HOW LARGE ARE THE OCEANS?

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The oceans cover the majority of the Earths' surface.  In fact, over 70% of the planets surface is water.

Although all the oceans on Earth are connected this water is geographically divided into five oceans, the Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Southern Ocean. 


The Pacific Ocean is the biggest of all.  It reaches northward from the Southern Ocean to the Arctic Ocean in the gap between Australia, Asia, North America and Oceania. It meets the Atlantic south of South America at Cape Horn.

The Atlantic Ocean, the second biggest, extends from the Southern Ocean between South America, Africa, North America and Europe, to the Arctic Ocean. The Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean south of Africa at Cape Agulhas.

The Indian Ocean extends northward from the Southern Ocean to India, between Africa and Australia. The Indian Ocean joins the Pacific Ocean to the west, near Australia.

The Southern Ocean surrounds Antarctica. Parts of the Southern Ocean are covered in sea ice, the extent of which varies according to the season. It is the second smallest of the five oceans.


The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the five. It joins the Atlantic near Greenland and Iceland, and the Pacific at the Bering Strait. It is on the North Pole.  Parts of the Arctic Ocean are covered in sea ice, the extent of which varies according to the season. 


Ocean Facts

• Surface Area of the Planet (510,066,000 sq km) 
• Land Area on the Planet (148,647,000 sq km) 29.1%
• Ocean Area (335,258,000 sq km) 
• Total Water Area (361,419,000 sq km) 70.9%
• Type of Water (97% salt), (3% fresh)

Oceans by size

• 1. Pacific (155,557,000 sq km) 
• 2. Atlantic (76,762,000 sq km) 
• 3. Indian (68,556,000 sq km) 
• 4. Southern (20,327,000 sq km) 
• 5. Arctic (14,056,000 sq km) 

Greatest depths in the oceans

• Mariana Trench, Pacific 35,827 ft 
• Puerto Rico Trench, Atlantic 30,246 ft 
• Java Trench, Indian 24,460 ft 
• Arctic Basin, Arctic 18,456 ft 
• Southern Ocean, 23,737 ft 

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