Biographies Characteristics Analysis

The largest oceans by area. From the largest ocean on earth to the smallest

I have never swum in the waters of the open ocean. I would like to visit the paradise tropical islands and splash in the warm water of the ocean. But, even a schoolboy knows that there are 4 oceans on Earth. All of them differ in area. The largest in area is the Pacific Ocean, and the smallest is the Arctic Ocean.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest

Do you know that the Pacific Ocean is not so “quiet”? In fact, in this ocean very often hurricanes and earthquakes. This is what Magellan called the ocean. His expedition sailed from Tierra del Fuego to the Philippine Islands for almost 3 months and never saw even a hint of a storm. Next, I would like to characterize according to the plan of the Pacific Ocean:

  • ocean name and area:
  • geographical position;
  • islands and archipelagos;
  • location in climatic zones;
  • household use.

Everyone knows that The Pacific Ocean is the largest in area (178.684 million km²). The only continent it does not wash is Africa. The shores of all the other six continents are washed by the Pacific Ocean. In this ocean is the most deep depression on our planet - Mariana -11022m. Interestingly, it is through its water area that the date line passes.

The Pacific Ocean is in seismic area, therefore, it contains many islands and archipelagos (Japanese, New Zealand, Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia). Look at the map and you will see that there are about a thousand such groups of islands in the ocean.

The ocean is located in all climatic zones except the Arctic. This is because it is, as it were, "elongated" from north to south . The ocean is important transport artery, in itindustrial fishing is carried out and it is a paradise for tourists.

Characteristics of the Arctic Ocean

This northern ocean is the smallest in area (14.75 million sq. km), the smallest in depth (average depth 1225 m) and the most freshwater among all the oceans (a lot of ice, which is fresh). No wonder it consists of two words: "northern" and "arctic". This is so because it is at the extreme north in the Antarctic and subantarctic latitudes where it is always very cold. Washes Eurasia and North America.

There are many islands in the Arctic Ocean (Baffin Island, Svalbard, New Siberian Islands) and the large Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

The ocean is used for industrial fishing, oil and gas are extracted from its shelf, this is a very important transport artery.

However, very recently...

... in 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization united the southern parts of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, creating the fifth addition to the list - the Southern Ocean. And this is not a voluntary decision: this region has a special structure of currents, its own weather formation rules, etc. The arguments in favor of such a decision are as follows: in the southern part of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, the boundaries between them are very arbitrary, to Antarctica, have their own specifics, and are also united by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

The largest of the oceans is the Pacific. Its area is 178.7 million km2. .

The Atlantic Ocean extends for 91.6 million km 2.

The area of ​​the Indian Ocean is 76.2 million km2.

The area of ​​the Antarctic (Southern) Ocean is 20.327 million km 2.

The Arctic Ocean covers an area of ​​approximately 14.75 million km2.

Pacific Ocean, the largest on Earth. It was named so by the famous navigator Magellan. This traveler was the first European to successfully swim across the ocean. But Magellan was just very lucky. There are often terrible storms here.

The Pacific Ocean is twice the size of the Atlantic. It occupies 165 million square meters. km, which is almost half the area of ​​the entire oceans. It contains more than half of all the water on our planet. At one point, this ocean stretches 17,000 kilometers across, stretching nearly half the globe. Despite its name, this vast ocean is not only blue, beautiful and serene. Strong storms or underwater earthquakes infuriate him. In fact, there are large zones of seismic activity in the Pacific Ocean.

Photographs of the Earth from space show the true size of the Pacific Ocean. This largest ocean in the world covers one third of the planet's surface. Its waters stretch from East Asia and Africa to America. In the shallowest places, the depth of the Pacific Ocean averages 120 meters. These waters are washed by the so-called continental shelves, which are submerged parts of continental platforms that start from the coastline and go gradually under water. In general, the depth of the Pacific Ocean averages 4,000 meters. The depressions in the west connect to the deepest and darkest place in the world - the Mariana Trench - 11,022 m. It was previously believed that there was no life at such a depth. But even there, scientists have found living organisms!

