World Ocean- this is the salty, watery shell of the Earth surrounding the islands and continents. The collection of all the largest bodies of water on Earth. Something we simply couldn't live without. The World Ocean includes all four oceans of our planet.
World Ocean
Most of the globe is covered by seas and oceans. , which means that the aquatic world is simply obliged to surprise us with interesting and extraordinary facts, which, by the way, it does. The world ocean is the totality of all the seas and oceans on Earth. This name comes from
- Greek Okeanos - the great river flowing around the Earth,
- English WorldOcean,
- him . Weltmeer
- French Ocean, Ocean Mondial,
- Spanish Oceano, Oceano mundial)
It is important to answer the question correctly here: how many oceans are there in the world? The French scientist de Florier introduced the term for the components of the World Ocean. This term is “the world’s oceans.” The names of these oceans are
In total, on the map you will find five oceans, which together with the seas represent a large organism with its own life and its own stories. The world's oceans directly influence a huge number of natural processes, which is why it is a close object of various studies. Thus, the nature of the currents determines the climate of the regions, and in the salt water, which at first glance is unsuitable for life, there is an entire underwater world, with its large and very small representatives. Oceans of the world rich in various minerals, in addition, they represent a source of energy and food. Residents of a large number of coastal areas are engaged in fishing, which is very often their main source of income. In this article I will answer the most popular questions about the World Ocean.
Volume of the world's oceans
The world's oceans constantly exchange energy and heat with the environment. He is an inexhaustible source for humanity. How big is this source? Let's find out. An ocean is a collection of water; John Murray was the first to measure its quantity. And in 1983, Leningrad scientists Shiklomanov and Sokolov carried out their measurements. The data they published states that the volume of the world's oceans is 1.338 billion km 3 of water. Murray's measurements were corrected by only 1%.
World Ocean Map
Rising sea levels
Many scientists are concerned rising sea levels. This is due to an anomaly in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. An increase in overall temperature leads to an increase in the melting of ice. Gradually, over the course of three years, the archipelago loses its snow cover, and the volume of water increases by 60 km 3 when the temperature increases by only 1 0.
World Ocean - video
Video film “Secrets of the World Ocean” - its history and impact on our survival and on the planet.
film “Secrets of the Depths of the Sea. The Unknown World" is a popular science film made by oceanographers about what can be seen if the World's oceans are drained.
I hope that these two videos made the same impression on you as they did on me.
Which ocean is the largest in the world
The largest ocean in the world— Quiet, occupying a third of the World. This ocean is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful, amazing and beautiful, with a unique and diverse fauna. He also holds the record for the number of islands, which amount to 10 thousand. We can talk about this ocean endlessly. It is full of secrets, riddles and mystical stories. It owes its name to the voyage of Magellan, who sailed through its waters for three months. During all this time, the captain and his crew never struggled with bad weather. This ocean includes such seas as the Yellow, Japanese, Bering, Tasman, Coral, Java, and East China. Also, very important international air and sea routes pass through the Pacific Ocean.
What is the smallest ocean in the world
The smallest ocean in the world- Arctic. Located between North America and Eurasia, it occupies only 4% of the area of the entire World Ocean. It is also ten times smaller than the largest Pacific Ocean. Despite its rather modest size, this representative of the aquatic world has a unique fauna and is rich in stories.
What is the saltiest ocean in the world
List of oceans of the world complements and the saltiest ocean in the world, which is the Atlantic. Despite the fact that it collects a large amount of fresh water, the percentage of salt here is 35.4%. The Atlantic Ocean is very interesting. In almost any place, the percentage of salt is the same. This feature is unique to him. The Indian Ocean, for example, does not fit this rule at all, since in some areas the salt saturation is several times higher than the salinity of the Atlantic Ocean.
