How many oceans are there in the world, a question that haunts the mind considering that three-quarters of our planet is oceans. They hold 97% of our planet’s water, representing 99% of the planet’s living space by volume. These water surfaces are home to much of the planet’s biodiversity, and something that makes them so important is that they are the main lungs of the planet as they produce 50% of the oxygen that is generated, which makes them essential for the development of life.
Facts you didn’t know about the oceans
How many oceans are there?
There are five oceans on our planet:
Pacific Ocean:
It is the largest and deepest ocean with 10,924 meters, from the Bering Sea, which limits to the Arctic Glacier in the north, to the Ross Sea, limiting in the south to Antarctica.
Atlantic Ocean:
It is the second largest ocean on Earth with 9,219 meters, occupies 20% of the surface area of the planet, and is the youngest ocean, which was formed 200 million years ago with the division of the supercontinent Pangea.
Indian Ocean:
The third largest ocean on the planet at 7,455 meters and measures approximately 10,000 kilometers wide between the tips of Africa and Australia.
Arctic Ocean:
The smallest and northernmost part of the world’s oceans. It is located north of the Arctic Circle between Europe, Asia, and North America. Its depths range from 200 to 400 meters.
Antarctic Ocean:
It runs from the coast of Antarctica to 60° south, is the fifth largest ocean on Earth, and was recognized as such in 2021 by the consensus of the National Geographic Society.
Story originally published in Spanish in Ecoosfera
