Atlantic Ocean
My Ocean
LOCATION
Where is the Atlantic Ocean?
The Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and the South Atlantic Ocean and is located between Americas to the West of the Atlantic Ocean basin and the continents of Europe and Africa to the East. The Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and the South Atlantic Ocean.
SIZE
How big is the Atlantic Ocean?
The Atlantic is the world’s second largest ocean and covers 25% of the Earth’s surface, after the Pacific Ocean. In size the Atlantic Ocean is comparable with roughly 6.5 times the size of the USA.
Depth: The greatest depth is the Milwaukee Deep in Puerto Rico: 8,605 metres. The average depth is about 3,339 metres (10,955 ft.) The Mid-Adtlantic Ridge is an underwater (also called submarine) mountain range which extends roughly from Iceland in the north to South Georgia and South Sandwich Island south of Argentina. The ridge divides the sea into two major basins, which are over 3,000 metres in depth. On the satellite image to the left, you can see the vertical (from top to bottom) light blue line in the deep blue sea.
Area:106 450 000 km².
Lenght/Width: The greatest width of the ocean is between Brazil and Sierra Leone: 2,848 km or 1770 miles.
"Ocean, n. A body of water occupying about two-thirds of a world made for man — who has no gills.”
POLLUTION
Natural Resources
TEMPERATURE
How warm are the waters of the Atlantic Ocean?
The temperatures of the Atlantic Ocean depend on the location and on the ocean's currents. The nearer to the Equator the warm the water tends to be. The higher temperature of 28 degrees Celsius/82 degrees Fahrenheit is reached in coastal regions near the equator and the minimum temperatures is around -2 degrees Celsius/28 degrees Fahrenheit in the polar regions.
OTHER INFORMATIONS
Did you know? Leif Erikson (970-1020) is remembered as the first ‘European’ to reach North America more than 500 years before Columbus!
The Icelander is said to have been the first man from Europe to cross the Atlantic Ocean and step onto North American land. He named the eastern coast of Canada ‘Vinland’, which is believed to be what is now Newfoundland.