Pacific Dominates 46.6% of Global Ocean as Arctic Shrinks to 4.3%
Updated
Updated · Worldatlas.com · Jun 2
Pacific Dominates 46.6% of Global Ocean as Arctic Shrinks to 4.3%
2 articles · Updated · Worldatlas.com · Jun 2
Summary
168.7 million square kilometers puts the Pacific first among the five named oceans, accounting for 46.6% of global ocean area and 50.1% of its water volume.
15.6 million square kilometers leaves the Arctic last at 4.3%, while the Atlantic ranks second at 85.1 million and the Indian third at 70.6 million.
21.96 million square kilometers places the Southern Ocean fourth, though its boundary at 60 degrees south and even its status as a separate ocean remain disputed in some countries.
71% of Earth's surface is covered by saltwater, and the report stresses the five oceans are mapped basins within one connected global ocean whose boundaries have shifted over time.