GEOGRAPHIC WIKI
The Five
World Oceans
Comprehensive guides to the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Southern, and Arctic oceans — covering geography, bathymetry, circulation, marine ecosystems, and maritime importance.
GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE
Explore Each Ocean
Click any ocean card for a full in-depth guide including navigation, ecology, and key maritime routes.
Pacific Ocean
→The largest and deepest ocean, covering more than 30% of Earth's surface. The Pacific spans from the Arctic to the Antarctic and is home to the Mariana Trench — the deepest point on Earth.
Atlantic Ocean
→The second largest ocean, separating the Americas from Europe and Africa. The Atlantic hosts the world's busiest shipping lanes and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge — Earth's longest mountain range.
Indian Ocean
→The warmest of the world's oceans, bounded by Africa, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica. Critical to global trade, the Indian Ocean carries half the world's container shipping and most of its oil tanker traffic.
Southern Ocean
→The youngest and fourth-largest ocean, surrounding Antarctica. Recognized as a distinct ocean by the IHO in 2000, it is defined by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current — the world's largest ocean current.
Arctic Ocean
→The smallest and shallowest of the five oceans, largely covered by sea ice. The Arctic Ocean is central to global climate regulation and is opening new shipping routes as sea ice retreats due to climate change.
Looking for Seas?
Browse our full index of 44 maritime seas grouped by ocean region.