How many oceans are there on the planet and their names. The importance of the oceans for nature

Covers approximately 360,000,000 km² and is generally divided into several major oceans and smaller seas, with oceans covering approximately 71% of the Earth's surface and 90% of the Earth's biosphere.

They contain 97% of the Earth's water, and oceanographers claim that only 5% of the ocean depths have been explored.

In contact with

Because the world's oceans are a major component of Earth's hydrosphere, they are integral to life, form part of the carbon cycle, and influence climate and weather patterns. It is also home to 230,000 known species animals, but since most of them are unstudied, the number of underwater species is probably much higher, perhaps more than two million.

The origin of the oceans on Earth is still unknown.

How many oceans are there on earth: 5 or 4

How many oceans are there in the world? For many years only 4 were officially recognized, and then in the spring of 2000 the International Hydrographic Organization established South ocean and defined its limits.

It’s interesting to know: what continents exist on planet Earth?

Oceans (from the ancient Greek Ὠκεανός, Okeanos) make up most of the planet's hydrosphere. In descending order by area, there are:

Quiet.
Atlantic.
Indian.
Southern (Antarctic).
Arctic oceans (Arctic).

Earth's global ocean

Although several separate oceans are usually described, the global, interconnected body of salt water is sometimes called the World Ocean. TO continuous pond concept with relatively free exchange between its parts is of fundamental importance for oceanography.

The major oceanic spaces, listed below in descending order of area and volume, are defined in part by continents, various archipelagos, and other criteria.

What oceans exist, their location

Quiet, the largest, extends north from the Southern Ocean to the Northern Ocean. It spans the gap between Australia, Asia and the Americas and meets the Atlantic south of South America at Cape Horn.

The Atlantic, the second largest, stretches from the Southern Ocean between America, Africa and Europe to the Arctic. It meets the Indian Ocean waters south of Africa at Cape Agulhas.

The Indian, the third largest, extends north from the Southern Ocean to India, between Africa and Australia. It flows into the Pacific expanses in the east, near Australia.

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the five. It joins the Atlantic near Greenland and Iceland and the Pacific Ocean in the Bering Strait and covers North Pole, touching North America V Western Hemisphere, Scandinavia and Siberia in Eastern Hemisphere. Almost all of it is covered with sea ice, the extent of which varies depending on the season.

Southern - surrounds Antarctica, where the Antarctic circumpolar current prevails. This sea area has only recently been identified as a separate oceanic unit, which lies south of sixty degrees south latitude and is partially covered by sea ice, the extent of which varies with the seasons.

They are bordered by small adjacent bodies of water such as seas, bays and straits.

Physical properties

The total mass of the hydrosphere is about 1.4 quintillion metric tons, which is about 0.023% total mass Earth. Less than 3% – fresh water; the rest is salt water. The ocean area is about 361.9 million square kilometers and covers about 70.9% of the Earth's surface, and the volume of water is about 1.335 billion cubic kilometers. The average depth is about 3688 meters, and maximum depth is 10,994 meters in Mariana Trench. Almost half of the world's sea waters have a depth of more than 3 thousand meters. Vast areas below 200 meters depth cover about 66% of the Earth's surface.

The bluish color of the water is integral part several contributing agents. Among them - dissolved organic matter and chlorophyll. Sailors and other sailors have reported that ocean waters often emit a visible glow that extends for many miles at night.

Oceanic zones

Oceanographers divide the ocean into different vertical zones determined by physical and biological conditions. Pelagic zone includes all zones and can be divided into other areas, divided by depth and illumination.

The photic zone includes surfaces up to a depth of 200 m; this is the area where photosynthesis occurs and is therefore characterized by great biological diversity.

Because plants require photosynthesis, life found deeper than the photonic zone must either rely on material falling from above or find another source of energy. Hydrothermal vents are the main source of energy in the so-called aphotic zone (depths greater than 200 m). The pelagic part of the photonic zone is known as epipelagic.