On the Pacific Plate, a huge stretch of the earth's crust, there are ridges of high seamounts. There are many islands of volcanic origin in the Pacific Ocean, such as Hawaii, the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Hawaii has the highest mountain in the world, Mauna Kea. It is an extinct volcano with a height of 10,000 meters from the base at the bottom of the sea. In contrast to the volcanic islands, there are low-lying islands formed by coral deposits that have accumulated over thousands of years on the tops of underwater volcanoes. This vast ocean is home to a wide variety of underwater life, ranging from the world's largest fish (the whale shark) to flying fish, squid and sea lions. The warm shallow waters of the coral reefs are home to thousands of species of brightly colored fish and algae. All sorts of fish, marine mammals, mollusks, crustaceans and other creatures swim in the cool deep waters.

The Pacific - people and history

Sea voyages across the Pacific Ocean were undertaken in ancient times. About 40,000 years ago, the Aborigines crossed by canoe from New Guinea to Australia. Centuries later, between the 16th century BC. e. and X century AD. e. Polynesian tribes settled the Pacific islands, daring to overcome vast water distances. This is considered one of the greatest achievements in the history of navigation. Using special canoes with a double bottom and sails woven from leaves, Polynesian navigators eventually covered almost 20 million square meters. km of ocean space. In the western Pacific, around the 12th century, the Chinese made great advances in the art of maritime navigation. They were the first to use large ships with multiple masts on the bottom of the ship, steering, and compasses.

Europeans began exploring the Pacific Ocean in the 17th century, when the Dutch captain Abel Janszoon Tasman sailed around Australia and New Zealand on his ship. Captain James Cook is considered one of the most famous explorers of the Pacific Ocean. Between 1768 and 1779 he mapped New Zealand, the east coast of Australia, and many of the Pacific islands. In 1947, the Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl sailed on his raft "Kon-Tiki" from the coast of Peru to the Tuamotu archipelago, which is part of French Polynesia. His expedition served as proof that the ancient native inhabitants of South America could cross vast sea distances on rafts.

In the twentieth century, the exploration of the Pacific Ocean continued. The depth of the Mariana Trench was established, and unknown species of marine animals and plants were discovered. The development of the tourism industry, pollution and the establishment of beaches threaten the natural balance of the Pacific Ocean. Governments of individual countries and groups of environmentalists are trying to minimize the damage caused by our civilization to the aquatic environment.

Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean is the third largest on Earth and covers 73 million square meters. km. This is the warmest ocean, the waters of which are rich in various flora and fauna. The deepest place in the Indian Ocean is a depression located south of the island of Java. Its depth is 7450 m. It is interesting that the currents in the Indian Ocean change their direction to the opposite twice a year. In winter, when monsoons predominate, the current goes to the shores of Africa, and in summer - to the shores of India.

The Indian Ocean stretches from the coast of East Africa to Indonesia and Australia, and from the coast of India to Antarctica. This ocean includes the Arabian and Red Seas, as well as the Bengal and Persian Gulfs. The Suez Canal connects the northern part of the Red Sea with the Mediterranean.

At the bottom of the Indian Ocean are huge sections of the earth's crust - the African Plate, the Antarctic Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate. Shifts in the earth's crust cause underwater earthquakes that cause giant waves called tsunamis. As a result of earthquakes, new mountain ranges appear on the ocean floor. In some places, seamounts protrude above the surface of the water, forming most of the scattered islands in the Indian Ocean. There are deep depressions between the mountain ranges. For example, the depth of the Sunda Trench is approximately 7450 meters. The waters of the Indian Ocean serve as a habitat for various representatives of the animal world, including corals, sharks, whales, turtles and jellyfish. Powerful currents are huge streams of water moving through the warm blue expanses of the Indian Ocean. The West Australian Current carries cold Antarctic waters north to the tropics.

The equatorial current, located below the equator, circulates warm water counterclockwise. The northern currents depend on monsoon winds that cause heavy rainfall, which change their direction depending on the season.