Which ocean is the warmest in the world
The Pacific Ocean will appear several times on lists of the very best. This time he became the first, as he received the title “C” warmest ocean in the world" Despite the fact that there has always been a lot of controversy and doubt regarding this fact, just think a little logically, and it will become clear that this ocean deserves the title of the warmest. Thus, the cover of ice and the proximity of oceans such as the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic to Antarctica definitely exclude them from possible contenders for this title. Only the Indian Ocean raises doubts, because it includes the warmest seas and currents. However, it is also adjacent to Antarctica, which deprives it of the title of the warmest ocean. The coldest ocean is the Arctic Ocean. He is also the smallest.
The world's oceans and its parts: what else is worth knowing
- Scientists note that the Moon has been studied much better than the World Ocean. We know only about 3% of information about him.
- Despite the thickness of the water at the bottom, in some places there are underwater waterfalls. Currently, 7 such natural phenomena are known.
- At the bottom there are underwater rivers - areas in which methane, hydrogen sulfide, seeps through cracks and mixes with water.
- The deepest point of the World Ocean is called the Mariana Trench. The maximum depth is more than 11 km.
- Almost 2.2 million different species of organisms live in the depths of the waters.
- The whale shark is recognized as one of the largest fish on earth. Its weight reaches 21.5 tons.
- The average depth of the world's oceans is 3,984 km.
- At a depth of 1 km you can find organisms that are amazing in appearance. They often have a very scary appearance.
The most beautiful ocean in the world
It is difficult to say which is the most beautiful ocean in the world, since each part of the World Ocean has its own charms and its own unique beauty. That is why you need to visit all the oceans and determine your favorite for yourself. Well, I’ll help you a little - look at the photos of the ocean.
Oceans of the world - photos
The Pacific Ocean is the largest on Earth
Pacific Ocean- the largest ocean in terms of area and depth on Earth, it occupies 49.5% of the surface of the World Ocean and holds 53% of the volume of its water. 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 extends approximately 15.8 thousand km from north to south and 19.5 thousand km from east to west. The area with 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 entered 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 Quiet.
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 of 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. Greatest depth - 8742 m (deep-sea trench - Puerto Rico)
The name of the ocean first appears in the 5th century BC. e. in the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who wrote that “the sea with the pillars of Hercules is called Atlantis.” The name comes from the myth known in Ancient Greece about Atlas, the Titan holding the firmament on his shoulders at the westernmost 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 eastern longitude; from Quiet - along 146°55’ meridian of eastern longitude. The northernmost point of the Indian Ocean is located at approximately 30°N latitude in the Persian Gulf. The Indian Ocean is approximately 10,000 km wide between the southern points of Australia and Africa.
The ancient Greeks called the western part of the ocean known to them with the adjacent seas and bays the Erythraean Sea (Red). Gradually, this name began to be attributed only to the nearest sea, and the ocean was named after India, the country most famous at that time for its wealth on the ocean shores. So Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. e. calls it Indicon pelagos - “Indian Sea”. Since the 16th century, the name Oceanus Indicus - Indian Ocean, introduced by the Roman scientist Pliny the Elder back in the 1st century, has been established.
The smallest ocean on Earth, located entirely in the northern hemisphere, between Eurasia and North America.
The ocean area 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 bottom relief of the Arctic Ocean is occupied by the shelf (more than 45% of the ocean floor) and the underwater margins of continents (up to 70% of the bottom area). The ocean is usually divided into three vast water areas: the Arctic Basin, the North European Basin and the Canadian Basin. Due to the polar geographical position, the ice cover in the central part of the ocean remains throughout the year, although it is in a mobile state.
The ocean was identified as an independent ocean by the geographer Varenius in 1650 under the name Hyperborean Ocean - “Ocean in the extreme north.” Foreign sources of that time also used the names: Oceanus Septentrionalis - “Northern Ocean” (Latin Septentrio - north), Oceanus Scythicus - “Scythian Ocean” (Latin 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, Northern Ocean, Northern or Arctic Sea, Arctic Ocean, Northern Polar Sea, and the Russian navigator Admiral F. P. Litke in the 20s of the XIX century centuries called it the Arctic Ocean. In other countries the English name is widely used. Arctic Ocean - “Arctic Ocean”, which was given to the ocean by the London Geographical Society in 1845.
