How many oceans are there?
An ocean is a vast, interconnected body of salt water that covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface and plays a critical role in regulating the planet’s climate and weather patterns, supporting a diverse array of marine life, and providing numerous economic and social benefits to human populations. It is a unique and complex ecosystem that is shaped by physical, chemical, and biological processes and is constantly changing over time.
The word “ocean” comes from the Greek word ōkeanós, which means “ocean” or “great sea.” This word is derived from the ancient Greek word ōkeán, which means “stream” or “water.” The word “ocean” was first used in English in the 14th century to refer to the vast body of salt water that surrounds the continents. It is thought to have entered the English language through the Latin “Oceanus,” which was itself borrowed from the Greek “ōkeanós.” The word also has a connection to the ancient Greek god Oceanus, who was said to be the god of the ocean and the personification of the sea.
The definition of an ocean can vary depending on the source and context. However, some commonly used criteria to define an ocean include:
- Size: Oceans are typically considered to be large bodies of saltwater that cover a significant portion of the Earth’s surface. They are generally larger than seas and other smaller bodies of water.
- Location: Oceans are typically defined based on their location, such as the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Indian Ocean.
- Hydrographic criteria: Some sources define oceans based on their physical and chemical properties, such as their temperature, salinity, and depth. For example, the World Ocean is defined as all the saltwater on Earth, regardless of its location.
- Geographical criteria: Oceans are also defined based on their geographical features, such as their coastlines, islands, and other features that are associated with oceans.
- Historical significance: Oceans have been traditionally defined based on historical significance and usage, for example, the five oceans, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, Arctic, and Pacific
How Many Oceans are There in the World
From the beginning of the year 1915, (NOAA) National Geographic started making maps. It has identified four oceans in the world; the names of these oceans are the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans. In the early 20th century, some oceanographers named the area of seas around Antarctica the Southern Ocean. The Southern (Antarctic) Ocean is now recognized as the Fifth Ocean by most countries, including the United States and National Geographic, formally declaring it as the Fifth Ocean in the year 2021. The Southern Ocean is recognized by the US Geographical Board as the body of water spreading from the coast of Antarctica to a line of 60 degrees south latitude. The boundaries of the Southern Ocean were suggested to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in the year 2000. However, not all countries accept this limit recommendation, Therefore, it has yet to be approved by the members of the IHO.
The classification is based on their location, size, and historical significance. The Atlantic Ocean is located between Europe and Africa on one side and the Americas on the other. The Indian Ocean is located between Africa, Asia, and Australia. The Southern Ocean is located near Antarctica. The Arctic Ocean is located in the far north, surrounding the Arctic. The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of the five oceans, located between Asia and Australia on one side and the Americas on the other.
The ocean is also a primary driver of the global economy, carrying over 90% of world trade and the holder of 40% of the people who live within 100 km of the coast. Due to this, the ocean has a major effect on weather, temperature, and the availability of food for humans and other organisms. Humans have never mapped, explored, or even seen more than 80% part of the ocean.
List of All Five Oceans of the World
There are mainly five oceans in the world that occupy around 70% of the entire earth’s surface. The three main movements of ocean water are waves, tides, and ocean currents.
The following are the five oceans of the planet earth:
- Pacific Ocean
- Atlantic Ocean
- Indian Ocean
- Arctic Ocean
- Antarctic ocean
1. Pacific Ocean:
- The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of the five oceans. It covers more than 60 million square miles or about one-third of the Earth’s surface. It is located between Asia and Australia on one side and the Americas on the other and stretches from the Arctic Circle in the north to the Antarctic Circle in the south. The Pacific Ocean is bordered by many countries and territories, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
- The Pacific Ocean is also known for its many islands, including the Hawaiian Islands, the Philippines, and the islands of Micronesia and Polynesia. The ocean also contains the deepest point in the world, the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, which reaches a depth of about 36,070 feet.
