|
Oceans
|
Atlas of the Oceans
Oceans (from Ὠκεανός Okeanos in Greek) are saline waters that cover almost three quarters (75%) of the surface of the Earth. The area of the oceans is 361 million sq. km., and nearly half of the world's marine waters are over 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) deep. Though somewhat arbitrarily divided into several "separate" oceans, these oceans are in fact one global, interconnected body of salt water, often called the World Ocean. The major divisions are defined in part by the continents and a variety of archipelagos, and are labeled the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. Smaller regions of the oceans are called seas, gulfs, straits and other names.
|