By decree of the USSR Central Executive Committee of June 27, 1935, the name Arctic Ocean was adopted as corresponding to the form already used in Russia since the beginning of the 19th century, and close to earlier Russian names.
The conventional name for the waters of the three oceans (Pacific, Atlantic and Indian) surrounding Antarctica and sometimes unofficially identified as the “fifth ocean”, which, however, does not have a clearly delineated northern border by islands and continents. The conditional area is 20.327 million km² (if we take the northern boundary of the ocean to be 60 degrees south latitude). Greatest depth (South Sandwich Trench) - 8428 m.
Includes all the seas and oceans of the Earth. It occupies about 70% of the planet's surface and contains 96% of all water on the planet. The world ocean consists of four oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic.
Sizes of the oceans: Pacific - 179 million km2, Atlantic - 91.6 million km2, Indian - 76.2 million km2, Arctic - 14.75 million km2
The boundaries between oceans, as well as the boundaries of seas within oceans, are drawn rather arbitrarily. They are determined by land areas delimiting the water space, internal currents, differences in temperature and salinity.
Seas are divided into internal and marginal. Inland seas protrude quite deeply into the land (for example, the Mediterranean), and marginal seas adjoin the land with one edge (for example, the Northern, Japanese).
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 North and, in the west - the coast of and, in the south - Antarctica. It owns 20 seas and more than 10,000 islands.
Since the Pacific Ocean covers almost all but the coldest,
it has a diverse climate. over the ocean varies from +30°
to -60° C. Trade winds form in the tropical zone; monsoons are frequent to the north, off the coast of Asia and Russia.
The main currents of the Pacific Ocean are closed in circles. In the northern hemisphere, the circle is formed by the Northern Trade Wind, North Pacific and California Currents, which are directed clockwise. In the southern hemisphere, the circle of currents is directed counterclockwise and consists of the Southern Trade Wind, East Australian, Peruvian and Western Winds.
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 °C to + 26 °C, the average water temperature is +16 °C.
The average salinity of the Atlantic Ocean is 35%.
The organic world of the Atlantic Ocean is distinguished by a wealth of green plants and plankton.
Indian Ocean
Most of the Indian Ocean is located in warm latitudes and is dominated by humid monsoons, which determine the climate of East Asian countries. The southern edge of the Indian Ocean is sharply cold.
Indian Ocean currents change direction depending on the direction of the monsoons. The most significant currents are the Monsoon, Trade Wind and.
The Indian Ocean has a varied topography; 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°C off the coast of Antarctica to +30°C near the equator, the average water temperature is +18°C.
The average salinity of the Indian Ocean is 35%.
Arctic Ocean
Much of the Arctic Ocean is covered in thick ice—almost 90% of the ocean surface in winter. Only near the coast does the ice freeze to the land, while most of the ice drifts. Drifting ice is called "pack".
The ocean is located entirely in northern latitudes and has a cold climate.
A number of large currents are observed in the Arctic Ocean: the Trans-Arctic Current runs along the north of Russia, and 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.
The water under the ice always has a negative temperature: -1.5 - -1°C. In summer, the water in the seas of the Arctic Ocean reaches +5 - +7 °C. The salinity of ocean water decreases significantly in summer due to the melting of ice and, this applies to the Eurasian part of the ocean, deep Siberian rivers. So in winter the salinity in different parts is 31-34% o, in summer off the coast of Siberia it can be up to 20% o.
