantic Ocean. This led to a revival of trade between Europe, Asia, South America and North America. In addition, there are deposits of gas, oil and precious stones at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean on a map of the Earth / Wikipedia

The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean on the planet and has an area of ​​70.56 million km². It is located between Africa, Asia, Australia and the Southern Ocean. The Indian Ocean has an average depth of 3,963 m, and the Sunda Trench is the deepest trench, with a maximum depth of 7,258 m. The Indian Ocean occupies about 20% of the area of ​​the World Ocean.

The formation of this ocean is a consequence of the breakup of the Gondwana supercontinent, which began about 180 million years ago. 36 million years ago, the Indian Ocean assumed its current configuration. Although it first opened about 140 million years ago, almost all Indian Ocean basins are less than 80 million years old.

It is landlocked and does not extend into arctic waters. It has fewer islands and narrower continental shelves compared to the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Below the surface layers, especially in the north, the ocean water is extremely low in oxygen.

The climate of the Indian Ocean varies considerably from north to south. For example, monsoons dominate in the northern part, above the equator. From October to April, strong northeasterly winds are observed, while from May to October - southerly and western ones. The Indian Ocean also has the warmest weather of all five oceans in the world.

The ocean depths contain about 40% of the world's offshore oil, and seven countries currently produce from this ocean.

The Seychelles is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean consisting of 115 islands and most of them are granitic islands and coral islands. On granitic islands, most of the species are endemic, and coral islands have a coral reef ecosystem where biodiversity sea ​​life is greatest. The Indian Ocean has an island fauna that includes sea turtles, seabirds and many other exotic animals. Much of the marine life in the Indian Ocean is endemic.

The entire marine ecosystem of the Indian Ocean is facing species decline as water temperatures continue to rise, which in turn results in a 20% decline in phytoplankton, on which the marine food chain is highly dependent.

South ocean

Southern Ocean on a map of the Earth/Wikipedia

In 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization singled out the fifth, youngest ocean in the world - the Southern Ocean - from the southern regions of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The New Southern Ocean completely surrounds and extends from its coast north to 60°S. sh. The Southern Ocean is by far the fourth largest of the world's five oceans, only larger than the Arctic Ocean.

V last years a large amount of oceanographic research has dealt with ocean currents, first due to El Niño and later due to wider interest in global warming. One of the studies determined that currents near Antarctica isolate the Southern Ocean as a separate one, so it was identified as a separate, fifth ocean.

The area of ​​the Southern Ocean is approximately 20.3 million km². The deepest point is 7,235 meters deep and is located in the South Sandwich Trench.

The water temperature in the Southern Ocean varies from -2° C to +10° C. It also contains the largest and most powerful cold surface current on Earth - the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which moves eastward and is 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers.

Despite the allocation of this new ocean, it is likely that the discussion about the number of oceans will continue in the future. After all, there is only one "World Ocean" since all 5 (or 4) oceans on our planet are interconnected with each other.

Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean on the map of the Earth / Wikipedia

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans and has an area of ​​14.06 million km². Its average depth is 1205 m, and the deepest point is in the underwater Nansen Basin, at a depth of 4665 m. The Arctic Ocean is located between Europe, Asia and North America. In addition, most of its waters are north of the Arctic Circle. located in the center of the Arctic Ocean.

While located on a continent, the North Pole is covered in water. During most of the year, the Arctic Ocean is almost entirely covered by drifting polar ice, which has a thickness of about three meters. This glacier usually melts during the summer months, but only partially.

Due to its small size, many oceanographers do not consider it an ocean. Instead, some scientists suggest that it is a sea that is mostly enclosed by continents. Others believe that this is a partially closed coastal body of the Atlantic Ocean. These theories are not widely held, and the International Hydrographic Organization considers the Arctic Ocean one of the world's five oceans.

The Arctic Ocean has the lowest water salinity of any of the Earth's oceans due to the low evaporation rate and fresh water coming from streams and rivers that feed the ocean, diluting the salt concentration in the water.

The polar climate dominates this ocean. Consequently, winters exhibit relatively stable weather with low temperatures. The best known characteristics of this climate are polar nights and polar days.

