Pacific Ocean | Atlantic Ocean | Indian Ocean | Southern Ocean | Arctic Ocean
From the beginning of mankind, the worlds oceans have been an inspiration to many. There tranquility and beauty to their fierce majesty have inspired artists, dancers and the like. They have drawn many a sea explorer into their vastness who delight at the mystery and the unknown secrets of the deep waters and above. The more that is discovered about the oceans and their inhabitants, the more there possible is to discover.
The five oceans combined cover seventy-one percent of the Earths surface. The water they contain is ninety-seven percent of the total water on earth. Each of the oceans makes a contribution to the entire global system. Some of these contributions can be wholly unique, based upon the currents, and the position on the globe.
The massive, deep oceans that cover most of our planets surface serve many functions. They effect our weather and temperatures as well as being abundant with many forms of sea life, many used as food forms. They moderate the Earths temperature by absorbing incoming solar radiation (stored as heat energy). The continuously moving currents of the oceans distribute this heat energy around the globe. This heats up the land and air during winter and cools it during summertime.
Below is a map of the five major oceans on the planet:
The major oceans divide up the earths continents. There are five major oceans on our planet, the largest being the Pacific Ocean. Both the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean are broken into Northern and Southern hemispheres:
North Atlantic divides: North America, Europe (including the UK) and North Africa.
South Atlantic divides: South America, South Africa and Antartica
The Indian Ocean falls on the shores of East South Africa, South Asia (India) and West Australia.
The North Pacific divides North America, the Arctic and North Asia.
The South Pacific divides East Australia and South West America.
The Southern Ocean falls on the shores of Antarctica.
The Arctic Ocean falls on the shores of the Arctic.
In between all of these divisions falls the seas which lay between specific countries.
Below you can click on a particular ocean to find out more about them:
Pacific Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Indian Ocean
Southern Ocean
Arctic Ocean
| Ocean |
Area (square miles) |
Average Depth (feet) |
Deepest depth (feet) |
| Pacific Ocean |
64,186,000 |
15,215 |
Mariana Trench, 36,200 feet deep |
| Atlantic Ocean |
31,800,000 |
12,881 |
Puerto Rico Trench, 28,232 feet deep |
| Indian Ocean |
28,400,000 |
12,760 |
Diamantina Deep, 26,401feet deep |
| Southern Ocean |
7,848,000 sq. miles (20.327 000 sq km ) |
13,100 - 16,400 ft deep (4,000 to 5,000 metres) |
the southern end of the South Sandwich Trench, 23,736 feet (7,235 m) deep |
| Arctic Ocean |
5,440,000 |
3,407 |
Eurasia Basin, 17,881 feet deep |
