Search Geography Explorer

Search countries, cities, rivers, lakes, deserts, oceans, islands and more

Fun facts about oceans

Deep-sea and shoreline facts about oceans and seas that shape the planet.

Gulf of Mexico ETOPO 2022 (labeled)
ocean

The name 'Gulf of Mexico' first appeared on a world map in 1550.

Gulf of Mexico
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Gulf of Mexico

Multiple

Area
1.55M km²
Location
Multiple
13th largest ocean in the world

The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent.

From the “Name” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. · Public Domain

Sea of Japan Map en
ocean

The Sea of Japan is called Nihon kai in Japan and Rìběn hǎi in China.

Sea of Japan
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Sea of Japan

Multiple

Area
978,000 km²
Location
Multiple
15th largest ocean in the world

The Sea of Japan (see § Names for other names) is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean.

From the “Names” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: Sea of Japan Map.png: Chris 73 derivative work: Phoenix7777 (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0

A general delineation of the Antarctic Convergence, sometimes used by scientists as the demarcation of the Southern Ocean
ocean

The Southern Ocean was recognized officially by the National Geographic Society in June 2021.

Southern Ocean
Global
Tap to learn more
ocean

Southern Ocean

Global

Area
21.96M km²
Location
Global
4th largest ocean in the world

The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica.

From the “Definition and term use” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: Apcbg · CC BY-SA 3.0

The Danube Spills into the Black Sea
ocean

The earliest known name of the Black Sea is the Sea of Zalpa, used by the Hattians and Hittites.

Black Sea
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Black Sea

Multiple

Area
436,400 km²
Location
Multiple
18th largest ocean in the world

The Black Sea is a marginal sea located between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bordered by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

From the “Name” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: The SeaWiFS Project · Public Domain

PersianGulf vue satellite du golfe persique
ocean

The Persian Gulf is home to many islands, with Qeshm island being the largest and located in the Strait of Hormuz.

Persian Gulf
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Persian Gulf

Multiple

Area
251,000 km²
Location
Multiple
19th largest ocean in the world

The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran (Persia). It is connected to the Gulf of Oman in the east by the Strait of Hormuz.

From the “Geography” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: NASA · Public Domain

Coral Sea map
ocean

The Coral Sea is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, which includes the Great Barrier Reef.

Coral Sea
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Coral Sea

Multiple

Area
4.79M km²
Location
Multiple
6th largest ocean in the world

The Coral Sea is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) down the Australian north-east coast to latitude 30° south.

From the “Geography” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: NormanEinstein · CC BY-SA 3.0

Hudson Bay 2008-07-21 by Aqua
ocean

The Eastern Cree name for Hudson and James Bay means muddy or brackish water.

Hudson Bay
Canada
Tap to learn more
ocean

Hudson Bay

Canada

Area
1.23M km²
Location
Canada
14th largest ocean in the world

Hudson Bay, sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada with a surface area of 1,230,000 km2 (470,000 sq mi). It is located north of Ontario, west of Quebec, northeast of Manitoba, and southeast of Nunavut, but politically entirely part of Nunavut.

From the “Native names” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: NASA · Public Domain

Indian Ocean-CIA WFB Map
ocean

The Indian Ocean has been known by its present name since at least 1515.

Indian Ocean
Global
Tap to learn more
ocean

Indian Ocean

Global

Area
70.56M km²
Location
Global
3rd largest ocean in the world

The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering 70,560,000 km2 (27,240,000 sq mi) or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east.

From the “Etymology” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: United States Central Intelligence Agency · Public Domain

LA2-Bering-Sea-UTM-zones
ocean

The Bering Sea contains 16 submarine canyons, including the largest submarine canyon in the world, Zhemchug Canyon.

Bering Sea
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Bering Sea

Multiple

Area
2.29M km²
Location
Multiple
11th largest ocean in the world

The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Northern Pacific Ocean. It forms, along with the Bering Strait, the divide between the two largest landmasses on Earth: Eurasia and the Americas. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves.

From the “Geography” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: Public Domain

Mediterranean Sea 16.61811E 38.99124N
ocean

The Romans referred to the Mediterranean as Mare Nostrum, meaning 'Our Sea'.

Mediterranean Sea
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Mediterranean Sea

Multiple

Area
2.50M km²
Location
Multiple
10th largest ocean in the world

The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea situated between Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Europe, and on the south by North Africa.

From the “Names and etymology” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: of the modification : Eric Gaba (Sting) · Public Domain

NASA NorthSea1 2
ocean

The North Sea is more than 970 kilometres long and 580 kilometres wide.

North Sea
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

North Sea

Multiple

Area
570,000 km²
Location
Multiple
16th largest ocean in the world

The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Sea in the north.

From the “Geography” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC · Public Domain

The Arctic Ocean, with borders as delineated by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), including Hudson Bay (some of which is south of 57°N latitude, off the map) and all other marginal seas.
ocean

The Arctic Ocean is the only ocean smaller than Russia.

Arctic Ocean
Global
Tap to learn more
ocean

Arctic Ocean

Global

Area
14.06M km²
Location
Global
5th largest ocean in the world

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five oceanic divisions. It spans an area of approximately 14,060,000 km2 (5,430,000 sq mi) and is the coldest of the world's oceans.

From the “Geography” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: CIA · Public Domain

Pacific Ocean - en
ocean

The Pacific Ocean encompasses approximately one-third of the Earth's surface, larger than Earth's entire landmass combined.

Pacific Ocean
Global
Tap to learn more
ocean

Pacific Ocean

Global

Area
165.25M km²
Location
Global
1st largest ocean in the world

The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It stretches from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the continents of Asia and Australia in the west and the Americas in the east.

