The Pacific Ocean

              THE PACIFIC OCEAN 

* World largest Ocean in the world 

* Approx 50% of Ocean's water surface 

• 1/3' of Earth surface area (16,52,00,000 km2)

* Larger than Earth entire landmass {area 15,00,000km²}

* Pacific Ocean separates North America, South America from Asia and Australia.

* INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE passes through Pacific Ocean 

* Name given by Portuguese Explorer -        " Ferdinand Magellan" . The name Pacific Ocean  came from "Mar Pecifico"this name given by Ferdinand Magellan  . Mar Pecifico means peaceful sea.

* According to Ferdinand Magellan It is a peaceful sea but Current situation of Pacific Ocean say different -

  

                      Pacific Ocean is currently shrinking due to effect of Plate Tectonics by contrast, the Atlantic Ocean is increasing in size.

Mariana Trench: ( deepest point in Earth) 

 

1 . Located in Pacific Ocean ( Pacific Ocean is also known as Deepest Ocean in Earth)

2. It's average depth - approx 4000 m ( 4280m) 

3. Earth deepest point -  Depth of Mariana Trench ( researched by the HMS Challenger)

Challenger Deep - The US  center for Coatal and Ocean mapping measured the depth of the challenger Deep at "10, 994" (-40 or +40) meter below sea level. 

The Pacific Ocean: 

1) There are 55 countries which border Pacific Ocean 

2) The boundaries of Pacific Ocean -

- North - Bering sea of Arctic Ocean 

- South - Ross sea Antartica 

- West - Indonesia 

- East - Coast of Columbia 

The Pacific Ocean - Straits :

* Pacific join Arctic - Bering Strait 

* Pacific join Indian - Indonesia seaway ( Strait of Malacca and Torres strait) 

* Pacific join Atlantic - through Drake Passage and strait of Magellan 

Islands in Pacific Ocean:

* More than 25000 Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

* New Guinea - largest island of Pacific Ocean and 

* 2nd largest island in world ( after Greenland) 

* New Guinea is also known as Papua New Guinea 

Ring of Fire:

* Is also known as Circum - Pacific Belt.

* Path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active Volcanoes and Frequent Earthquakes.

* Length is approximately "40,000" kilometres 

* 75% of the active volcanoes ( more than 450) are located along the Ring oF Fire.

* 90% of Earths earthquakes occur along its path 

* Caused by movement of tectonic plates in the area 

* Few most active volcanoes in the Ring of Fire are mount Ruapehu ( New zealand) mount Fuji ( Japan)

* Most of the active volcanoes in Ring of Fire are under water volcanoes.

* Deepest volcano on record - West Mata ( 1100 meters depth) southwest of Samon lsland.

Great Barrier Reef:

* Worlds largest Coral Reef System 

* Located in the coral sea of the coast of Queensland, Australia.

* Stretches for over 2,300 kilometres 

* Can be seen from outer space 

* Also called Marine Park - like a beautiful garden 

Coral Reef:

* Built by billions of tiny Organisms, known as Coral Polyps

*With just 0.1% of world's area, Coral Reef consists of 25% of world's Marine Species.

Great Barrier Reef Threats:

* Rising temperature of sea water - ( coral bleaching)

* Rising sea level - The maximum depth till which the coral reefs can survive is 150 feet.

Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch:

* Huge patch of garbage ( micro plastics) in the Pacific Ocean.

* Great Pacific Garbage Patch - combination of two -

- one is near Japan - western Garbage Patch 

- second between California and Hawaii - Eastern Garbage Patch 

Important Fauna ( fish or organisms):

* The Orca or the killer whale is found only in Pacific Ocean.

* Home to worlds second largest Invertebrates - the Giant Squid - close to Japan.