It is believed that the Arctic Ocean may contain about 25% of the total natural gas and oil reserves on our planet. Geologists have also established that there are significant deposits of gold and other minerals. The abundance of several species of fish and seals also make the region attractive to the fishing industry.

There are several animal habitats in the Arctic Ocean, including endangered mammals and fish. The region's vulnerable ecosystem is one of the factors that make the fauna so sensitive to climate change. Some of these species are endemic and irreplaceable. The summer months bring an abundance of phytoplankton which, in turn, feeds the base, which eventually ends up with large terrestrial and marine mammals.

Recent developments in technology are enabling scientists to explore the depths of the world's oceans in new ways. These studies are needed to help scientists study and possibly prevent the catastrophic effects of climate change in these areas, as well as to discover new types of living organisms.

Includes all the seas and oceans of the Earth. It occupies about 70% of the planet's surface, it contains 96% of all water on the planet. The world ocean consists of four oceans: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic.

The size of the Pacific oceans - 179 million km2, Atlantic - 91.6 million km2 Indian - 76.2 million km2, Arctic - 14.75 million km2

The boundaries between the oceans, as well as the boundaries of the seas within the oceans, are drawn rather conventionally. They are determined by land areas that delimit the water space, internal currents, differences in temperature and salinity.

The seas are divided into internal and marginal. The inland seas protrude deep enough into the land (for example, the Mediterranean), while the marginal seas adjoin the land at one edge (for example, the North Sea, the Sea of ​​Japan).

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific is the largest of the oceans. It is located in both the northern and southern hemispheres. In the east, its border is the coast of the North and, in the west - the coast and, in the south - Antarctica. He owns 20 seas and more than 10,000 islands.

Since the Pacific takes over almost all but the coldest,

it has a varied climate. over the ocean fluctuates from +30°

to -60 ° C. In the tropical zone, trade winds are formed, to the north, off the coast of Asia and Russia, monsoons are not uncommon.

The main currents of the Pacific Ocean are closed in circles. In the northern hemisphere, the circle is formed by the North Trade Winds, North Pacific and California currents, which are directed clockwise. V southern hemisphere the circle of currents is directed counterclockwise and consists of the South trade winds, East Australian, Peruvian and West Wind currents

The Pacific Ocean is located on the Pacific Ocean. Its bottom is heterogeneous, there are underground plains, mountains and ridges. On the territory of the ocean is the Mariana Trench - the deepest point of the World Ocean, its depth is 11 km 22 m.

The water temperature in the Atlantic Ocean ranges from -1°С to +26°С, the average water temperature is +16°С.

The average salinity of the Atlantic Ocean is 35%.

The organic world of the Atlantic Ocean is rich in green plants and plankton.

Indian Ocean

Most of the Indian Ocean is located in warm latitudes, humid monsoons dominate here, which determine the climate of East Asian countries. The southern edge of the Indian Ocean is very cold.

The currents of the Indian Ocean change direction depending on the direction of the monsoons. The most significant currents are the Monsoon, Tradewind and.

The Indian Ocean has a diverse relief, there are several ridges, between which there are relatively deep basins. The deepest point of the Indian Ocean is the Java Trench, 7 km 709 m.

The water temperature in the Indian Ocean ranges from -1°С off the coast of Antarctica to +30°С near the equator, the average water temperature is +18°С.

The average salinity of the Indian Ocean is 35%.

Arctic Ocean

Most of the Arctic Ocean is covered with a layer of ice - in winter it is almost 90% of the ocean's surface. Only near the coast ice freezes to land, while most of the ice drifts. Drifting ice is called "pack".

The ocean is completely located in the northern latitudes, it has a cold climate.

A number of large currents are observed in the Arctic Ocean: the transarctic current passes along the north of Russia, as a result of interaction with the warmer waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Norwegian current is born.

The relief of the Arctic Ocean is characterized by a developed shelf, especially off the coast of Eurasia.

Water under ice always has a negative temperature: -1.5 - -1°C. In summer, the water in the seas of the Arctic Ocean reaches +5 - +7 °С. The salinity of the ocean water is significantly reduced in summer due to the melting of ice and, this applies to the Eurasian part of the ocean, full-flowing Siberian rivers. So in winter, salinity in different parts is 31-34% o, in summer off the coast of Siberia it can be up to 20% o.