Around 70% of the Earth is covered in saltwater. We call this water ocean. The ocean is divided into 5 main oceans, but really they’re all connected. The Atlantic Ocean is one of these 5 oceans.
The Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean in the world.
The Atlantic separates Europe and Africa from North and South America. It is named after the Greek god Atlas.
Size: the Atlantic Ocean covers 25% of the Earth’s surface. It measures 106,460,000 square kilometres (41,100,000 sq miles).
Temperature: the temperature ranges from -2ºC to 30ºC. The water is warmer near the equator.
Depth: the Atlantic Ocean doesn’t have the same depth all the way around. Just like a swimming pool, some parts of the Atlantic are deeper than others. On average, it’s around 11,962 feet (3646m) deep.
The equator (an invisible line that runs through the centre of the Earth) divides the Atlantic Ocean into:
The North Atlantic Ocean
The South Atlantic Ocean
Most of the islands located in the Atlantic Ocean are volcanic. The largest island in the world is also located in the Atlantic, it’s called Greenland.
There aren’t only islands in the Atlantic Ocean, there is also a huge mountain range called the Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR) and it’s completely underwater! It’s wider than the widest mountains on land.
Who lives in the Atlantic Ocean?
Some of the creatures that live in the Atlantic Ocean are manatees, humpback whales, sea lions, starfish, penguins, the green sea turtle, and various shark and fish species.
Did you know?
- The Atlantic Ocean was the first ocean to be crossed by ship and plane.
- The world-famous ship, the Titanic, sunk in the Atlantic Ocean in 1912.
- 52 countries have shorelines along the Atlantic Ocean.
- The deepest place in the Atlantic ocean is Milwaukee Deep in Puerto Rico, it’s 27,841 feet (8,486m) deep.
