What oceans are washed land. How many oceans in the world? Arctic Ocean
The surface of our planet is 71% covered with oceans, which make up 97% of the water of the Earth. According to experts, only 5% of ocean depths are currently investigated. The world ocean is the main component of the hydrosphere of the planet, affecting the weather and climatic conditions. About 2 million species of animals live in it, the overwhelming majority of which have not yet been studied.
All water bodies that are part of the world have a significant impact on the climatic features, plant and animals world of our planet. Consider how many oceans on the ground, their characteristics and features.
Until recently, the opinion was generally accepted that only 4 ocean in the world.
Note!In 2000, the new ocean was identified by representatives of scientific organizations, which was called the southern one.
The list looks like this:
- Quiet;
- Atlantic;
- Indian;
- South (Antarctic);
- Northern Arctic (Arctic).
Thus, it turns out that there are 5 oceans on Earth. Using modern developments and scientific and technical achievements, scientists can explore water expanses of our planet with new unique ways.
This allows not only to study the depth of these reservoirs, but also to prevent the likely catastrophic consequences that are able to step up due to climate change in these areas.
New types of living organisms are also regularly discovered, many of which are affected by imagination. But still, most of them remain unexplored.
World Ocean Planet
The global ocean is a planetary thickness of salt water, which includes all known water resources. There is a free exchange between the parts of this continuous reservoir, which is important for oceanography.
To determine the most important oceanic territories, several criteria are used, for example, archipelagoes, continents.
Quiet
The largest (179 million km², he is given a third of the surface of the entire planet and half of the world) and the ancient among all others. It is often called "Great," because it is able to accommodate each mainland and the island of the Earth.
The official name of the reservoir received after the world's trip F. Magellan, during which good calm weather reigned.
Oval form, expanded from the equator. Located in the West, the mainland of North and South America, in the east - the mainland of Australia and Eurasia.
Southern Space of the Pacific Ocean is characterized by light, unsiler, sustainable weather conditions, but to the West, the situation changes: Hurricanes are often observed here - the southern Australian squalls, which are gaining strength in December.
Tropical waters are transparent, clean, differ in dark blue, the degree of their salinity is average. The weather in the Equatorial region is favorable: temperate winds, 25 degrees of heat all year round, often observed the calm, clean sky. On the Eastern Australian shores, a large coral reef is stretched.
The average depth equals 3980 meters, the largest - in the Mariana groove (11022 m). On the coast, volcanic eruptions are often observed, underground shocks - both in depth and on the surface of the earth.
Many species of living beings are in a quiet diverse - a variety of fish, seals, crabs, octopuses, etc.
The Pacific Ocean performs an important role in the economy of a huge number of states. 50% of world ulov accounts for this reservoir. Through it is the most important seaside paths. Mainland coast is actively carried out shipping.
Unfortunately, the vital activity of people was the cause of water pollution, and several types of animals were destroyed. Especially dangerous for the water branch in the water of industrial waste and oil.
Atlantic
This is the second size of the ocean of our planet, which is the most developed and investigated. The length is 13,000 km, the maximum width is 6700 km, the area is 92 km². Its coastline is significantly cut, which forms a huge number of bays and seas, especially in the northern regions.
From West is limited to South and North America, from East - Africa and Europe.
It was first described in the 5th century BC Herodotus - the historian of ancient Greece.
This reservoir does not boast a variety of animal world, but only abundance of biomass. Since the most pressing, Atlantic is the main place of milking mammals and sea fish.
It has a strong influence on the climate of the entire planet. Thanks to the flow of Gulf Stream, European countries are warmed with warm water.
The enhanced economic activity of mankind strongly worsened the environment in the reservoir itself and on the nearby coasts. Today, scientific recommendations are being actively drawn up, international treaties aimed at reasonable operation of ocean resources are being consistent.
Indian
This reservoir is given to the fifth of the area from all world waters and the seventh - from the entire surface of the Earth. Its area is 76 million km². The most saline part is the Red Sea (the degree of salinity is 41%). The reservoir is limited to three continents - Australia, Asia and Africa.
Indian is distinguished by a variety of relief: underwater ridges, hollows, gutters are located at its day.
The overwhelming part is in the southern hemisphere.
Indian surface water temperatures is the warmest. Mussons are observed in its northern part.
Indian is distinguished by developed animals and floral world. The shelf produces natural gas and oil. On the surface of the reservoir, there are a lot of shipping pathways.
Compared to other five oceans, Indian is the most polluted oil in the world.