All existing oceans of the world, as well as seas and rivers, occupy approximately 70% of the surface of planet Earth. Huge bodies of water stretch for thousands of kilometers, they are completely deserted and have an incredible depth of tens of kilometers, thousands of all kinds of creatures live there, many of them still remain unknown to world science.
Water plays an important role not only for the climate and geographical features of the planet, but also for all creatures living on it. It is known that without the presence of water in one form or another, life is impossible.
Oceans are the largest bodies of water on earth, which are located in the vast expanses of continents and together make up the so-called World Ocean.
Let's consider all of the 5 largest oceans (there are disputes that there are only 4 of them) and their main features.
World Ocean
First of all, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the concept of the World Ocean. This term refers to the largest part of the entire hydrosphere, within which the majority of all seas and oceans exist.
One of the most important characteristics of this concept is the general salt composition of all water spaces included in it. It covers 70.8% of the planet's surface and is divided into the following main parts:
- Atlantic;
- Indian;
- Quiet;
- Arctic;
- South ocean. As for this point, it is still considered controversial, but this will be discussed below.
The origin of the entire hydrosphere is a mystery to modern science. The first attempts to explore the world's oceans began in the 1500s and continue actively even today.
How many oceans are there on earth - 5 or 4
Why can’t scientists even now come to an agreement on the question of how many huge bodies of water are present on Earth? The problem here is the difficulty of defining the boundaries of each of them, or maybe the essence of the issue lies somewhere deeper?
Historically, scientists divided all expanses of water into 4 regions or oceans. This system existed for quite a long time, but in the 21st century it was revised by specialists who came to the conclusion that it is worth highlighting the 5th ocean - the Southern Ocean, the waters of which were previously attributed to the others.
It is worth noting: such a decision has found its understanding in the research community, but at the moment it has not yet been officially approved and does not have legal force, so sometimes disputes and disagreements arise on this basis.
Location of oceans on a map of hemispheres with continents
Continents and expanses of water alternate on the map.
Any map takes into account the following accepted boundaries of these objects:
- The Pacific Ocean is located in both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. It extends to the shores of all 6 continents of the planet. Its territory begins near Antarctica and stretches to the Arctic Circle.
- The Atlantic, which is also present in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, washes the shores of all of America, Europe, and Africa.
- Indian is almost entirely located only in the southern part of the planet. It washes the shores of Africa, India, and Australia.
- The Arctic is located around the North Pole. It is isolated from other large expanses of water and washes the shores of Russia, Canada, and Alaska.
- The Southern Ocean is located near Antarctica, and it washes only its icy rocky shores.
A map of currents operating throughout the world allows you to more clearly see these divisions.
Pacific Ocean
The largest in terms of area occupied. It got its name because during most of the expeditions of the great traveler Magellan there were tolerable conditions here and there were no storms.
The area is 178 million km2. Here the average depth is about 4 km, but the deepest place on the planet is also located here - the Mariana Trench with an incredible depth of 11 km!
The largest ocean received its name in 1520, and since then it has become established in world practice.
Life is developed here and there is a huge number of fish, animals, and flora representatives.
Atlantic Ocean
The second largest and warmest water region on the planet, with an area of 92 million km 2.
The average depth in it is almost the same as in the Pacific, and is equal to 3736 m, but the maximum is somewhat less - 8700 and is called the Puerto Rican Trench.
It contains many volcanic islands on its territory and passes over the belt of instability of the earth's crust.
The life of the Atlantic reservoir is in full swing at any time of the year. The density of plankton present here is as much as 16,000 pieces per liter of water.
There are a huge number of varieties of fish, sharks, corals and more.
In the northern tropical latitudes, sailors encounter powerful winds and hurricanes, which, according to legend, are capable of breaking huge oak ship masts and throwing cannons weighing several tons overboard.
Indian Ocean
The third largest body of water on Earth, occupies 20% of the water surface. The area is 76 million km 2. The average depth is similar to the previous case, and the maximum reaches 7.7 km.