Climate

Cold deep water rises and warms in the equatorial zone, while thermal water sinks and cools near Greenland in the North Atlantic and near Antarctica in the South Atlantic.

Ocean currents greatly influence the Earth's climate by transporting heat from the tropics to the polar regions. By transferring warm or cold air and precipitation to coastal areas, winds can carry them inland.

Conclusion

Many of the world's goods move by ship between the world's seaports. Ocean waters They are also the main source of raw materials for the fishing industry.

The surface of our planet is 71% covered by oceans, which make up 97% of the Earth's water. According to experts, only 5% of the ocean depths this moment researched. The world ocean is the main component of the planet’s hydrosphere, influencing weather and climatic conditions. It is home to about 2 million species of animals, the vast majority of which have not yet been studied.

All bodies of water that are part of the World have a significant impact on the climatic features, plant and animal life of our planet. Let's consider how many oceans there are on Earth, their characteristics and features.

Until recently, it was generally accepted that there were only 4 oceans in the world.

Note! In 2000, representatives scientific organizations a new ocean was identified, which was called the Southern Ocean.

The list looks like this:

Quiet;
Atlantic;
Indian;
Southern (Antarctic);
Arctic (Arctic).

Thus, it turns out that there are 5 oceans on Earth. Taking advantage modern developments and scientific and technological advances, scientists can explore the waters of our planet in new and unique ways.

This allows not only to study the depths of these reservoirs, but also to prevent possible catastrophic consequences that could occur as a result climate change in these areas.

New species of living organisms are also regularly discovered, many of which are amazing. But still most of them remain unknown.

World ocean of the planet

The world ocean is a planetary column of salty water that includes all known water resources. There is free exchange between parts of a given continuous body of water, which is important for oceanography.

To determine the most important oceanic territories, several criteria are used, for example, archipelagos, continents.

Quiet

The largest (179 million km², it is allocated a third of the surface of the entire planet and half of the World) and ancient among all the others. It is often called the “Great” because it is capable of containing every continent and island of the Earth.

The reservoir received its official name after F. Magellan's trip around the world, during which good, calm weather reigned.

The shape is oval, widened at the equator. It is bounded in the west by the continent of North and South America, in the east by the continent of Australia and Eurasia.

Southern space Pacific Ocean characterized by light, gentle winds, stable weather conditions, however, to the west the situation changes: hurricanes are often observed here - southern Australian squalls, gaining strength in December.

Tropical waters are transparent, clean, dark blue in color, and their salinity is average. The weather in the equatorial region is favorable: moderate winds, 25 degrees Celsius all year round, calm is often observed, clear sky. The Great Coral Reef stretches along the eastern Australian coast.

The average depth is 3980 meters, the greatest is in the Mariana Trench (11022 m). On the coast it is often observed volcanic eruptions, tremors - both in depth and on the surface of the Earth.

Quiet is home to many species of living creatures - a variety of fish, seals, crabs, octopuses, etc.

The Pacific Ocean plays an important role in the economy of a huge number of states. 50% of the world's catch comes from this body of water. The most important sea routes pass through it. Shipping is active along the coasts of the continents.

Unfortunately, human activity has caused water pollution, and several species of animals have been destroyed. Particularly dangerous for a reservoir is the entry of industrial waste and oil into the water.

Atlantic

This is the second largest ocean on our planet, which is the most developed and explored. The length is 13,000 km, the maximum width is 6,700 km, and the area is 92 km². His coastline significantly indented, which forms great amount bays and seas, especially in the northern regions.

It is limited to the west by South and North America, and to the east by Africa and Europe.

It was first described in the 5th century BC by Herodotus, a historian of Ancient Greece.

This reservoir cannot boast of a variety of fauna, but only an abundance of biomass. Since ancient times, the Atlantic has been the main hunting ground for mammals and marine fish.

Renders strong influence on the climate of the entire planet. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, European countries warmed by warm waters.

The intensified economic activity of mankind has greatly worsened environment in the reservoir itself and on nearby coasts. Today, scientific recommendations are being actively drawn up, and international agreements are being concluded aimed at the reasonable exploitation of ocean resources.