One of the most dangerous natural disasters in the history of mankind happened in December 2004 - an earthquake, the epicenter of which was in this ocean, was the cause of the underwater earthquake in this reservoir. The waves of 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 carried out with water in the sea, so failed to determine the exact number of dead.
South (Antarctic)
Size ranks fourth. He surrounds Antarctica and covers an area of \u200b\u200b86 million km². The greatest depth is about 8428 m, the average - 3500 m.
Southern has a harsh climate and rich animal world. Krill is mining, but the whaling fishery is prohibited. The total number of whales is 500,000. There are representatives of mammals: seals, southern sea elephants, sea leopards. 44 different types of birds live on the coast, which is 200 million.
The climatic conditions are made up of several distinctive features: a unique geographical position, the impact of the continent of Antarctica (ice-covered, high-mountain and cold), incessant marine ice. Warm flows are not observed. Formal Stock Winds, whose speed is sometimes capable of reaching 15 m / s.
One of the characteristic features of the southern water resource is the year-round presence of ice. From September to October, during the greatest development, ice covers an area of \u200b\u200babout 18 million km².
Aisbergs are formed and due to the fact that under the influence of the tsunami and waves, coastal parts of ice and mainland glaciers are chipped. Each year in the waters of this reservoir are observed from 200 thousand icebergs. They rise 50 m above the level of sea surface, and their length is approximately 500 m. For 4-5 years, the overwhelming part of the mass of icebergs is taped.
Northern Arctic (Arctic)
Located between North America and Eurasia.
Note! This is the smallest ocean of our entire planet.
It covers an area of \u200b\u200b15 million km², which forms only a few percent of world waters in general.
The depth of the reservoir is 1225 m (maximum - 5527 m - in the Greenland Sea). As a result, the Northern Arctic is the most shallow. The Arctic ice is like a huge white giant, which contains 10 percent of freshwater reserves of the whole world. It supports the stability of the global climate of the Earth.
The islands area is 4 million km². The largest archipelagoes and islands - Spitsbergen, New Earth, Land Franz Joseph, Vaigach Islands, Kolguev, Wrangel, etc. Island Greenland is also located within the oceanic waters of the North Iceit.
The climate of this reservoir refers to the Arctic. The overwhelming part in the winter months of the year is covered with drifting ice. In the summer months, the water temperature rises to +5 degrees.
On the floating ice you can meet polar bears. They use ice as a platform and for hunting. When the ice disappears, these animals will disappear, as they will begin to starve. At the same time, white bears live only in the Arctic.
The indigenous population is engaged in sealing seals, walrus. Also developed fishing. In the North Arctic there are fish that live only in these territories.
When melting the ice of the reservoir, they produce various organisms and nutrients into water, which begins the growth of algae. Representatives of the underwater world feed on zooplankton.
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Let's summarize
How many oceans in our world, on the planet is at the moment? In total, they are on Earth 5, and the fifth, South (Antarctic), officially "appeared" only a few years ago. All oceans of the world play a crucial role in the life of our planet.
In contact with
Eurasia - from the words of Europe and Asia. Europe is as an ancient word that it is extremely difficult to trace his origins. It could happen from the Semitic Eabd or Irib, which means "West", or from the Phoenician Yerep - "Sunset", that is, again "West". Asia in ancient times was called the Greek province east of the Aegean Sea, as well as Scythian tribes for Caspian (Asia, Asian). Asia - on the legend one of the daughters of the Ocean Titanium.
Africa - BC. The Berber tribe of Africa (Afgrogen) lives south of Carthage (Africa); According to him, the Romans in the second century of our era, conquering Carthage, called the Roman province educated there - Afrika (the territory of modern Tunisia). With the colonial seizures of Europeans, the name has spread to all the mainland.
America - Opened in 1492 by H. Columbus, who considered the countries discovered by the countries of India and the east coast of Asia. In 1503, the Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci called South America with a new light. The German scientist Valdezmüller in 1507 proposed the name of America, named Amerigo Vespucci, initially for the southern mainland of this part of Svei, then this name has spread to the North.
Antarctica - from the Greek "opposite Arctic": the prefix "anti" - against. The Greek name of the Northern Polar Area of \u200b\u200bthe Earth is the Arctic, comes from the word Arkos - Bear, by the name of the constellation a large misgestion standing in the Arctic near Zenit.