It got its name from the country of India, which even before our era was always considered the richest region and attracted invaders, traders and colonialists.
Indian waters are famous for their wonderful azure and blue hues. The volume of salt water here is slightly higher than in other regions of the planet.
Since the region as a whole is very warm, air humidity is always high, and the surrounding lands constantly experience heavy rain.
Arctic Ocean
The smallest, also has the smallest depth. The list of countries washed by it is also small, and the diversity of life in the North Pole region is not so great due to extreme weather conditions.
The average depth is 1.2 km, and the maximum is 5.5, which is why this ocean is considered the shallowest.
The ocean received its name from the Russian navigator Admiral Litke F.P. at the beginning of the 19th century. The size of this water region is not as impressive as the frosts, northern winds, and the presence of interesting life forms.
An important feature of this reservoir is that it is the freshest.
South ocean
At the moment, there is no legally recognized Southern Ocean yet, and many people by it mean some parts of the other oceans considered. The maximum depth of the region is 8.2 kilometers, the area is assumed to be a little over 20 million km2.
It includes 13 seas that wash the shores of Antarctica. The first attempts to isolate this region separately were made by travelers and cartographers in the 1600s.
As a conclusion, it is worth saying that all the reservoirs considered at different times had other names, but history decided to leave behind them the names that are valid today.
The youngest of them is the Atlantic, formed after serious tectonic changes, the largest is the Quiet, which is also the most ancient. Oceans in descending order of area are listed in many reference books and tables. It is important to know this information at least in general terms, because our globe is so interesting and diverse.
The Ocean (ancient Greek Ὠκεανός, on behalf of the ancient Greek deity Ocean) is the largest body of water, part of the World Ocean, located among the continents, possessing a water circulation system and other specific features. The ocean is in continuous interaction with the atmosphere and the earth's crust. The surface area of the world's oceans, which includes oceans and seas, accounts for about 71 percent of the Earth's surface (about 361 million square kilometers). The bottom topography of the Earth's oceans is generally complex and varied.
The science that studies the oceans is called oceanology; The fauna and flora of the ocean is studied by a branch of biology called ocean biology.
Antique meaning
In ancient Rome, the word Oceanus denoted the waters that washed the known world from the west, that is, the open Atlantic Ocean. At the same time, the expressions Oceanus Germanicus (“German Ocean”) or Oceanus Septentrionalis (“North Ocean”) denoted the North Sea, and Oceanus Britannicus (“British Ocean”) denoted the English Channel.
Modern definition of oceans
The World Ocean is a global volume of sea water, the main part of the hydrosphere, constituting 94.1% of its total area, a continuous but not continuous water shell of the Earth, surrounding continents and islands and characterized by a common salt composition. Continents and large archipelagos divide the world's oceans into parts (oceans). Large regions of the oceans are known as seas, gulfs, straits, etc.
Some sources divided the World Ocean into four parts, others into five. From 1937 to 1953, five oceans were distinguished: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Southern (or Southern Arctic) ocean. The term “Southern Ocean” appeared many times back in the 18th century, when systematic exploration of the region began. In publications of the International Hydrographic Organization, the Southern Ocean was separated from the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific in 1937. There was a justification for this: in its southern part, the boundaries between the three oceans are very arbitrary, while at the same time, the waters adjacent to Antarctica have their own specifics, and are also united by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. However, later they abandoned the distinction of a separate Southern Ocean. In 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization adopted a division into five oceans, but this decision has not yet been ratified. The current definition of oceans from 1953 does not include the Southern Ocean.
