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There are a large number of seaports along its
Info Bits
coastlines. The Atlantic Ocean comprises of a Info Bits
number of seas such as the Gulf of Mexico , the
Caribbean Sea , the Mediterranean Sea , the North In 2000, the International Hydrographic
Sea and the Baltic Sea . Its average depth is about Organisation again included the Southern Ocean as
3,736 m with the deepest point at Puerto Rico its own ocean.
Trench measuring 9,460 m deep.
Other Water Bodies
Indian Ocean
In addition to the oceans, there are a number of
The Indian Ocean lies to the south of India and seas , bays and gulfs . These bodies have saline
has been named after our country. It covers nearly water. The seas are also vast bodies of seawater,
20 percent of the total sea area. It is bounded by but they are smaller in size, and form a part of the
Africa on the west, Asia on the north, Australia on oceans. A gulf is an inlet of seawater which
the east and Antarctica on the south. Its average reaches deep into land. A bay is an inlet of
depth is about 4,900 m with the deepest point at seawater with an opening, wider than a gulf.
Java Trench which is about 7,542 m deep. It The freshwater sources are rivers, lakes, streams
comprises a number of seas, such as the Red Sea , and groundwater.
the Arabian Sea , the Bay of Bengal and the
Andaman Sea . OCEAN WATERS AND THEIR CIRCULATION
Arctic Ocean It is so enchanting when you walk on the
seashore. The waves keep rising, the air keeps
The Arctic Ocean lies to the north of Asia, Europe
blowing, and there is before your eyes infinite
and North America within the Arctic Circle. It
mass of water appearing to rise in the distant
remains frozen throughout the year. It is the
horizon. The sea is never static. It keeps moving,
smallest ocean. It is less saline due to a number of
rising and falling. A number of factors contribute
rivers flowing into it.
in the movement of ocean waters—difference in
temperature and salinity between different places,
Quiz Time and winds. The movement of ocean waters can be
broadly classified as waves , tides and currents .
Fill in the blanks :
Waves
1. ___________ and ___________ are the largest
water bodies. The ocean is an open area covered with water,
2. The ___________ is the deepest of all oceans. where the wind moves without any hindrance.
The wind moves along the water and pushes it in
3. Indian Ocean covers only ___________ of the the direction to which it is blowing. It results in
total sea area.
the rising and falling of water. You may be
4. ___________ is the smallest ocean. surprised to note that water particles do not move
with the wind; they only rise and fall; it is only the
Southern Ocean wave movement which is transported. Just put a
piece of wood; you will find that it goes up and
It is the fourth largest of the world’s five oceans.
down with the wave
The Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean merge at a
movement, but it
place and are collectively known as the Antarctic remains where you put
or Southern Ocean. It surrounds the landmass of
it, it does not move
Antarctica and remains frozen throughout the
forward. The rise of
year. Its deepest point is South Sandwich Trench waves is called crest and
at 7,235 m.
the fall is called trough .
Ocean waves
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