Australia - Ptolemya (II century N. E.) South of the Indian Ocean shows Terra Australis Incognita - "South Unknown". The mainland has been studied in parts for a long time, but only by the beginning of the XIX century it was possible to finally establish that all the studied sites relate to one mainland. The Dutch called this land with New Holland. English researcher Matthew Flinders called the report on his swimming at the beginning of the XIX century "Journey to Terra Australis", but in the preface to it suggested "more congestive and corresponding to the names of other parts of the world" - Australia, which later came into use.
Oceania is the largest cluster of the islands in the central and southwestern parts of the Pacific. The name of Oceania went into use at the beginning of the XIX century. In 1832, the French navigator Dumon Duvil offered a division of Oceania Islands into three large parts: Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia.
The Atlantic Ocean - the name is associated with an ancient Greek myth of Titan Atlanta, who kept the heavenly arch on his shoulders, whose place of the Greeks considered the extreme West of the Mediterranean, "the ocean extended behind him, the part of which (the closest to Atlant) was called the Atlantic Ocean.
Pacific Ocean - at different times received various names. In 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa was the first of the Europeans to the Ocean and called him the southern sea. In 1520, F. Magellan came to the ocean and driven it from the fiery ground to the Philippine Islands for 3 months and 20 days. In continuation of all this swimming, calm weather dominated, and Magellan gave the Ocean the name of quiet.
Indian Ocean - from India. Ancient Indian name Sindhus - from the name of the Sindhu River (modern ind). It happened the ancient Parsida Hindu, then the ancient Greek and Latin India and Russian India; Similar names are found in other European languages.
The North Arctic Ocean is the name of the ocean in the 20s of the XIX century. Offered his Russian researcher, Admiral F. P. Litke. In 1935, by the decision of the USSR CEC, this name was made as compulsory. In foreign countries, apply their national names of this ocean.
The ocean is the largest object and is part that covers about 71% of the surface of our planet. Oceans wash the banks of continents, have a water circulation system and have other specific features. The oceans of the world are in constant interaction with everyone.
Map of oceans and continents of the world
In some sources, it is indicated that the world ocean is divided into 4 oceans, but in 2000 the International Hydrographic Organization was allocated the fifth - the Southern Ocean. This article presents a list of all 5 oceans of the planet Earth in order - from the largest area to the smallest, with the name, location on the map and main characteristics.
Pacific Ocean
Pacific on the land map / Wikipedia
Due to the large size of the Pacific Ocean has a unique and diverse topography. It also plays an important role in the formation of weather conditions around the world and the modern economy.
Oceanic bottom is constantly changing during the movement and subduction of tectonic plates. Currently, the oldest of the well-known areas of the Pacific Ocean has about 180 million years.
From the point of view of geology, the area surrounding the Pacific Ocean is sometimes called. The region has this name, because it is the largest area of \u200b\u200bvolcanism and earthquakes in the world. The Pacific region is susceptible to violent geological activity, because most of its bottom is in subducts zones, where the boundaries of some tectonic plates are excreted under the other after a collision. There are also some areas of hot spots, where Magma from the Earth's mantle is displaced through the earth's bark, creating underwater volcanoes, which ultimately can form islands and underwater mountains.
The Pacific Ocean has a diverse Relief of the bottom, consisting of oceanic ridges and, which formed in hot spots below the surface. Ocean relief is significantly different from major continents and islands. The deepest point of the Pacific Ocean is called "Abyss Challenger", it is located in the Mariana Wpadine, at a depth of almost 11 thousand km. The biggest is New Guinea.
The climate of the ocean varies greatly depending on the latitude, the presence of sushi and types of air masses moving above its waters. The surface temperature of the ocean also plays a role in the climate because it affects the availability of moisture in different regions. In the vicinity of climate, wet and warm for most of the year. The extremely northern part of the Pacific Ocean and the South Part is more moderate, have large seasonal differences in weather conditions. In addition, in some regions, seasonal trade winds that affect climate are dominated. In the Pacific, tropical cyclones and typhoons are also formed.
The Pacific Ocean is almost the same as in other land oceans, with the exception of local temperatures and the salinity of water. In the pelagic zone of the ocean, marine animals live, such as fish, sea and. At the bottom there are organisms and padelvers. Havings can be found in solar shallow areas of the ocean near the coast. The Pacific Ocean is a medium in which the greatest variety of living organisms on the planet lives.
Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean on the land map / Wikipedia
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean on Earth with a total area (taking into account the adjacent seas) 106.46 million km². It takes about 22% of the surface of the planet. The ocean has an elongated S-shaped shape and extends between North and South America in the West, as well as - in the East. In the north, it is connected to the Northern Arctic Ocean, with the Pacific Ocean in the south-west, with the Indian Ocean in the south-east and with the Southern Ocean in the south. The average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is 3,926 m, and the deepest point is located in Puerto Rico's oceanic refuge, at a depth of 8,605 m. The Atlantic Ocean has the greatest salinity of water among all the oceans of the world.
Its climate is characterized by warm or cool water, which circulates in different currents. The depth of water and winds also have a significant effect on weather conditions on the surface of the ocean. It is known that strong Atlantic hurricanes develop from Cape Verde's coast in Africa, and from August to November, they are sent to the Caribbean Sea.
Time when Superkontinent Pangea collapsed, about 130 million years ago, became the beginning of the formation of the Atlantic Ocean. Geologists have determined that it is the second youngest of the five oceans of the world. This ocean played a very important role in the combination of old world with a recently studied America since the end of the 15th century.
The main feature of the DNA of the Atlantic Ocean is a submarine ridge, called the Mid-Atlantic Range, which extends from Iceland in the north to about 58 ° YU. sh. and has a maximum width of about 1600 km. The depth of water over the ridge in most places is less than 2,700 meters, and several mountain peaks ridge rises above the water forming the island.
The Atlantic Ocean flows into the Pacific Ocean, but they are not always the same due to the temperature of water, oceanic flows, sunlight, nutrients, salinity, etc. The Atlantic Ocean has coastal and open oceanic habitats. Its coastal is located along the coastal lines and extend to the continental shelves. The sea flora is usually focused in the upper layers of the ocean water, and closer to the shores are coral reefs, algae forests and marine herbs.
The Atlantic Ocean has an important modern value. The construction of the Panama Canal, located in Central America, allowed major vessels through waterways, from Asia through the Pacific Ocean to the eastern coast of North and South America through the Atlantic Ocean. This led to the revival of trade between Europe, Asia, South America and North America. In addition, at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, there are deposits of gas, oil and precious stones.
Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean on land map / Wikipedia
The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean of the planet and has an area of \u200b\u200b70.56 million km². It is located between Africa, Asia, Australia and the South Ocean. The Indian Ocean has a middle depth of 3,963 m, and the Zordsky bile is the deepest depression, with a maximum depth of 7,258 m. The Indian Ocean takes about 20% of the world's ocean area.
The formation of this ocean is a consequence of the collapse of the supercontinent of Gondwana, which began about 180 million years ago. 36 million years ago, the Indian Ocean accepted his current configuration. Although it first opened about 140 million years ago, almost all indian ocean pools are less than 80 million years old.
It does not have access to the sea and does not extend to the Arctic waters. He has fewer islands and narrower continental shelves compared to the quiet and Atlantic Oceans. Below the surface layers, especially in the north, the water in the ocean is extremely low saturated with oxygen.
The climate of the Indian Ocean varies significantly from north to south. For example, monsime dominate in the northern part, over the equator. From October to April, the strong northeastern winds are observed, while from May to October - Southern and Western. The Indian Ocean also has the most warm weather from all five oceans in the world.
The ocean depths contain about 40% of the marine reserves of oil in the world, and at present, seven countries are mined from this ocean.
Seychelles - Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, consisting of 115 islands, and most of them are granite islands and coral islands. On the granite islands, most of the species are endemic, and the coral islands have ecosystem of coral reefs, where the biological diversity of marine life is the largest. On the Indian Ocean, there is an island fauna, which includes sea turtles, seabirds and many other exotic animals. Most of the marine life in the Indian Ocean is endemic.
The entire seaside ecosystem of the Indian Ocean faces the reduction in the number of species, since the water temperature continues to grow, which in turn leads to a 20% decrease in phytoplankton, from which the marine food chain strongly depends.
South ocean
South Ocean on land map / Wikipedia
In 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization allocated the fifth, the youngest ocean of the world - the Southern Ocean - from the southern regions of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. The new South Ocean is completely surrounded and extends from her coast to north to 60 °. sh. The southern ocean today is the fourth largest of the five oceans of the world, exceeding the area only the Arctic Ocean.
In recent years, a large number of oceanographic research has concerned the ocean flows, first due to El Niño, and then due to wider interest in global warming. One study determined that the flow near Antarctica isolate the southern ocean as separate, so it was allocated to a separate, fifth ocean.
The South Ocean area is approximately 20.3 million km². The deepest point has a depth of 7,235 meters and it is located in South Sandvicheva.