In the table below, in addition to the seas belonging to the oceans, the seas belonging to the Southern Ocean are also indicated.
|
Area, million km² |
Volume, million km³ |
Average depth, m |
Maximum depth, m |
||
| Atlantic |
8,742 (Puerto Rico Trough) |
Baltic, Northern, Mediterranean, Black, Sargasso, Caribbean, Adriatic, Azov, Balearic, Ionian, Irish, Marmara, Tyrrhenian, Aegean; Bay of Biscay, Gulf of Guinea, Gulf of Mexico, Hudson Bay : Weddell, Skosh, Lazarev |
|||
| Indian |
7,725 (Sunda Trench) |
Andaman, Arabian, Arafura, Red, Laccadive, Timor; Bay of Bengal, Persian Gulf Also related to the Southern Ocean: Rieser-Larsen, Davis, Cosmonauts, Commonwealth, Mawson |
|||
| Arctic |
5,527 (in Greenland Sea) |
Norwegian, Barents, White, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, Chukotka, Greenland, Beaufort, Baffin, Lincoln | |||
| Quiet |
11 022 (Mariana Trench) |
Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, East China, Yellow, South China, Javanese, Sulawesi, Sulu, Philippine, Coral, Fiji, Tasmanovo Also related to the Southern Ocean: D'Urville, Somov, Ross, Amundsen, Bellingshausen |
Brief characteristics of the oceans
The Pacific Ocean (or Great Ocean) is the largest ocean in terms of area and depth on Earth. Located between the continents of Eurasia and Australia in the west, North and South America in the east, Antarctica in the south. In the north, through the Bering Strait, it communicates with the waters of the Arctic, and in the south, with the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Occupying 49.5% of the surface of the World Ocean and containing 53% of the volume of water in the World Ocean, the Pacific Ocean extends approximately 15.8 thousand km from north to south and 19.5 thousand km from east to west. The area with seas is 179.7 million km2, the average depth is 3984 m, the volume of water is 723.7 million km3 (without seas, respectively: 165.2 million km2, 4282 m and 707.6 million km3). The greatest depth of the Pacific Ocean (and the entire World Ocean) is 11,022 m in the Mariana Trench. The International Date Line runs across the Pacific Ocean approximately along the 180th meridian. The study and development of the Pacific Ocean began long before the written history of mankind. Junks, catamarans and simple rafts were used to navigate the ocean. The 1947 expedition on the balsa log raft Kon-Tiki, led by the Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl, proved the possibility of crossing the Pacific Ocean westward from central South America to the islands of Polynesia. Chinese junks made voyages along the ocean shores into the Indian Ocean (for example, the seven voyages of Zheng He in 1405-1433). Currently, the coast and islands of the Pacific Ocean are developed and populated extremely unevenly. The largest centers of industrial development are the coast of the United States (from the Los Angeles area to the San Francisco area), the coast of Japan and South Korea. The role of the ocean in the economic life of Australia and New Zealand is significant.
The second largest ocean on Earth after the Pacific Ocean, the name comes from the name of the Titan Atlas (Atlas) in Greek mythology or from the legendary island of Atlantis. It extends from subarctic latitudes all the way to Antarctica. The border with the Indian Ocean runs along the meridian of Cape Agulhas (20°E to the coast of Antarctica (Donning Maud Land). The border with the Pacific Ocean is drawn from Cape Horn along the meridian 68°04'W or the shortest distance from South America to the Antarctic Peninsula through the Drake Passage, from Oste Island to Cape Sterneck. The border with the Arctic Ocean runs along the eastern entrance of the Hudson Strait, then through the Davis Strait and along the coast of Greenland to Cape Brewster, through the Denmark Strait to Cape Reydinupur on the island of Iceland, along its coast to Cape Gerpir, then to the Faroe Islands, then to the Shetland Islands and along 61° north latitude to the coast of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The area of the seas, bays and straits of the Atlantic Ocean is 14.69 million km2 (16% of the total ocean area), volume. 29.47 million km³ (8.9%) Area 91.6 million km2, of which about a quarter are inland seas. The area of coastal seas is small and does not exceed 1% of the total water area. The volume of water is 329.7 million km3, which is equal to 25% of the volume of the World Ocean. The average depth is 3736 m, the greatest is 8742 m (Puerto Rico Trench). The average annual salinity of ocean waters is about 35 ‰. The Atlantic Ocean has a highly indented coastline with a pronounced division into regional waters: seas and bays.