Indian Ocean - people and history

Seafarers and traders plowed the waters of the Indian Ocean many centuries ago. The ships of the ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians, Persians and Indians passed along the main trade routes. In the early Middle Ages, settlers from India and Sri Lanka crossed into Southeast Asia. Since ancient times, wooden ships called dhou sailed in the Arabian Sea, carrying exotic spices, African ivory and fabrics.

In the 15th century, the great Chinese navigator Zhen Ho led a large expedition across the Indian Ocean to the shores of India, Sri Lanka, Persia, the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. In 1497, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama became the first European to sail a ship around the southern tip of Africa and reach the shores of India. It was followed by English, French and Dutch traders, and the era of colonial conquest began. For centuries, new settlers, traders and pirates landed on the islands lying in the Indian Ocean. Many species of island animals that did not live anywhere else in the world became extinct. For example, the dodo, a flightless dove the size of a goose that lived in Mauritius, was exterminated by the end of the 17th century. The giant tortoises on Rodrigues Island disappeared by the 19th century. Exploration of the Indian Ocean continued into the 19th and 20th centuries. Scientists have done a great job of mapping the topography of the seabed. Currently, Earth satellites launched into orbit take pictures of the ocean, measure its depth and transmit information messages.

Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean is the second largest and covers an area equal to 82 million square meters. km. It is almost half the size of the Pacific Ocean, but its size is constantly increasing. From the island of Iceland to the south in the middle of the ocean stretches a powerful underwater ridge. Its peaks are the Azores and Ascension Island. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge - a large mountain range at the bottom of the ocean - is getting wider by about 2.5 cm annually. The deepest place in the Atlantic Ocean is a depression located north of the island of Puerto Rico. Its depth is 9218 meters. If 150 million years ago there was no Atlantic Ocean, then over the next 150 million years, scientists suggest, it will occupy more than half of the globe. The Atlantic Ocean greatly influences the climate and weather in Europe.

The Atlantic Ocean began to form 150 million years ago, when shifts in the earth's crust separated North and South America from Europe and Africa. This youngest of the oceans is named after the god Atlas, who was worshiped by the ancient Greeks.

Ancient peoples, such as the Phoenicians, began exploring the Atlantic Ocean around the 8th century BC. e. However, it was not until the ninth century A.D. e. The Vikings managed to get from the coast of Europe to Greenland and North America. Christopher Columbus, an Italian navigator who was in the service of the Spanish monarchs, began the "golden age" of the exploration of the Atlantic. In 1492, his small squadron of three ships, after a long storm, entered the Caribbean Bay. Columbus believed that he was sailing to the East Indies, but in fact he discovered the so-called New World - America. He was soon followed by other navigators from Portugal, Spain, France and England. The study of the Atlantic Ocean continues to this day. Currently, scientists use echolocation (sound waves) to map the topography of the seabed. Many countries fish in the Atlantic Ocean. Humans have fished in these waters for thousands of years, but modern trawling has led to a significant reduction in fish stocks. The seas fringing the oceans are polluted with waste. The Atlantic Ocean continues to play a huge role in international trade. Many important trade sea routes pass through it.

Arctic Ocean

Arctic Ocean, which is located between Canada and Siberia, is the smallest and smallest compared to others. But at the same time, it is the most mysterious, as it is almost completely hidden under a huge layer of ice. The Arctic Ocean divides the Nansen Submarine Threshold into two basins. The Arctic Basin is larger in area and contains the greatest depth of the ocean. It is equal to 5000 m and is located north of Franz Josef Land. In addition, here, off the Russian coast, there is a vast continental shelf. For this reason, our Arctic seas, namely: the Kara, Barents, Laptev, Chukchi, East Siberian, are shallow.

Earth is the only inhabited planet in . What is called the World Ocean, how it is located on Earth, and how to divide into separate reservoirs, you can find out by reading this article.

The continents divide the entire hydrosphere located on the surface of the earth into reservoirs that have a separate circulation system. At the same time, scientists have found that under the water column there are not only seamounts, but also rivers and their waterfalls. The ocean is not a separate part, it is directly associated with the interior of the earth, its bark and all.