- The name Prashant is a form of peace. The Pacific Ocean was named by Ferdinand Magellan in the year 1520 when he passed a calm area of water on the ocean. The ocean’s name derives from the Latin word “Pacificus”
- This ocean is divided by the equator into two oceans, the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. Although formally, the southern part of the Pacific Ocean is considered part of the Antarctic Southern Ocean, The Pacific Ocean is considered to be between 63.8 and 70 million square miles and also 165.2 and 181.3 million square km in size, excluding nearby seas. The Pacific Ocean includes around 46% of the Earth’s water surface and approximately 32% of its entire surface area. The average depth of this ocean is 14,040 ft. (4,280 m).
2. Atlantic Ocean
- The Atlantic Ocean is one of the five oceans of the world, located between Europe and Africa on one side and the Americas on the other. It is the second-largest of the five oceans, covering about 41 million square miles. It covers around 20% of Earth’s surface and approximately 29% of its water surface. The Atlantic Ocean spreads from the Arctic Circle to Antarctica longitudinally in a long, S-shaped basin between the Americas to the west and Eurasia and Africa to the east. The ocean is bordered by many countries, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and several countries in Europe and Africa.
- The Atlantic Ocean has many important shipping lanes, as well as several major ports, including New York, Miami, Rotterdam, and London. It also contains several islands, such as the Azores, the Canary Islands, and the Caribbean Islands. The ocean is also home to many species of fish, whales, and dolphins, as well as seabirds and sea turtles.
- Additionally, the Atlantic Ocean also plays an important role in the global economy, as it is a major source of oil, natural gas, and fisheries, as well as a major transportation route for goods and people.
3. Indian Ocean
- The Indian Ocean is one of the five oceans of the world, located between Africa, Asia, and Australia. It is the third-largest of the five oceans, covering about 28 million square miles. The ocean is bordered by many countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia, and several countries in Africa, such as Somalia and Tanzania.
- The Indian Ocean is known for its many islands, including the Maldives, Seychelles, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The ocean is also home to a diverse array of marine life, including fish, whales, dolphins, and many species of seabirds and sea turtles.
- The Indian Ocean plays an important role in global climate and weather patterns, particularly through the monsoon winds, which bring rain to many parts of Asia, Africa, and Australia. The ocean also has a rich cultural and historical significance, as it has been the site of many important trade routes and empires throughout history.
- Additionally, the Indian Ocean also plays an important role in the global economy, as it is a major source of oil, natural gas, and fisheries, as well as a major transportation route for goods and people. The ocean is also known for its beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and its marine biodiversity, making it a popular tourist destination.
4. Arctic Ocean
- The Arctic Ocean is one of the five oceans of the world, located in the far north, surrounding the Arctic. It is the smallest and shallowest of the five oceans, covering about 5 million square miles. The ocean is bordered by several countries, including Russia, Canada, the United States (via Alaska), Norway, and Denmark (via Greenland).
- The Arctic Ocean is known for its unique environmental characteristics, including its sea ice cover and the presence of the Arctic Ocean ice pack. It is also home to a diverse array of marine life, including fish, whales, dolphins, and many species of seabirds and sea mammals, such as walruses and polar bears.
- The Arctic Ocean is around 4000 km or 2500 miles long and 2400 km or 1500 miles broad, approximately the size of the continental USA. It is completely enclosed by the Arctic Circle, has deep basins (4500 m), the world’s slowest extending ridges, and around 15% of the world’s shelf seas; the area of the Arctic shelf is about half the region of the deep Arctic Basin.
5. Antarctic/ Southern Ocean
- The Antarctic ocean, also known as the Southern Ocean, is the ocean surrounding Antarctica. It is not one of the five traditionally recognized oceans. However, some sources consider it a separate ocean, while others include it as part of the Antarctic and Southern Oceans. The Antarctic ocean is the fourth-largest of the five oceans and covers about 20 million square miles.
- The Antarctic ocean is known for its extremely cold temperatures and harsh conditions, as well as its unique marine life, including penguins, seals, and whales. It is also home to many species of fish, krill, and plankton, which form the base of the food web for many marine animals. The Antarctic ocean plays an important role in global climate and weather patterns, particularly through the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which is the strongest ocean current on Earth.