Indian

This reservoir is allocated a fifth of the area of all the world’s waters and a seventh of the entire surface of the Earth. Its area is 76 million km². Its most saline part is the Red Sea (salinity level is 41%). The reservoir is limited by three continents - Australia, Asia and Africa.

Indian has a varied topography: at its bottom there are underwater ridges, basins, and trenches.

The vast majority are located in the Southern Hemisphere.

Indian by temperatures surface waters is the warmest. Monsoons are observed in its northern part.

Indian is distinguished by its developed animal and flora. Mining takes place on the shelf natural gas and oil. There are many shipping routes across the surface of the reservoir.

Compared to the other five oceans, the Indian Ocean is the most oil-polluted in the world.

One of the most dangerous natural disasters in human history happened in December 2004 - an earthquake, the epicenter of which was in this ocean, caused an underwater earthquake in this reservoir. Waves 15 meters high reached the shores of many countries - Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, etc., which caused a huge number of victims (about 300 thousand). Many bodies were washed out to sea, so exact amount the dead could not be identified.

Southern (Antarctic)

It ranks fourth in size. It surrounds Antarctica and covers an area of 86 million km². The greatest depth is about 8428 m, the average is 3500 m.

The southern one has a harsh climate and rich wildlife. Krill is being harvested, but whaling is prohibited. Total The number of whales is 500,000. The following representatives of mammals are found: seals, southern elephant seals, and leopard seals. 44 people live on the coast various types birds, whose number is 200 million.

Climatic conditions consist of several distinctive features: unique geographical position, exposure to the Antarctic continent (ice-covered, high altitude and cold), ongoing sea ice. Warm currents are not observed. Katabatic winds are formed, the speed of which can sometimes reach 15 m/s.

One of characteristic features Southern water resource lies in the year-round presence of ice. From September to October, the period of greatest development, ice covers an area of about 18 million km².

Icebergs also form due to the fact that, under the influence of tsunamis and waves, coastal parts of ice and continental glaciers break off. Every year, over 200 thousand icebergs are observed in the waters of this reservoir. They rise 50 m above the level sea surface, and their length is approximately 500 m. In 4-5 years, the vast majority of the mass of icebergs thaws.

Northern Arctic (Arctic)

Located between North America and Eurasia.

Note! This is the most small ocean our entire planet.

It covers an area of 15 million km², which forms only a few percent of the world's waters as a whole.

The depth of the reservoir is 1225 m (the maximum is 5527 m in the Greenland Sea). As a result, the Arctic Ocean is the shallowest. Arctic ice is like a huge white giant that contains 10 percent of the reserves fresh water all over the world. It maintains stability global climate Earth.

The area of the islands is 4 million km². The largest archipelagos and islands are Spitsbergen, New Earth, Franz Josef Land, the islands of Vaygach, Kolguev, Wrangel, etc. The island of Greenland is also located within the oceanic waters of the Arctic.

The climate of this reservoir belongs to the Arctic. The overwhelming majority is covered with drifting ice in the winter months of the year. In the summer months, the water temperature rises to +5 degrees.

Polar bears can be found on floating ice. They use the ice as a platform and for hunting. When the ice disappears, these animals will also disappear, as they will begin to starve. However, polar bears live only in the Arctic.

The indigenous population is engaged in fishing for seals and walruses. Fishing is also developed. In the Arctic there are fish that live only in these territories.

When the ice of a reservoir melts, it releases various organisms and nutrients into the water, causing algae to grow. Representatives of the underwater world feed on zooplankton.

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Let's sum it up

How many oceans are there in our world, on the planet at the moment? There are 5 of them on Earth, and the fifth, Southern (Antarctic), officially “appeared” only a few years ago. All the oceans of the world are playing vital role in the life of our planet.

One of my favorite cartoons is Finding Nemo. How I worried about these little fish who went on a journey. Then I asked my mother: “Do such fish live in our village, in the pond?” Mommy then replied that they live in the oceans. And then a new barrage of questions hit her about how many oceans there are on the planet and who lives in them. The conversation lasted several hours, and I would like to retell part of it here.