It is thanks to these accumulations of fluid in nature that such a phenomenon as circulation is possible. There is a special science, which is called oceanology, and deals with the study of the fauna and flora of the underwater depths. In its geology, the bottom of the reservoir near the continents is similar to the structure of the land.

In contact with

World hydrosphere and its research

What is called the oceans? For the first time, this term was proposed to be used by the scientist B. Varen. All bodies of water and their components are together area of ​​the world ocean most of the hydrosphere. It contains 94.1% of the entire area of ​​the hydrosphere, which is not interrupted, but is not continuous - it is limited by continents with islands and peninsulas.

Important! World waters have different salinity in different parts of it.

World ocean area- 361,900,000 km². History singles out the main stage in the study of the hydrosphere as the "Age of Geographical Discoveries", when continents, seas and islands were discovered. The most important for the study of the hydrosphere were the travels of the following navigators:

  • Ferdinand Magellan;
  • James Cook;
  • Christopher Columbus;
  • Vasco de Gamma.

Intensive study of the area of ​​the World Ocean began only in the 2nd part of the 20th century already with the use of modern technologies (echolocation, submersions in bathyscaphes, studies of geophysics and geology of the seabed). There were various methods of study:

  • with the help of research vessels;
  • conducting major scientific experiments;
  • using deep-sea manned vehicles.

And the first scientific research in the 20th century began on December 22, 1872 on the Challenger corvette, and it was it that brought results that radically changed people's idea of ​​the structure, flora and fauna of the underwater world.

Only in the 1920s, echo sounders began to be used, which made it possible to find out the depth in a few seconds, and to have a general idea of ​​the nature of the bottom.

With the help of these instruments, it was possible to determine the profile of the bed, and the Gloria system could even scan the bottom in whole strips of 60 m, but given the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe oceans, this would take too much time.

by the most major discoveries become:

  • In 1950 - 1960. discovered the rocks of the earth's crust, which are hidden under the water column, and were able to determine their age, which seriously influenced the idea of ​​​​the age itself. The study of the bottom also made it possible to learn about the constant movement of lithospheric plates.
  • Underwater drilling in the 1980s made it possible to thoroughly study the bottom at depths of up to 8300 m.
  • studies by seismologists have provided data on prospective oil deposits and rock structure.

Thanks to research and scientific experiments, not only all the data that is known today was collected, but life at depth was also discovered. There are special scientific organizations who are still studying today.

These include various research institutes and bases, and they are characterized by territorial distribution, for example, the waters of the Antarctic or the Arctic are studied by different organizations. Despite a long history of research, scientists claim that they currently know only 194,400 of the 2.2 million species of marine life.

Division of the hydrosphere

You can often find questions on the web: How many oceans are on earth 4 or more? It is generally accepted that there are only four of them, although for a long time scientists doubted 4 or 5. To accurately answer the above question, you should find out the history of the allocation of the largest reservoirs:

  1. XVIII-XIX centuries scientists identified two main, and some three, water areas;
  2. 1782-1848 the geographer Adriano Balbi designated 4;
  3. 1937-1953 - designated 5 world water bodies, including the waters of the South, as a separate part from other seas, due to certain specific features of the waters close to Antarctica;
  4. 1953-2000 scientists abandoned the definition of the Southern water area and returned to past statements;
  5. In 2000, 5 separate water areas were finally identified, one of which is the South. This position was adopted by the International Organization of Hydrographers.

Characteristics

All divisions happen based on differences in climatic conditions, hydrophysical features and in salt compositions of water. Each reservoir has its own area, specifics and features. Their names come from some geographical features.

Quiet

Quiet is sometimes called the Great because of its large size, because it is the largest ocean on earth and the deepest. It is located between Eurasia, Australia, North and South America, and Antarctica.

Thus, it washes all existing Earths, except for Africa. As mentioned above, the entire hydrosphere of the Earth is connected, therefore it is not surprising that the water area is connected with other waters with the help of straits.

The volume of the Pacific Ocean is 710.36 million km³, which is 53% of the total volume of world waters. Its average depth is 4280 m, and the maximum is -10994 m. The deepest place is the Mariana Trench, which was properly explored only in last 10 years.