The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean on Earth, covering about 20% of its water surface. The Indian Ocean is mainly located south of the Tropic of Cancer between Eurasia to the north, Africa to the west, Australia to the east and Antarctica to the south.
Its area is 76.17 million km2, volume - 282.65 million km3. In the north it washes Asia, in the west - the Arabian Peninsula and Africa, in the east - Indochina, the Sunda Islands and Australia; in the south it borders the Southern Ocean.
The border with the Atlantic Ocean runs along the 20° meridian of eastern longitude; from Quiet - along the 147° meridian of eastern longitude.
The northernmost point of the Indian Ocean is located at approximately 30°N latitude in the Persian Gulf. The Indian Ocean is approximately 10,000 km wide between the southern points of Australia and Africa.
The Arctic Ocean (English Arctic Ocean, Danish Ishavet, Norse and Nynorsk Nordishavet) is the smallest ocean on Earth by area, located between Eurasia and North America.
The area is 14.75 million km2, that is, slightly more than 4% of the entire area of the World Ocean, the average depth is 1,225 m, the volume of water is 18.07 million km3.
The Arctic Ocean is the shallowest of all the oceans, with an average depth of 1,225 m (the greatest depth is 5,527 m in the Greenland Sea).
Formation of the oceans
Today, there is a version in scientific circles that the ocean appeared 3.5 billion years ago as a consequence of degassing of magma and subsequent condensation of atmospheric vapor. Most modern ocean basins arose in the last 250 million years as a result of the breakup of an ancient supercontinent and the divergence of lithospheric plates to the sides (the so-called spreading). The exception is the Pacific Ocean, which is a shrinking remnant of the ancient Panthalassa Ocean.
Bathymetric position
Based on the bathymetric position and nature of the relief on the ocean floor, the following several stages are distinguished:
- Shelf - depth up to 200-500 m
- Continental slope - depth up to 3500 m
- Ocean bed - depth up to 6000 m
- Deep sea trenches - depth below 6000 m
Ocean and atmosphere
The ocean and atmosphere are fluid media. The properties of these environments determine the habitat of organisms. Flows in the atmosphere affect the general circulation of water in the oceans, and the properties of ocean waters depend on the composition and temperature of the air. In turn, the ocean determines the basic properties of the atmosphere and is a source of energy for many processes occurring in the atmosphere. The circulation of water in the ocean is influenced by winds, the rotation of the Earth, and land barriers.
Ocean and climate
The ocean warms up more slowly in summer and cools down more slowly in winter. This makes it possible to smooth out temperature fluctuations on land adjacent to the ocean.
The atmosphere receives from the ocean a significant part of the heat supplied to it and almost all the water vapor. The steam rises, condenses, forming clouds, which are carried by the winds and fall as rain or snow on land. Only surface waters of the ocean participate in heat and moisture exchange. Internal ones (about 95%) do not participate in the exchange.
Chemical composition of water
The ocean contains an inexhaustible source of chemical elements, which are contained in its water, as well as in deposits located on the bottom. There is a constant renewal of mineral deposits, through the fall or introduction to the bottom of various sediments and solutions from the earth's crust.
The average salinity of sea water is 35 ‰. The salty taste of water is given by the 3.5% dissolved minerals it contains - these are mainly sodium and chlorine compounds.
Due to the fact that the water in the ocean is constantly mixed by waves and currents, its composition is almost the same in all parts of the ocean.
Flora and fauna
The Pacific Ocean accounts for more than 50% of the total biomass of the World Ocean. Life in the ocean is abundant and diverse, especially in the tropical and subtropical zones between the coasts of Asia and Australia, where vast areas are occupied by coral reefs and mangroves. Phytoplankton in the Pacific Ocean consists primarily of microscopic single-celled algae, numbering about 1,300 species. In the tropics, fucus algae, large green algae, and especially the famous red algae are especially common, which, along with coral polyps, are reef-forming organisms. 