How many oceans are there on Earth?

There are four oceans on our planet:

All of them, combined together, are called the World Ocean.

The most beautiful place in the ocean

That same amazing place from the cartoon, where clown fish live and many more amazing creatures- This is the Great Barrier Reef.

It is located off the coast of Australia and is the largest coral reef in the world.

The fish depicted in the cartoon actually live there. Nemo and Marvin are clown fish.

Dory is a fish with the slightly scary name “blue tang”.

Nemo's mentor in the aquarium is a horned enclave.

On undersea world You can see the Great Barrier Reef with your own eyes – there are excursions to some of its areas. The divers actually go down into the ocean, just like in the cartoon. But they are strictly forbidden to touch the reef and its inhabitants.

Deep ocean dwellers

Remember the scene where Dory was attracted to the light that was growing from some big scary fish?

Such a fish actually exists. It's called an angler fish. Female anglerfish have a special “fishing rod” with a small glow at the end.

At great depths, where this miracle of nature lives, it is very dark. Curious fish swim to the light to find out what's there. And they instantly fall into the predatory toothy mouth.

Another strange animal of the ocean depths is the blob fish. Very reminiscent of the faces of students before the session. “Why do I need all this?” - this strange fish seems to be telling us. She really has a reason to be sad, because in Asian countries she is considered a delicacy.

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I've always had some confusion with the number of oceans. In the children's encyclopedia given by my parents, it was written in black and white that there were four of them. However, when I opened the English textbook, where the article about the oceans was given, the number five appeared.

As a result, when school test in geography I came across the question: “How many oceans are there on our planet?” I thought for a long time which answer was correct. Let's figure it out together.

Oceans - how many are there?

IN currently, the official number of oceans is four. We list them in ascending order (the area in brackets is indicated in millions of square kilometers):

Where has another ocean gone?

He never disappeared. It’s just that at a certain moment they really singled out another ocean - the Southern one, which “bite off” part of the area of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The reason for the division was that the warm waters of these three oceans were separated from the cold ones due to the current Western winds. These cold waters were considered, until a certain time, to be the Southern Ocean. At that time physical map the world looked simplified like this.

But over time, scientists decided that there were still four oceans. This is how they continue to count at the moment.

Now I would like to talk about one of the most frequently asked questions about the oceans, which haunted me as a child.

Why is there salty water in the oceans and seas?

The first assumption in this regard is this: the cause of everything is the rivers. They contain a small amount of salts, which the river carries into the seas and oceans. And, since these substances do not evaporate, they gradually accumulate, making ocean waters increasingly salty.

The second assumption is related to the fact that there are a huge number of volcanoes in the oceans. In ancient times, a huge number of eruptions occurred, during which the air was enriched with acids.

These acids returned to the oceans, entered chemical reaction, from which salts were obtained.

Which of the two theories is correct has not yet been established. I am inclined to believe that both reasons affected the salinity of the oceans.

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It is believed that there are only four oceans in the world:

1) Great (quiet) - the largest in scale 178.7 million km2, and depth 11034 m, in the whole world. 2) Atlantic - ranks second in size 91.6 million km2, named after the mythical island of Atlantis .3) Indian - has a scale of 76.2 million km2, occupies 20% of the water part of the earth; 4) Northern Arctic - the smallest, its volume is 20.327 million km2, and its depth is 5527 m. But there is another interesting fact - in In 2000, scientists in the field of hydrography decided to identify another ocean, which is located between the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian and called it the Southern Ocean (or Antarctic), its area is about 14.75 million km2.

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For me, the ocean, in addition to its splendor, is a place that hides many secrets. Indeed, despite all the technical achievements of mankind, the ocean remains less than 10% explored.