But the bottom was never reached, because the equipment does not yet allow it. Recent studies have confirmed that even at such a depth, in conditions of terrible underwater pressure and complete darkness, life still exists. The shores are unevenly populated. The most developed and largest industrial areas:

  • Los Angeles and San Francisco;
  • Japanese coasts and South Korean;
  • Australian coast.

Atlantic

area of ​​the atlantic ocean- 91.66 million km², which makes it the largest after the Pacific, and allows it to wash the shores of Europe, both Americas and Africa. It is named after the titan named Atlas from Greek mythology. It communicates with the waters of the Indian Ocean and others, thanks to the straits, and touches directly at the headlands. A characteristic feature of the reservoir is a warm current and exchangeable Gulfstream. It is thanks to him that coastal countries have a mild climate (Great Britain, France).

Despite the fact that the area of ​​the Atlantic Ocean is smaller than that of the Pacific, it is not inferior in terms of the number of species of flora and fauna.

The reservoir makes up 16% of the entire hydrosphere of the Earth. The volume of its waters is 329.7 million km3, and the average depth is 3736 m, with a maximum depth of 8742 m in the Puerto Rico trench. On its shores, the most active industrial areas are European and American shores, as well as South African countries. This body of water is incredible. important for world shipping, after all, it is through its waters that the main trade routes connecting Europe and America run.

Indian

Indian is third largest on the surface of the Earth is a separate reservoir, which got its name from the state of India, which occupies most of its coastline.

She was very famous and rich in those days when the water area was actively studied. The reservoir is located between three continents: Eurasian, Australian and African.

As for other oceans, their borders with the waters of the Atlantic are drawn along the meridians, and the border with the South cannot be clearly established, since it is blurred and conditional. Numbers for characteristics:

  1. It occupies 20% of the entire surface of the planet;
  2. The area is 76.17 million km², and the volume is 282.65 million km³;
  3. The maximum width is about 10 thousand km;
  4. The average depth is 3711 m, and the maximum depth is 7209 m.

Attention! The waters of the Indian differ in high temperature, compared with other seas and water areas. Due to this, it is extremely rich in flora and fauna, and the warmth is due to its location in the Southern Hemisphere.

Seaways pass through the water area between the four main trading floors of the world.

Arctic

The Arctic Ocean is located in the north of the planet and washes only two continents: Eurasia and North America. This is the smallest ocean in terms of area (14.75 million km²) and the coldest.

Its name was formed according to its main characteristics: location in the North, and most of the waters are covered with drifting ice.

This water area is the least studied, since it was singled out as an independent reservoir only in 1650. But at the same time, trade routes between Russia, China and America run through its waters.

Southern

The South was officially recognized only in 2000, and includes part of the waters of all the waters listed above, except for the Arctic. It surrounds Antarctica and does not have an exact northern boundary, so it is not possible to indicate its location. Because of these disputes about its official recognition and lack of precise boundaries, there is still no data on its average depth and other important characteristics of a separate reservoir.

How many oceans on Earth, names, characteristics

Continents and oceans of the Earth

Conclusion

Thanks to scientific research, today all 5 reservoirs that make up most of the entire hydrosphere of the Earth are known and examined (albeit not completely). It is worth remembering that they all communicate with each other and are an important factor in life of many animals, so their pollution will lead to an ecological disaster.

Which is bigger - the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean? In what natural basin could fit all the continents on the planet? Covering about 178 million km 2 and containing more than half of all free water on the planet, the Pacific Ocean is the most voluminous.

Big and ancient

The Pacific Ocean is considered the oldest of the current ocean basins. Its ancient rocks are approximately 200 million years old. The basin is also called the "Ring of Fire" because of the intense earthquakes and volcanic activity recorded near areas where tectonic plates move. Answering the question of which is larger - the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean, it is worth noting that both of them are leaders, although the waters of the Atlantic occupy an honorable, but second place. Then follow the Indian, South and, finally, the Arctic.

and great discoveries

In the old days, before air travel became possible, the only way other than land to get abroad and see new countries and continents was by sea.