The flora of the Atlantic is distinguished by species diversity. The water column is dominated by phytoplankton, consisting of dinoflagellates and diatoms. At the height of their seasonal bloom, the sea off the coast of Florida turns bright red, and a liter of seawater contains tens of millions of single-celled plants. The bottom flora is represented by brown (fucus, kelp), green, red algae and some vascular plants. At the mouths of rivers, sea zoster, or eelgrass, grows, and in the tropics, green (caulerpa, valonia) and brown (sargassum) algae predominate. The southern part of the ocean is characterized by brown algae (Fucus, Lesonia, Electus). The fauna is distinguished by a large - about a hundred - number of bipolar species that live only in cold and temperate zones and are absent in the tropics. First of all, these are large sea animals (whales, seals, fur seals) and ocean birds. Tropical latitudes are home to sea urchins, coral polyps, sharks, parrotfish and surgeonfish. Dolphins are often found in Atlantic waters. The cheerful intellectuals of the animal kingdom willingly accompany ships large and small - sometimes, unfortunately, falling under the merciless blades of the propellers. The indigenous inhabitants of the Atlantic are the African manatee and the largest mammal on the planet - the blue whale.
The flora and fauna of the Indian Ocean are incredibly diverse. The tropical region is distinguished by the richness of plankton. The unicellular algae Trichodesmium (a type of Cyanobacterium) is especially abundant, due to which the surface layer of water becomes very cloudy and changes its color. The plankton of the Indian Ocean is distinguished by a large number of organisms that glow at night: peridines, some types of jellyfish, ctenophores, and tunicates. Brightly colored siphonophores are abundant, including poisonous phasalia. In temperate and arctic waters, the main representatives of plankton are copepods, eufuazides and diatoms. The most numerous fish of the Indian Ocean are coryphens, tunas, nototheniids and various sharks. Among reptiles there are several species of giant sea turtles, sea snakes, and among mammals there are cetaceans (toothless and blue whales, sperm whales, dolphins), seals, and elephant seals. Most cetaceans live in temperate and subpolar regions, where intensive mixing of waters creates favorable conditions for the development of planktonic organisms. The flora of the Indian Ocean is represented by brown (sargassum, turbinaria) and green algae (caulerna). The calcareous algae lithothamnia and halimeda also develop luxuriantly, which participate together with corals in the construction of reef structures. Typical for the coastal zone of the Indian Ocean is the phytocenosis formed by mangroves. For temperate and Antarctic waters, the most characteristic are red and brown algae, mainly from the fucus and kelp groups, porphyry, and gelidium. In the circumpolar regions of the southern hemisphere, giant macrocystis are found.
The reason for the poverty of the organic world of the Arctic Ocean is harsh climatic conditions. The only exceptions are the North European Basin, the Barents and White Seas with their extremely rich flora and fauna. The ocean flora is represented mainly by kelp, fucus, ahnfeltia, and in the White Sea - also zostera. The seabed fauna of the eastern Arctic, especially the central part of the Arctic basin, is extremely poor. There are more than 150 species of fish in the Arctic Ocean, including a large number of commercial fish (herring, cod, salmon, scorpionfish, flounder and others). Seabirds in the Arctic lead a predominantly colonial lifestyle and live on the shores. Mammals are represented by seals, walruses, beluga whales, whales (mainly minke and bowhead whales), and narwhals. Lemmings are found on the islands, and arctic foxes and reindeer cross the ice bridges. The polar bear, whose life is mainly associated with drifting ice, pack ice or coastal fast ice, should also be considered a representative of the ocean fauna. Most animals and birds all year round (and some only in winter) are white or very light in color.
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