Indian Ocean

:This article is about the water body. For the Indian fusion music band, see Indian Ocean (band).

Data

Southern Ocean:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A spring 2000 decision by the International Hydrographic Organization delimited a fifth world ocean, stripping the southern portions of the Indian Ocean. The new ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica north to 60°south latitude which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Indian Ocean remains the third-largest of the world's five oceans.

Related Topics:
International Hydrographic Organization - Fifth world ocean

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Area:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• total: 68.556 million km²
• seas: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Laccadive Sea, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Malacca, and other tributary water bodies

Coastline:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

66,526 km

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Climate:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Terrain:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Related Topics:
Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge - Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge - Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge - Ninetyeast Ridge

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Graphics of the seabed terrain produced by the Royal Navy & British Geological Survey in 2005 can be found here.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Elevation extremes:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
• highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Related Topics:
Oil - Fish - Shrimp

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Environment - current issues:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea

Related Topics:
Dugong - Seal - Turtle - Whale - Pollution - Persian Gulf - Red Sea

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Geography - note:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait

Related Topics:
Bab el Mandeb - Strait of Hormuz - Strait of Malacca - Suez Canal - Lombok Strait

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ports and harbors:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Calcutta (India), Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Karachi (Pakistan), Fremantle (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa), Visakhapatnam (India),Kochi(India)

Related Topics:
Calcutta - India - Chennai - Madras - Colombo - Sri Lanka - Durban - South Africa - Jakarta - Indonesia - Karachi - Pakistan - Fremantle - Australia - Mumbai - Bombay - Richards Bay - Visakhapatnam - Kochi

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~