Number of oceans on the planet

Besides four, long ago known to mankind oceans (Pacific, Arctic, Indian, Atlantic), more recently another one was put on the world map - the Southern. However, at different stages of history, opinions about the division of the World Ocean varied greatly. Some adhered to the established opinion about four oceans, while others, having drawn conditional boundaries, decided to “complete” the fifth. However, at the beginning of this century, the International Geographical Organization adopted a document on the division water surface into five parts. However, this document does not have legal force and therefore the correct answer is four oceans.

Mysterious Atlantic

Sable Island;
Bermuda Triangle;
Atlantic Cemetery.

Sable Island. This place has long been notorious among sailors and is known as the “Wandering Island”, in the vicinity of which there are hundreds of shipwrecks. The shallows that surround the island are constantly moving as a result of the collision of two powerful currents (the warm Gulf Stream and the cold Labrador Stream). Only with late XVI century, according to available records, 495 shipwrecks were recorded. The theory that the island, which moves an average of 175 meters per year, is nothing more than a living organism based on silicon is completely crazy.

Bermuda Triangle. There are many speculations trying to explain its mystery. Some believe that "little green men", black holes and temporary anomalies are the culprits, but there are other, more reasonable assumptions. The most realistic hypothesis is that gas bubbles, rising from the bottom of the ocean, cause a decrease in the density of water and air, as a result of which ships and planes “fall” to the bottom.

Cemetery of the Atlantic. The place is located south of Sable Island, in a place where all the same currents collide: the warm Gulf Stream and the cold Labrador Stream, which causes multiple whirlpools and sedimentation of shoals. This place is a kind of trap that over the course of several centuries has become the “homeland” of more than 1,500 shipwrecks.

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As paradoxical as it may sound, most of our planet called Earth is occupied by rivers and reservoirs. I turned to scientific calculations and found out that this is about 70% of the entire territory earth's surface. And most of this area is occupied by the World Ocean.

Parts of the World Ocean

Most researchers distinguish four oceans:

Quiet.
Indian.
Atlantic.
Arctic.

Also, some scientists focus on Southern Ocean. Scientists highlight the area southern parts Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

The importance of the oceans in human life

Even in ancient times, the largest cities were built at the intersection sea routes. Thanks to the oceans, people made the first trips around the world, discovered uncharted islands and even continents. IN certain time, more precisely in the 15th century, sea travel formed an integral part of the life of human civilization. This time is called the golden age of navigation.

Sea trade

Have you ever wondered which type of transport created by man is the most in demand? I will answer this question - these are sea vessels. Due to the fact that all the oceans are connected to each other, it is possible to travel from continent to continent by the shortest routes. Huge sea tankers carrying multi-ton cargo, oddly enough, are the cheapest type of cargo transportation.

State of the oceans today

Unfortunately, humanity has not learned to appreciate what it has. Forests are being cut down, rare species are being exterminated, and the oceans are being polluted.

Plastic items are easy to manufacture and easy to use, but what happens to them after use? A significant portion of plastic waste ends up in the ocean. They are distributed unevenly. Currents and wind carry them throughout the ocean and gradually they surround entire continents.

It seems to me that it is our duty to help nature, if only for the sake of our own comfort. It's not that difficult to think about the fate of a discarded item. Separate waste collection significantly reduces the burden on nature. We have learned to keep our body and home clean, and the next step should be to keep the planet clean.

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I think everyone knows that the surface area of water on Earth is many times greater than the area of dry surface. Most The water surface is occupied by four oceans. Which ones you can read further. Oceans of the planet. There are several oceans：

Quiet
Arctic
Indian
Atlantic

But scientists have put forward the existence of a fifth ocean - the Southern Ocean, since special currents and other conditions arise there that are not typical for other oceans.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest

Undoubtedly, it is the largest ocean, whose area is 170 million square kilometers. Huge size not the only advantage: its depth reaches about 11 million kilometers. On different levels The depths are home to various interesting animals that have adapted to the local conditions, which is why the Pacific Ocean is home to a wide variety of creatures. One such amazing creature is the frilled shark, also called the frilled shark. It looks like an eel or a large snake.

