Share this:

"/>

How many oceans are there?

In reality, there is just one ocean.

However, I understand the confusion as of late on the geographic names applied to different sections of this ocean ecosystem. While we lost a planet (Pluto), we gained an ocean! In 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization named this new ocean the Southern Ocean. Basically, it is the southern equivalent of the Arctic Ocean, except a little bit larger in sprawling space. So, there are 5 oceans.

Here they are in a listing of greatest to least in square miles:

Pacific (64,186,000)

Atlantic (33,420,000)

Indian (28,350,000)

Southern (7,848,300)

Arctic (5,106,000)

Do you have another great question? Check out www.beachchairscientist.com and let us know what you always ponder while digging your toes in the sand or e-mail beachchairscientist@gmail.com.

Comments

  1. Jim Wharton says

    Well to be *really* picky…there’s just one ocean, right? 😉

  2. doh. excellent zen point!

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.