Top 10 Largest Oceans and Seas in the World

Top 10 Largest Oceans and Seas in the World

More than 70% of the surface of the Earth is covered by water, with the Pacific Ocean taking up more than a third of the planet’s surface. The volume of all the oceans on Earth is estimated to be 0.3 billion cubic miles (1.332 billion cubic kilometres), with an average depth of 12,080.7 feet (3,682.2 meters). But the many water bodies that make up this entire ocean area each have their own distinctive qualities and range in size from the vast Pacific to the isolated Mediterranean.

Here are the top 10 oceans and seas in the world, ranked by surface area in square miles (square kilometres).

1. Pacific Ocean 60,060,700 square miles
2. Atlantic Ocean 41,105,000 square miles
3. The Indian Ocean 26,469,500 square miles
4. Southern Ocean: 7,848,300 square miles
5. The Arctic Ocean: 5,427,000 square miles
6. Middle Eastern Sea: 2,782,860 square miles
7. Arabian Sea: 1,491,000 square miles
8. South China Sea: 1,400,000 square miles
9. Caribbean Sea: 1,063,000 square miles
10. Andaman Sea: 308,000 square miles

01. Pacific Ocean

• Area: 60,060,700 sq. mi, 155,557,000 sq. km
• Average Depth: 13,215 ft., 4,028 m.
• Greatest Known Depth: Mariana Trench — 36,198 ft., 11,033 m.

The Pacific Ocean is the world’s largest and is the house of the Mariana Trench, which is the lowest point on Earth, known as Challenger Point. It also has the most open ocean. It is divided into two parts, the North Pacific and the South Pacific, and is limited by Australia, the Philippines, Russia, and the Americas. It is home to some of the most distant regions on the planet.

The Pacific Ocean has about 25,000 islands, many of which are active volcanoes clustered in an area known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. Other inhabited islands are part of tiny states like Tonga, Fiji, and the Marshall Islands. Humans initially arrived in the Pacific 70,000 years ago, first in Papua New Guinea and Australia before spreading to the now-famous island nations. Kiribati, a republic of 32 atolls, spans the international date line that runs through the heart of the Pacific, making it the world’s most remote country from GMT and the only one in all four hemispheres.

It is home to 50% of the world’s ocean waters and the Great Pacific garbage patch, which is believed to contain 1.8 trillion pieces of waste. The ocean has also been the scene of the most nuclear bomb tests in history, and the Marshall Islands are more radioactive in some regions than Chernobyl. Many countries, including Peru and Chile, rely largely on fishing to support their economy, which are influenced by the El Nino weather phenomenon on a regular basis.

02. Atlantic Ocean

• Area: 41,105,000 square miles (106,460,000 square kilometers)
• Average Depth: 12,880 ft., 3,926 m.
• Greatest Known Depth: Puerto Rico Trench (30,246 ft., 9,219 meter)

The Atlantic Ocean, the world’s second-largest ocean, is just behind the Pacific Ocean in area. The ocean is estimated to have developed during the Jurassic Period and covers approximately 20% of the Earth’s surface. It also has access to the Pacific, Arctic, Indian, and Southern Oceans. The equator separates the ocean into two sections, the Northern and Southern Atlantic. The Atlantic Ocean is home to the Sargasso, Caribbean, and Mediterranean Seas.

The ocean is home to a diverse range of sea life, including turtles and dolphins, as well as organisms that live more than 3,000 feet below the surface. Greenland, the world’s largest island, is interestingly placed between the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

03. The Indian Ocean

• Area: 26,469,500 sq. miles, 68,556,000 sq. km.
• Average Depth: 13,002 ft., 3,963 m.
• Greatest Known Depth: Sunda Trench has the greatest known depth of 24,460 feet (7,455 metres).

The Indian Ocean is the world’s third largest ocean, stretching between Africa, India, South East Asia, and Australia. The Indian Ocean was originally defined as the Southern Ocean by the International Hydrographic Organization, but the two were separated in 2000.

Because the Indian Ocean is the hottest, it supports a diverse range of marine species. The temperature supports the world’s largest phytoplankton groupings, implying an increased ability to maintain fish populations. As a result, various countries, including Korea and Russia, are drawn to exploit the stocks by fishing species such as tuna. Endangered species include the Dugong, the Irrawaddy dolphin, and phytoplankton, the number of which has declined by 20% in the last 60 years.