Ocean covered with ice

It has its own characteristics that are distinctive from others. The ocean water is so cold that the fauna and flora of the ocean are poor. Only here lives the northern polar bear, an animal whose silver-white fur is beautiful and valuable. Despite the small number of animal inhabitants, the ocean is a food source for numerous birds: penguins, seagulls and many others.

Third largest ocean

The Indian Ocean is characterized by high salinity of water, so the flora is sparse. But the ocean is home to large quantity various whales. One of which is the blue whale, whose size is impressive and terrifying at the same time.

Although the blue whale is a protected animal, it is endangered: today there are about 10 thousand individuals in the world. The reason for such a small number of whales is humans. People exterminated this mammal because useful qualities: subcutaneous fat, mustaches (fashionable corsets for girls were made from them) and others. Man pollutes the water of the ocean - the home of the whale.

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What does the ocean mean to me? The fact that these are boundless expanses of water that amaze with their volumes and living world. Of course, they can be dangerous and insidious, but at the same time, they are of great benefit. earth's atmosphere(after all, the hydrosphere and atmosphere are closely related). So, I would like to talk about the number of oceans in the world and their characteristics.

The largest of the largest water giants

Of course, first of all, we're talking about about the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It cannot be said that they are similar to each other; each is amazing and unique in its own way. Quiet, as everyone knows from school, is the largest of all (178 million km²). And besides this, its main feature is the Mariana Trench (or trench). In my opinion, this is the most unexplored object on Earth. If you just think about the facts about its depth of 11 kilometers, then your eyes will glaze over. Next is the Atlantic Ocean, which is famous for its extremely cold currents. Its area is far from the Quiet, only 91 million square kilometers, although the greatest depth is very impressive - more than eight and a half kilometers.

The rest of the earth's oceans and their number

I'll continue Indian Ocean, for which the main aspects can be identified:

an area of just over 76 million square kilometers;
the depth indicator is slightly behind the Atlantic (7.7 km);
The volume of water is 282 million km³.

He is special in his own way environmental problems, which follows from economic activity humanity.

The smallest of all of the above and with the smallest depth is Northern Arctic Ocean. Its area is more than 14.5 million km², and its deepest point is 5.5 kilometers under water. It’s not for nothing that you can see the word “Northern” in the name; in addition to its location, it also characterizes the climate in which the ocean is located. He is very harsh and cold, and to break through icy deserts can be extremely difficult even for the most modern technology. Summarizing all the information, it is not difficult to calculate that there are only four oceans on our planet. Sometimes a fifth is identified - Southern, but this is not yet recognized by all scientists.

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The ocean fascinates me. I even dream of one day taking a transatlantic cruise and sailing... to Antarctica. Yes, I'm a little (or even a lot, haha) dreamer.

But usually I only see the ocean in nature films. But even so he makes an impression. He is alive! The movement of the waves is breathing, the sound of water is a song, and the depths are a mystery. He seems frightening, but at the same time strong, powerful, amazing, magnificent!

Earth and its oceans

How many oceans are there on Earth? First of all, on Earth there is a huge mass of water called World Ocean. It is so huge that it takes 71% area of our planet. That is why From space the Earth looks blue.

The World Ocean itself is one, but is conventionally divided into four others:

Quiet;
Atlantic;
Indian;
Arctic.

Sometimes a fifth is identified - South ocean, which washes the shores of Antarctica.

But why was the World Ocean suddenly divided into parts?

The oceans were conditionally separated from each other for a reason. Each of them has its own characteristics:

relief;
physical properties water (for example, temperature);
Chemical properties water.

A different conditions in turn favor different living organisms.

The oceans are truly amazing. I would like to tell a lot more about them, but a whole series of very weighty books could be written about the oceans and their inhabitants.

When most of us were in school, we geographical maps On our planet, 4 oceans were designated: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic. But on modern maps you can see the name of the 5th ocean - Southern. What kind of ocean is this, and why did it become necessary to rewrite maps and change the number of oceans available?

