The smallest ocean in the world: geographical position, area

What is the smallest ocean in the world? The answer to this question can be found in this article. In addition, it tells about where it is, what its territory is, who it lives in, what interesting facts are associated with it.

Oceans

Two third of the surface of our planet occupies water space. Its total area is about 370 million km ² . Today, the geographical community distinguishes five world oceans:

1. Quiet;
2. Indian;
3. Southern;
4. Atlantic;
5. Arctic.

This classification was adopted by the International Hydrographic Organization in 2000, when the World Ocean was officially divided into five of the above.

The line separating one huge reservoir from another is conditional. Water can freely flow from one ocean to another. On their borders there are differences in climate, features of currents and some other phenomena.

Let's see what is the smallest ocean in the world, what it is interesting for, who it inhabits. The answer to these difficult questions is provided by the science of oceanography.

Arctic

The smallest ocean in the world is the Arctic. A thick layer of Arctic ice covers the greater part of its territory all year round.

For the first time the ocean appeared on a German map in the seventeenth century. First it was called Hyperborean. In general, for the history of its existence it had many names, many of which marked its geographical position.

The modern name after the ocean was fixed at the beginning of the nineteenth century, after studies by navigator Admiral F.P. Litke.

It is the coldest of all the oceans on earth, bordering the waters of the Pacific and the Atlantic. Depth ranges from 350 m to 5,527 km, the average - more than 1200 meters, water volume - 18 million km ³ . The water in the ocean is multilayered: different in temperature and degree of salinity. Often there are mirages, which are formed due to a collision of warm and cold masses of air.

The water area of the Arctic Ocean includes twelve seas. The most famous of them are: White, Chukchi, Laptev, Barents, etc.

Geographical position

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean in the world. The name is determined by its geographical location. Its territory covers the North Pole, as well as most of the Arctic and subarctic bands of the globe. The shores of the two largest continents are washed by its waters.

Very low temperatures, the prevalence of cold Arctic winds, long polar nights and, as a result, a shortage of solar heat and light, a very small amount of precipitation - all this makes the climate very harsh. In addition, this smallest ocean in the world because of the lack of heat is mostly covered with huge ice slabs.

These plates are in constant motion, and therefore huge ice piles are formed.

Dimensions

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean in the world in terms of area. It accounts for 3.5% of the world's water supply. In general, this is almost 15 million km ² . If to compare with the Pacific Ocean, which is the largest in the world, then the Arctic Ocean is only its tenth part.

Almost half of the area is occupied by continental shelves. The depth here is small, about 350 meters.

In the central part there are several deep depressions up to 5000 meters. They are separated from each other by transoceanic ridges (Haeckel, Mendelev, Lomonosov).

Inhabitants

Most of the water area of the Arctic Ocean is covered with ice almost all year round, so it does not attract the attention of sailors and fishermen. A bit here and marine life and plants. Although there are still representatives and fans of the cold climate.

Where the water area is more or less free from ice, there are seals, walruses, polar bears, whales, small fish and shellfish.

For the fauna of the Arctic Ocean, as, indeed, for all northern territories, some peculiarities are peculiar. One of them is gigantism. This is confirmed by the presence here of the largest mussels and jellyfish, corals, marine spiders.

Another feature is longevity. Its secret is that at low temperatures all life processes slow down.

Mussels here live up to twenty-five years, and in the Black Sea - only six; Cod survives to the age of twenty, and halibut generally to thirty or forty years.

Interesting Facts

1. The smallest ocean in the world is in second place after the Quiet on the number of islands that are on its territory.
2. Its water area includes the largest island in the world (Greenland) and the largest archipelago (Canadian Arctic).
3. Most of the ocean is under ice all year round.
4. Among the inhabitants was found the largest jellyfish. It was called cyanium, it is about two meters across and the length of the tentacles is up to twenty meters.
5. Also there is a sea spider with a swing of legs to thirty centimeters.
6. On the shores of the smallest ocean you can see an unusual animal - a musk ox.
7. Due to the warming of the climate, the area and thickness of the ice are greatly reduced. This grows into a serious environmental problem: water from melting glaciers will get to the World Ocean, and its level will rise. If we assume that all the glaciers melt, the level will rise by six meters.
8. Travelers talk about the sound phenomenon of the ocean, spreading sounds for tens of kilometers.
9. The phenomenon of fata morgan, formed from successive mirages, characteristic of the Arctic, more than once confused travelers. This phenomenon greatly changes the terrain, shows the reality in a very distorted form.