Smallest Ocean in the World: Oceans are vast bodies of saline water that cover about 70 percent (%) of the Earth’s surface. The ocean contains 97% of the planet’s water, yet more than 95 percent of the underwater world remains unexplored. Oceans and lakes play an integral role in many of Earth’s systems, including climate and weather. According to NOAA, there is only one world ocean.
However, this ocean is divided into geographical regions with distinct names by countries and oceanographers. Although the ocean plays a major role in sustaining life on Earth, we have only explored 20% of the ocean. There are 5 oceans in the world, these are Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. Among these 5 oceans ‘Arctic Ocean‘ is the smallest ocean in the world.
Which is the Smallest Ocean in the World?
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean in the world that covers an area of about 13,986,000 square kilometers. The Arctic Ocean is bounded by the continents of North America and Eurasia. For most of the year, the Arctic Ocean is covered by thick ice caps and remains inaccessible even in summer. Compared to other oceans, it has the lowest salinity due to its limited connectivity with other oceans, low evaporation, and constant freshwater inflow from streams and rivers.