Water: Oceans

Observed from space, our planet’s surface appears to be dominated by the color blue. This blue color occurs because of the presence of the oceans. Oceans cover approximately 71% or 361 million square kilometers (139 million square miles) of Earth’s surface with a volume of about 1370 million cubic kilometers (329 million cubic miles). The average depth of these bodies of seawater is about 3.8 kilometers (2.4 miles). Maximum depths can exceed 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) in areas known as ocean trenches. The oceans contain 97% of our planet's available water. The ocean is also home to many forms of life uniquely adapted to survive in this habitat. Humans have degraded the oceans and their life through pollution, carbon dioxide acidification, global warming, and resource exploitation.

  • Featured Article

    SS Gairsoppa recovery

    The SS Gairsoppa recovery is a planned deep-sea operation in the North Atlantic Ocean, that is expected to retrieve the world's largest precious metals shipwreck salvage in history. On February 17,...

Featured Resource

Oil and water just don't mix

SUMMARY Oil and water just don’t mix; opinions on deepwater exploration are just as polar. This unit provides teachers with resources to teach about oil in the marine environment and to bring these issues to the surface. GOALS Lesson 1:...

Latest News

National Ocean Policy Action Plan

National Ocean Policy Action Plan draft requests public comments on actions Federal agencies will take to improve the health of oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes. Federal Government Releases...

More on this Topic…

Articles

  • The Mediterranean Sea is a large saline water body between Europe, North Africa and Asia, connected to the Atl...
  • The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), also known as the Pied monk seal, is one of nineteen species ...
  • Conservation Status ...
  • Arnoux's beaked whale (scientific name: Berardius arnuxii ) is one of 21 species of beaked whales (Hyperoodont...
  • The dusky damselfish (scientific name: Stegastes adustus)is amember of the damselfish family (Family Pomacentr...
  • Watching the Birth of an Iceberg After discovering an emerging crack that cuts across the floating ice she...
  • The Caspian seal (scientific name: Pusa caspica) is one of nineteen marine mammal species of in the family of ...

Resources