According to the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation, the calm surface of the Indian Ocean enables its trade routes to open up earlier in the year than those of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with many Indian Ocean states exporting raw materials like silk, rice, and sugar.

In spite of its apparent calm, one of the most devastating tsunamis in history occurred in the Indian Ocean. More than 226,000 people were killed and more than one million were left homeless as a result of an underwater earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2004, which spawned goliath waves that hit the nations bordering the Indian Ocean.

04. Southern Ocean

• Area: 7,848,300 sq. mi, 20,327,000 sq. km
• Average Depth: 10,728 ft., 3,270 m.
• Greatest Known Depth: South Sandwich Trench — 23,736 ft., 7,235 m.

The Southern Ocean, also referred to as the Antarctic Ocean, is located primarily around Antarctica at the South Pole and is the smallest ocean in the world. Although the classification of the Southern Ocean as a separate body of water has been contested, research into the southern circulation currents, which originate in the South Atlantic Ocean, has shown that they are notably powerful enough to support a separation.

Significant ice melt happens where Antarctic glaciers meet the Southern Ocean. This is typical, but as a result of global warming, more ice is melting faster into the ocean, making Antarctica one of the regions most responsible for sea level rises. The icebergs that grow in the Southern Ocean each year, on the other hand, contain enough fresh water to last every person on Earth for months. Large, undeveloped oil reserves and large manganese nodule deposits are examples of other natural resources.

05. The Arctic Ocean

• Area of the Arctic Ocean: 5,427,000 square miles (14,055,865 square kilometres)
• Average Depth: 3,953 ft., 1,205 m.
• Greatest Known Depth: 77°45’N; 175°W — 18,456 ft., 5,625 m.

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest ocean on the planet. It is known for being the coldest of all oceans with the lowest salinity. The ocean is totally surrounded by land, mostly Eurasia and North America, with the ocean centred roughly on the North Pole.

Sealife is far more difficult to view than in other oceans. Researchers must plunge through the ice into the deep ocean. Manatees, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales are among the Arctic Ocean’s endangered marine species. The water is usually covered in sea ice, but it is more restricted during the winter months. Although the Arctic Ocean is usually fully covered by ice, satellite measurements show that the thickness and expanse of summer sea ice in the Arctic have declined dramatically over the last thirty years.

Scientists have observed that these changes are compatible with the rise in Arctic temperatures caused by global warming. In 2009, Arctic Sea ice coverage reached its third lowest level since satellite monitoring began in 1979. The record low was set on September 16, 2007, when sea ice extent was reported to be 1.65 million square miles (4.28 million square kilometers).

Scientists are constantly investigating the ramifications of this shrinking and what may be done to reverse the process. According to some scientists, the Arctic Ocean might be ice-free in summer in as little as 30 years.

06. Mediterranean Sea

• Area: 1,144,800 sq. mi, 2,965,800 sq. km
• Average Depth: 4,688 ft., 1,429 m.
• Greatest Known Depth: Calypso Deep — 17,380 ft., 5,267 m.

The Mediterranean Sea’s name derives from a Latin phrase that means “inland” or “in the middle of the Earth,” connecting it to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounding the Mediterranean region, and being almost entirely encircled by land. The Mediterranean Sea is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, which makes it a major source of marine pollution.

Accidental oil spills are a typical issue in the Mediterranean Sea, where 400 tonnes (370 million tonnes) of oil are transported yearly and 250 to 300 oil tankers cross the water every day. According to Greenpeace International, there are ten oil spills in the Mediterranean Sea on average each year.

According to a recent study, the Mediterranean is also experiencing the effects of global warming because it has recently become warmer and saltier.

07. Arabian Sea

• Area: 1,491,000 square miles (3,861,672 sq. kms)
• Average Depth: 8,970 ft., 2,734 m.
• Greatest Known Depth: Wheatley Point — 15,262 ft., 4,652 m.

The Arabian Sea lies in the northwest of the Indian Ocean, between the Indian and Arabian peninsulas. India, Yemen, Oman, Iran, Pakistan, the Maldives, and Somalia are nations that border the Arabian Sea.

The Arabian Sea has a long history of commercial water transportation since it is a significant element of the ancient trade route connecting India with the nations of Europe. The famous exploits of Sinbad the Sailor and the folktales found in “Arabian Nights” were both inspired by this antiquated trade route.

08. South China Sea

• Area: 1,400,000 square miles (3,500,000 square kilometers)
• Average Depth: 14,100 ft., 4,300 m.
• Greatest Known Depth: China Sea Basin- 16,457 ft., 5,016 m.