The temperature of the water in the Southern Ocean varies from -2 ° C to + 10 ° C. It also contains the largest and most powerful cold surface flow on Earth - the Antarctic circumpolar flow, which moves to the east and is 100 times higher than the flow of all world rivers.
Despite the release of this new ocean, it is likely that the discussion on the number of oceans will continue in the future. In the end, there is only one "world ocean", since all 5 (or 4) ocean on our planet are interrelated with each other.
Arctic Ocean
North Arctic Ocean on land map / Wikipedia
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of five oceans in the world and has an area of \u200b\u200b14.06 million km². Its average depth of 1205 m, and the deepest point is located in the underwater hood of Nansen, at a depth of 4665 m. The Arctic Ocean is located between Europe, Asia and North America. In addition, most of its water is located north of the polar circle. Located in the center of the Arctic Ocean.
While Located on the Continent, the North Pole is covered with water. For most of the year, the Arctic Ocean is almost completely covered with drifting polar ice, which has a thickness of about three meters. This glacier usually melts in the summer months, but only partially.
Due to the small size, many oceanographs do not consider it by the ocean. Instead, some scientists suggest that this is the sea, which is mainly fenced by continents. Others believe that it is a partially closed coastal reservoir of the Atlantic Ocean. These theories are not widespread, and the international hydrographic organization considers the Northern Arctic Ocean as one of the five oceans of the world.
The Northern Arctic Ocean has the lowest salinity of water among all the oceans of the earth. Since the low speed of evaporation and fresh water coming from streams and rivers that feed the ocean, diluting the concentration of salts in water.
The polar climate dominates in this ocean. Consequently, winter demonstrates relatively stable weather at low temperatures. The most famous characteristics of this climate are polar nights and polar days.
It is believed that about 25% of the total reserves of natural gas and oil on our planet may be in the Arctic Ocean. Geologists also found that there are significant gold deposits and other minerals. The abundance of several species, fish and seals also make the region attractive for the fishing industry.
In the Arctic Ocean there are several animal habitats, including those who are threatened by the disappearance of mammals and fish. The vulnerable ecosystem of the region is one of the factors that make fauna so sensitive to climate change. Some of these types endemic and indispensable. The summer months bring an abundance of phytoplankton, which, in turn, nourishes, located at the base, which ultimately ends with large terrestrial and marine mammals.
Recent developments in the field of technologies allow scientists to study the depths of the oceans of the world with new ways. These studies are needed to help scientists to explore and possibly prevent the catastrophic consequences of climate change in these areas, as well as to detect new types of living organisms.
When most of us were in school, 4 oceans were designated on the geographical maps of our planet: Atlantic, quiet, Indian and northern ice. But on modern maps you can see the name of the 5th Ocean - South. What is this ocean, and why did the need to rewrite the cards and change the number of oceans?
The confusion with the oceans continues not one century. For the first time, the term "South Ocean" is found on the maps of the XVII century and denotes the ocean expanses surrounding the "unknown South Mainland" at that time, the existence of which travelers suspected. The southern parts of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific were very different under the conditions of the navigation: here were their currents, strong winds and there were floating ice. For this reason, this region was sometimes highlighted in a separate ocean, and in some cartographic materials of the XVII-XVIII century you can see the names of the Southern Ocean, the "Southern Arctic Ocean". Later, the name "Antarctic Ocean" began to meet.
Already after the opening of Antarctica, in the middle of the XIX century, the Royal Geographical Society in London marked the borders of the Southern Ocean, taken to him the southern parts of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, which are located between the southern polar circle and Antarctic. And the international hydrographic organization approved the existence of the Southern Ocean by 1937.
But later, scientists again came to the conclusion that the allocation of the Southern Ocean is inappropriate, and he again became part of three oceans, and by the middle of the 20th century this name is no longer found on marine maps or in school textbooks.
The need to allocate the Southern Ocean again spoke at the end of the 20th century. The water of the three oceans surrounding Antarctica, in many respects differ from the rest of the world's oceans. There is a powerful circumpolar flow, the species composition of the sea fauna is very different from the warmer latter, and floating ice and icebergs are encountered around Antarctica. It can be said that the Southern Ocean was isolated by analogy with the Northern Arctic: too different natural conditions in the polar and indoor territories of the ocean and in other parts of the World Ocean.
Member States of the International Hydrographic Organization in 2000 decided to allocate the Southern Ocean, and its northern border spent 60 parallels of southern latitude. Since then, this name appears on the world's maps, and on our planet again 5 oceans.