Legendary explorers such as Christopher Columbus and Sir sailed the waves of the world on a ship, taking part in various epic adventures and discovering new countries, cultures and much more. Previously, no one could have guessed which one was larger - the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean, because all travel was made almost blindly. Things got easier with the advent of maps.

Pacific Ocean and its islands

The largest ocean literally stretches from the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south and borders on almost all continents. Some of the most beautiful tropical islands are found in its basin, from Hawaii in the north to Tahiti in the south. The names of the most magical places just fall off the tongue: Bora Bora, Rarotonga and Maui.

In fact, there are about 10,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The largest of these is Melanesia, which includes New Guinea (the second largest island in the world), romantic Fiji and the Solomon Islands. To the north of the equator are Kiribati, Guama and Polynesia occupies vast expanses. It includes Hawaii to the north, New Zealand to the south, Easter Islands to the east, and Tonga to the west.

And yet: is the Pacific Ocean the largest or the Atlantic?

Atlantic Ocean and its islands

The mighty Atlantic Ocean borders on Greenland, Europe, Africa, North and South America. The Canary Islands are located off the coast of Africa. The Atlantic also borders Iceland, Ireland and Robben in South Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket in the US and the Eastern Caribbean. Which is bigger - the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean?

The waters of the Atlantic cover about 20% of the total surface of the planet, covering 91.66 million km2. From this it is clear that the Pacific Ocean is large in area, and almost 2 times.

The most deep

It is no longer a secret which ocean is larger - the Pacific or the Atlantic. The equator conditionally divides the Pacific Ocean into northern and southern parts. In addition, the largest natural pool is also the deepest. On average, the depth reaches 3.9 kilometers. The Atlantic Ocean in this regard is inferior by as much as 20%. What is the deepest ocean? The answer is the same - Quiet.

The Mariana Trench in the northwest is the deepest point in the world. Its depth is more than 11 kilometers.

Is the water warm in the Pacific Ocean?

The water temperature in the Pacific Ocean varies by location. In some areas near the equator, it reaches 30 degrees Celsius, while near the poles this figure drops to 18-20 degrees.

What is the largest ocean after the Pacific Ocean?

When it comes to size, the Atlantic Ocean ranks #2 as it covers one-fifth of the Earth's total surface area. This is about 102 million km2. This massive water giant covers approximately 20% of the entire earth's surface and about 25% of the volume of the oceans. It was named due to the myths of ancient Greek mythology, where the Atlantic was referred to as the "Sea of ​​​​Atlas".

The third is the Atlantic Ocean in its depth, which averages about 3.6 km. The lowest point is the Puerto Rico Trench (8.742 km). In second place is the Indian Ocean with an average depth of 3.7 km. Its deepest point is located at and goes down 7.7 km. The Arctic Ocean is in fourth position. Its average depth is 1 km, and the lowest point is located in the Greenland Sea - 5.5 km.

So, we answered the question of which ocean is larger - the Pacific or the Atlantic, and which one is deeper. An interesting fact is also connected with the name of the very ocean on the planet. It was named quiet by the famous navigator and explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1520. During his journey, the huge reservoir seemed to him calm and peaceful. However, it was just a lucky coincidence of circumstances and weather conditions.

The seabed is strewn with thousands of underwater volcanoes

In fact, the Pacific Ocean is not so peaceful. Modern researchers have managed to confirm the existence of the world's largest volcano, which in size resembles the British Isles. It is located in the Pacific Ocean, 1.5 thousand kilometers east of Japan. The massive volcano is also quite unique due to its low and wide shape. Its flatness is due to the fact that its lava flowed over long distances compared to most other volcanoes on the planet.

Called Tamu, this massif covers about 193 thousand km 2, which is much more than the Hawaiian Mauna Loa - the largest active volcano on Earth, which covers about 3 square meters. km. The best analogue is the extinct volcano Olympus Mons on the planet Mars, which is approximately 25 percent larger in volume than the ocean on planet Earth.

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. In the 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.