From the “Geography” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: CIA World Factbook · Public Domain

Atlantic Ocean - en
ocean

The term 'the pond' humorously refers to the northern Atlantic Ocean, emphasizing the connection between Britain and its former colonies.

Atlantic Ocean
Global
Tap to learn more
ocean

Atlantic Ocean

Global

Area
106.46M km²
Location
Global
2nd largest ocean in the world

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about 85,133,000 square kilometers (32,870,000 sq mi). It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area.

From the “Names” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: CIA · Public Domain

Bay of Bengal map
ocean

The Bay of Bengal was historically known as the Chola Sea or Chola Lake during the Chola dynasty's rule.

Bay of Bengal
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Bay of Bengal

Multiple

Area
2.17M km²
Location
Multiple
12th largest ocean in the world

The Bay of Bengal forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, located between the Indian subcontinent and the Indochinese peninsula, south of the Bengal region. Spread across an area of 2,600,000 km2 (1,000,000 sq mi), it is bordered by many of the countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

From the “Background” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: No machine-readable author provided. NormanEinstein assumed (based on copyright claims). · CC BY-SA 3.0

(Clockwise along the coast from the left) Map of the Gulf of Oman, Makran Coast, Indus Delta, western Indo-Gangetic Plain, Indus Fan, and Arabian Basin
ocean

The Arabian Sea's maximum depth is 5,395 metres (17,700 ft).

Arabian Sea
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Arabian Sea

Multiple

Area
3.86M km²
Location
Multiple
7th largest ocean in the world

From the “Geography” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: Samiha.naseem · CC BY-SA 4.0

Red Sea topographic map-en
ocean

The Red Sea was formed by the Arabian Peninsula being split from the Horn of Africa by the movement of the Red Sea Rift.

Red Sea
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Red Sea

Multiple

Area
438,000 km²
Location
Multiple
17th largest ocean in the world

The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To the north of the Red Sea lies the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez, which leads to the Suez Canal.

From the “Geology” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: Eric Gaba (Sting - fr:Sting) · CC BY-SA 4.0

Amerikanisches Mittelmeer NASA World Wind Globe
ocean

The name Caribbean derives from the Caribs, one of the region's dominant native people at the time of European contact.

Caribbean Sea
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Caribbean Sea

Multiple

Area
2.75M km²
Location
Multiple
9th largest ocean in the world

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the North Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere, located south of the Gulf of Mexico and southwest of the Sargasso Sea.

From the “History” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: ILA-boy · Public Domain

Mar de China Meridional - BM WMS 2004
ocean

The South China Sea was referred to as the Champa Sea or Sea of Cham in Southeast Asia before the 16th century.

South China Sea
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

South China Sea

Multiple

Area
3.50M km²
Location
Multiple
8th largest ocean in the world

The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean.

From the “Etymology” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: Serg!o · Public Domain

Hudson Bay 2008-07-21 by Aqua
ocean

Hudson Bay is the second-largest water body using the term 'bay' in the world.

Hudson Bay
Canada
Tap to learn more
ocean

Hudson Bay

Canada

Area
1.23M km²
Location
Canada
14th largest ocean in the world

Hudson Bay, sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada with a surface area of 1,230,000 km2 (470,000 sq mi). It is located north of Ontario, west of Quebec, northeast of Manitoba, and southeast of Nunavut, but politically entirely part of Nunavut.

From the “Description” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: NASA · Public Domain

Atlantic Ocean - en
ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is bounded on the west by North and South America and connects to the Arctic Ocean through various seas.

Atlantic Ocean
Global
Tap to learn more
ocean

Atlantic Ocean

Global

Area
106.46M km²
Location
Global
2nd largest ocean in the world

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about 85,133,000 square kilometers (32,870,000 sq mi). It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area.

From the “Extent and data” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: CIA · Public Domain

A general delineation of the Antarctic Convergence, sometimes used by scientists as the demarcation of the Southern Ocean
ocean

The first land south of the 60° south latitude was discovered by William Smith, who sighted Livingston Island on 19 February 1819.

Southern Ocean
Global
Tap to learn more
ocean

Southern Ocean

Global

Area
21.96M km²
Location
Global
4th largest ocean in the world

The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica.

From the “History of exploration” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: Apcbg · CC BY-SA 3.0

Mediterranean Sea 16.61811E 38.99124N
ocean

The Mediterranean Sea was once called the 'Syrian Sea' by the Carthaginians.

Mediterranean Sea
Multiple
Tap to learn more
ocean

Mediterranean Sea

Multiple

Area
2.50M km²
Location
Multiple
10th largest ocean in the world

The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea situated between Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Europe, and on the south by North Africa.

From the “Names and etymology” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: of the modification : Eric Gaba (Sting) · Public Domain

The Arctic Ocean, with borders as delineated by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), including Hudson Bay (some of which is south of 57°N latitude, off the map) and all other marginal seas.
ocean

The first surface crossing of the Arctic Ocean was led by Wally Herbert in 1969 using a dog sled expedition.

Arctic Ocean
Global
Tap to learn more
ocean

Arctic Ocean

Global

Area
14.06M km²
Location
Global
5th largest ocean in the world

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five oceanic divisions. It spans an area of approximately 14,060,000 km2 (5,430,000 sq mi) and is the coldest of the world's oceans.

From the “History” section

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo: CIA · Public Domain

You have seen 92 facts

Keep exploring - or dive deeper into a place page.

Play a geography quizExplore the full atlas
Scroll for the next fact