How Deep is the Atlantic Ocean?
The Atlantic Ocean, a vast body of water, features depths that vary significantly across its different regions. In this article, we will know about how deep is the Atlantic Ocean, where it is and more.
Depth of the Atlantic Ocean
The average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is about 12,880 feet (3,926 meters). The shallowest parts of the Atlantic are found along the continental shelves and where it connects with other bodies of water, like the Mediterranean Sea and the Arctic Ocean. In some coastal areas, the depth can be less than 100 meters. The deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean is about 27,841 feet (8,486 meters) below sea level.
Deepest Part of the Atlantic Ocean
Milwaukee Deep is the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean. Also known as Milwaukee Depth, it forms a part of the Puerto Rico Trench. This trench is located north of the island of Puerto Rico, where the North American and Caribbean tectonic plates meet. Here one plate dives under the other, creating a very deep trench. The Milwaukee Deep is the deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean and one of the deepest places in the world’s oceans.
How Big is the Atlantic Ocean?
The size of the Atlantic Ocean changes depending on whether we include its marginal seas, like the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Mexico.
- Including Marginal Seas: The Atlantic Ocean covers about 106,460,000 square kilometers (41,100,000 square miles). This makes up roughly 23.5% of the world’s total ocean surface area.
- Excluding Marginal Seas: Without the marginal seas, the Atlantic Ocean’s size is around 81,760,000 square kilometers (31,570,000 square miles), which is about 17% of Earth’s surface.
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean in the world, after the Pacific Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is home to many islands. Some of the prominent among these are the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, Greenland, an autonomous region of Denmark, and the Canary Islands, an autonomous community of Spain, the Bahamas, and the Cape Verde Islands. Icebergs can be found in the Atlantic Ocean from February to August.
Where is the Atlantic Ocean Located?
North and South America lie to the west of the Atlantic Ocean and Europe and Africa lie to the east. The Atlantic Ocean is connected to the Indian Ocean in the southeast, It stretches from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or Antarctica) in the south and the Pacific Ocean in the southwest. This ocean is one of the world’s major oceans, covering a vast area. It plays a crucial role in global climate patterns and marine ecosystems. Its geographical coordinates are 14.5994° S and 28.6731° W.
Interesting Facts about the Atlantic Ocean
- Greek mythology names the Atlantic Ocean after the Greek god Atlas.
- The Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the longest mountain range in the world, runs down the center of the Atlantic Ocean. It stretches about 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles) from the Arctic Ocean to the Southern Ocean.
- The Atlantic Ocean contains the Bermuda Triangle, a region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where many aircraft and ships are said to have mysteriously disappeared.
- The Atlantic Ocean is a major area for tropical cyclone formation, commonly known as hurricanes or typhoons.
- The Atlantic Ocean has the saltiest waters of all the world’s oceans, with an average salinity of 3.5 percent.
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