Oceans & Seas

Pacific

The Pacific is the largest ocean on Earth, bigger than all the continents combined. It reaches from the Arctic to the Antarctic and separates the Americas from Asia.

💡 Did you know? The Pacific covers about a third of the entire surface of the Earth.

Atlantic

The Atlantic is the second-largest ocean and separates the Americas from Europe and Africa. The most important routes of exploration and trade of modern times crossed it.

💡 Did you know? The Atlantic grows a little wider each year as the Americas and Europe drift apart.

Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean, lying between Africa, Asia and Australia. It is known for its monsoon winds, which have shaped seafaring for thousands of years.

💡 Did you know? The Indian Ocean is on average the warmest of the great oceans.

Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean around the North Pole is the smallest and coldest ocean. Large parts are covered by sea ice all year round.

💡 Did you know? The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest ocean and is largely covered by sea ice.

Southern Ocean

The Southern Ocean surrounds Antarctica and has only recently been officially recognised as an ocean in its own right. Its cold currents influence the climate of the whole planet.

💡 Did you know? The Southern Ocean is the only ocean to circle the globe unbroken by land.

five

The world's oceans are really a single connected body of water divided into several oceans. Today five are usually counted: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Southern Oceans.

💡 Did you know? In 2021 National Geographic added the Southern Ocean to its maps as the fifth ocean.

Atlantic

The Atlantic lies between the continents of the Americas, Europe and Africa. A crack along its mid-ocean ridge makes it grow a little wider year by year.

💡 Did you know? The name 'Atlantic' goes back to the Titan Atlas of Greek myth.

Pacific

The Pacific separates the Americas and Asia and is fringed in many places by volcanoes and earthquake zones: the 'Ring of Fire'. It is also the deepest ocean.

💡 Did you know? Magellan named the Pacific ('the peaceful one') because of the calm seas on his crossing.

Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean borders Africa, Asia and Australia and is the warmest of the great oceans. It is a key route for trade between Asia and Europe.

💡 Did you know? The Indian Ocean is the only major ocean named after a country.

Mariana Trench

The Mariana Trench in the western Pacific is the deepest known point in the world's oceans, reaching almost eleven kilometres down. There the water pressure is enormous and it is permanently dark.

💡 Did you know? The Mariana Trench is so deep that Mount Everest would sink into it completely.

about 71%

Water covers far more than half of our planet and makes it look blue from space. By far the greater part of it is salty seawater.

💡 Did you know? Because the seas cover so much more area than land, the Earth is also called the 'blue planet'.

Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean lies between Europe, Africa and Asia and is linked to the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar. Many early civilisations arose along its shores.

💡 Did you know? Its name means 'sea in the middle of the lands'; it is almost entirely enclosed by land.

North Sea

The North Sea is a shallow marginal sea of the Atlantic between Britain, Scandinavia and the mainland. It is an important area for fishing and for oil and gas.

💡 Did you know? The Wadden Sea of the North Sea dries out at low tide and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is an almost enclosed inland sea in northern Europe with very low salinity. Many countries border it.

💡 Did you know? The Baltic Sea is so low in salt that in places it freezes over completely in winter.

Red Sea

The Red Sea separates Africa from the Arabian Peninsula and is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal. It is famous for its species-rich coral reefs.

💡 Did you know? The Red Sea is one of the warmest and saltiest seas in the world.

Black Sea

The Black Sea lies between Europe and Asia and is connected to the Mediterranean only by a narrow strait. Great rivers such as the Danube flow into it.

💡 Did you know? The depths of the Black Sea contain no oxygen: only special bacteria can live there.

Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea lies between Central and South America and the islands of the Caribbean. It is a popular holiday destination and, historically, the stage for the notorious pirates.

💡 Did you know? The Caribbean Sea is famous for its coral reefs and vivid turquoise colours.

Strait of Gibraltar

The Strait of Gibraltar is the narrow channel between Spain and Morocco that links the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.

💡 Did you know? At its narrowest point Europe and Africa are only about 14 kilometres apart.

Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea lies between Europe and Asia and has no link to the open ocean. It is the largest lake on Earth and rich in oil.

💡 Did you know? Although called a 'sea', it is strictly speaking the largest lake on Earth.

Coral Sea

The Coral Sea lies in the South Pacific off the north-east coast of Australia. It contains the Great Barrier Reef, the largest living structure on Earth.

💡 Did you know? The Coral Sea is home to the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world.