- In 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) officially recognized the Southern Ocean as the fourth ocean, separate from the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, and defined its limits as extending from the coast of Antarctica to 60 degrees south latitude. Prior to this, the Southern Ocean was not officially recognized as a separate ocean and was considered part of the Southern Hemisphere’s waters.
Largest and Smallest Ocean
- The Pacific Ocean is known for its vast size and the large number of islands that are scattered throughout it. It is bordered by Asia, North America, South America, and Australia and is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the narrow Strait of Magellan and the Drake Passage. The ocean’s name derives from the Latin word “Pacificus”, meaning peaceful, as the waters of the Pacific are relatively calm compared to other oceans. The Pacific Ocean is also known for its rich marine life, including whales, dolphins, and many different species of fish.
- The Atlantic Ocean, which is the second largest, is located between Africa, Europe, South America, and North America. It is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Americas and connected to the Indian Ocean by the narrow Strait of Gibraltar. The name Atlantic comes from the Greek word “Atlantis,” meaning “Sea of Atlas,” in reference to the titan of Greek mythology who was said to support the heavens. The Atlantic Ocean is known for its strong currents and powerful storms, such as hurricanes.
- The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean in the world and is located between Africa, Asia, and Australia. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the narrow Strait of Gibraltar and the Red Sea and to the Southern Ocean through the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The Indian Ocean is known for its warm waters and diverse marine life, including coral reefs, whales, dolphins, and many different species of fish.
- The Southern Ocean, or Antarctic Ocean, is the fourth largest ocean in the world and surrounds Antarctica. The Southern Ocean is known for its cold, rough waters and its unique marine life, including penguins, seals, and whales. The Southern Ocean is also home to many different species of fish and krill, which are important food sources for many marine animals. It is also known for its strong winds and powerful currents.
- The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the five oceans and is located around the North Pole. The Arctic Ocean is mostly covered by ice and is known for its freezing temperatures and harsh conditions. It is bordered by North America, Europe, and Asia and is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the narrow Greenland Sea and the Barents Sea. The Arctic Ocean is home to a wide variety of marine life, including polar bears, walruses, seals, and whales.
Conclusion
The oceans do not have distinct physical boundaries, as they are all interconnected and influenced by global ocean currents and weather patterns. These divisions are based on geographical and cultural criteria and have been established by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), which is an intergovernmental organization that aims to standardize the nomenclature and representation of the earth’s waters on charts and maps.
The IHO has defined the limits of each ocean based on a combination of coastal features, ocean currents, and historical usage. These limits are not fixed and can be subject to change as new scientific data becomes available. For example, in 2000, IHO officially recognized the Southern Ocean as a separate ocean, separate from the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, and defined its limits as extending from the coast of Antarctica to 60 degrees south latitude.
However, it is important to note that the ocean is one connected body of water, and the divisions between the oceans are largely artificial constructs. The oceans are all connected by the global ocean currents and the water cycle, and the boundaries between them are not clearly defined.
FAQs on Oceans
Where are the five oceans of the world?
From the beginning of the year 1915, National Geographic started making maps. It has identified four oceans in the world; the names of these oceans are the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans. Starting on World Oceans Day, June 8, it will be recognized as the Southern Ocean as the world’s fifth ocean. There are five oceans separated by the continents (large areas of land), with the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans connected in the south by the Southern Ocean. The Arctic Ocean is situated to the north.
Which are the first Oceans of the world?
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and first ocean on the earth. The pacific ocean covers more than one-third Part or 3970m deep of the earth. Mariana Trench is identified as the deepest place on the earth, situated in the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is nearly circular in shape. It is surrounded by the continents of Asia, Australia, and North and South America.
Which Ocean is named after a country?
The Indian Ocean is the one ocean that is named after India. Its ocean is the world’s third largest ocean, after the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. The shape of the Indian ocean is around triangular.
What is the world’s third-largest Ocean?
The Indian Ocean is referred to as the third largest ocean of the world’s oceanic divisions, or It’s Covering around 20% or covering 70,560,000 km² of the Earth’s surface.