Confusion with the oceans has continued for centuries. For the first time, the term “Southern Ocean” was found on maps of the 17th century and denoted the expanses of ocean surrounding the “Unknown”, which had not yet been discovered at that time. southern mainland", the existence of which the travelers suspected. The southern parts of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans differed greatly in terms of navigation conditions: they had their own currents, strong winds and met floating ice. For this reason, this region was sometimes identified as a separate ocean, and in some cartographic materials of the 17th-18th centuries one can see the names “Southern Ocean” and “Southern Arctic Ocean”. Later the name “Antarctic Ocean” began to appear.

After the discovery of Antarctica, in mid-19th century, Royal geographical society in London, delineated the boundaries of the Southern Ocean, including the southern parts of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, which are located between the Antarctic Circle and Antarctica. And the International Hydrographic Organization approved the existence of the Southern Ocean by 1937.

But subsequently, scientists again came to the conclusion that separating the Southern Ocean was inappropriate, and it again became part of the three oceans, and by the middle of the 20th century this name no longer appears either on nautical charts or in school textbooks.

The need to isolate the Southern Ocean was again discussed at the end of the 20th century. The waters of the three oceans surrounding Antarctica differ in many ways from the rest of the world's oceans. There is a powerful circumpolar current, the species composition of marine fauna is very different from warmer latitudes, and floating ice and icebergs are ubiquitous around Antarctica. We can say that the Southern Ocean was distinguished by analogy with the Arctic: too different natural conditions in the polar and subpolar territories of the ocean and in other parts of the World Ocean.

In 2000, member countries of the International Hydrographic Organization decided to separate the Southern Ocean, and its northern border was drawn along the 60th parallel of southern latitude. Since then, this name appears on world maps, and there are again 5 oceans on our planet.

The favorite question of all geography teachers is: “How many oceans are there on Earth?” In this case, you can answer in different ways, having understood in more detail the structure of the hydrosphere of our planet. Water shell is the key to life and prosperity on Earth, so every person should be at least superficially familiar with the processes that occur in it. About this and many others interesting facts This article will tell you about the hydrosphere.

After much observation, everything world scientists came to the conclusion that to the question of how many oceans there are on Earth, the answer will be clear - four. If you look at the history of hydrosphere research, you will see that it was the first to be discovered. It is rightfully considered the warmest on Earth, because in the summer near the coasts its waters can warm up to a record temperature of 35˚C.

After a trip trying to find a way to India - the most attractive country for Europeans at that time - humanity learned about a new large body of water. In honor of the Greek titan Atlas, whom mythology endowed with a tough temperament and courage, the ocean was given the name Atlantic. This water body fully justifies the comparison with the hero of the myth, because in different times years, he can behave completely unpredictably.

How many more oceans are there on Earth? Among the previously unnamed, two remained: Quiet and Northern Arctic. in fact, it got its name by mistake, since during his trip around the world Magellan was very lucky with the weather. As a result, the researcher thought that the ocean had a gentle disposition, but this is far from the case. U western shores Tsunamis often occur in and around North America.

The Arctic Ocean is the calmest of the largest bodies of water on our planet, and also the coldest. There are not many fish and plants in its waters, because not all flora and fauna can withstand the harsh living conditions in it.

There was a period when some scientists, when asked: “How many oceans are there on Earth?” - they answered: “Five.” They identified another body of water that washes the shores of Antarctica. It was given the name Southern, but its boundaries are so unclear that over time, compilers of geographical maps stopped designating this ocean.

This is common knowledge about how many oceans there are on Earth. Many space researchers believe that the hydrosphere could exist on other planets solar system. For example, scientists around the world are asking the question: “How many oceans once existed on the planet Mars?” They have not yet found the answer, but if the hydrosphere was still there, then, most likely, living organisms could also live on the neighboring planet millions of years ago.

The world's oceans form a continuous chain on our planet, components which are all of the above. He is the source of life, therefore humanity must protect such important resource, How pure water. Thanks to the competent distribution of these reserves, people guarantee themselves a normal existence, as well as a reduction in the likelihood of various natural disasters.