South China and the Indochinese Peninsula, which is located in the west, both border the South China Sea on two sides. The east includes Taiwan. Each of the South China Sea’s two gulfs—the Gulf of Thailand and the Gulf of Tonkin—is a part of it. At least one-third of the world’s shipping travels through it each year, making it a very significant economic region.

There are other significant fisheries there as well. About 45 million years ago, according to scientists, the sea first formed. At high tide, many of the 250 small islands that make up the island are submerged. The South China Sea is among the largest seas in the world.

09. Caribbean Sea

• Area: 1,063,000 sq. mi, 2,754,000 sq. km
• Average Depth: 7,217 ft., 2,200 m.
• Greatest Known Depth: Puerto Rico Trench — 25,217 ft., 7,686 m.

The Caribbean Sea is bordered by South America to the south, Central America to the west, and a collection of Caribbean islands to the north and east. Tropical weather prevails on a regular basis, and hurricanes frequently occur between June and November.

Gains in trade cause a northerly current, which causes an upwelling of nutrients near the Yucatan and results in abundant fisheries. However, tourism is the Caribbean’s primary economic activity. The sandy beaches, coral reefs, and warm waters make it a desirable vacation spot.

The first European to explore the Caribbean was Christopher Columbus, who also established colonies in what is now Haiti and the Dominican Republic. A growing level of scientific interest resulted from additional exploration in the 18th and 19th centuries. The region is home to 9% of the world’s coral reefs, which are essential to the region’s environmental variety and tourism appeal.

However, the Caribbean’s rising temperatures have caused coral bleaching in some form to affect up to 95% of the reefs. For the regional nations, the Caribbean today poses a paradox: while the ecosystem draws human activity that is essential to the economy, it also serves as the primary cause of environmental degradation.

10. Andaman Sea

• Area: 308,000 sq. mi, 797,700 sq. km
• Average Depth: 2,854 ft., 870 m.
• Greatest Known Depth: Off Car Nicobar Island — 12,392 ft., 3,777 m.

The Andaman Sea is classified as a marginal sea, which is a body of water contained within or surrounded by an ocean. It is located in the north-eastern Indian Ocean, between the Andaman Islands and Myanmar and Malaysia’s west coasts. Because the Andaman seabed is at the interface of two tectonic plates, it is subject to regular tectonic action.

Its ecosystem is dominated by seagrass meadows and mangrove forests, which provide refuge for numerous endangered species, including several sea turtle species. The ecosystems also make it a rich fishing ground, with Thailand obtaining 19% of its annual catch from the Andaman. Tourism is the other major economic usage of the Nicobar Islands, which are home to rich coral reefs, some of which are contenders for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

FAQs

Q.1- top 5 largest sea in the world

1. Middle Eastern Sea: 2,782,860 square miles
2. Arabian Sea: 1,491,000 square miles
3. South China Sea: 1,400,000 square miles
4. Caribbean Sea: 1,063,000 square miles
5. Andaman Sea: 308,000 square miles

Q.2- Which is the largest sea in Asia?

South China and the Indochinese Peninsula, which is located in the west, both border the South China Sea on two sides. The east includes Taiwan. Each of the South China Sea’s two gulfs—the Gulf of Thailand and the Gulf of Tonkin—is a part of it.

At least one-third of the world’s shipping travels through it each year, making it a very significant economic region. There are other significant fisheries there as well. About 45 million years ago, according to scientists, the sea first formed. At high tide, many of the 250 small islands that make up the island are submerged. The South China Sea is among the largest seas in the world.

Q.3- Which is the largest sea in the world?

The Pacific Ocean

The largest and deepest ocean basin in the world is the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean basin is by far the largest in the world, covering around 63 million square miles and holding more than half of the planet’s free water.

4. What Are the Largest Oceans in the World?

Top 5 Largest Oceans in the World:

1. Pacific Ocean
2. Atlantic Ocean
3. Indian Ocean
4. Southern Ocean
5. Arctic Ocean

5. Top 10 Largest Seas in the World

1. Mediterranean Sea
2. Caribbean Sea
3. The South China Sea
4. Bering Sea
5. The Gulf of Mexico
6. The Sea of Okhotsk
7. The East China Sea
8. Hudson Bay
9. The Sea of Japan
10. Andaman Sea

6. What Are the Largest Seas by Area?

The largest terrestrial seas, listed in descending order by area, are: