Covers approximately 360,000,000 km² and is generally divided into several major oceans and smaller seas, with oceans covering approximately 71% of the Earth's surface and 90% of the Earth's biosphere.

They contain 97% of the Earth's water, and oceanographers claim that only 5% of the ocean depths have been explored.

In contact with

Since the world's oceans are the main component of the Earth's hydrosphere, they are an integral part of life, form part of the carbon cycle, and influence climate and weather patterns. It is also home to 230,000 known animal species, but since most of them are unexplored, the number of underwater species is probably much higher, perhaps over two million.

The origin of the oceans on Earth is still unknown.

How many oceans on earth: 5 or 4

How many oceans are there in the world? For many years, only 4 were officially recognized, and then in the spring of 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization established the Southern Ocean and defined its limits.

It is interesting to know: what continents exist on planet Earth?

The oceans (from the ancient Greek Ὠκεανός, Okeanos) make up most of the planet's hydrosphere. In descending order by area, there are:

• Quiet.
• Atlantic.
• Indian.
• Southern (Antarctic).
• Arctic Oceans (Arctic).

Earth's global ocean

Although several separate oceans are usually described, the global, interconnected body of salt water is sometimes referred to as the World Ocean. TO the concept of continuous water with relatively free exchange between its parts is fundamental to oceanography.

The major oceanic spaces, listed below in descending order of area and volume, are partly determined by continents, various archipelagos, and other criteria.

What are the oceans, their location

Quiet, the largest, extends north from the Southern Ocean to the North. It spans the gap between Australia, Asia and America and meets the Atlantic just south of South America at Cape Horn.

The Atlantic, the second largest, stretches from the Southern Ocean between America, Africa and Europe to the Arctic. It meets the Indian Ocean south of Africa at Cape Agulhas.

Indian, the third largest, extends north from the Southern Ocean to India, between Africa and Australia. It flows into the Pacific expanses in the east, near Australia.

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the five. It joins the Atlantic near Greenland and Iceland and the Pacific Ocean at the Bering Strait and spans the North Pole, touching North America in the Western Hemisphere, Scandinavia and Siberia in the Eastern Hemisphere. Almost all of it is covered with sea ice, the extent of which varies depending on the season.

Southern - surrounds Antarctica, where the Antarctic circumpolar flow prevails. This maritime space has only recently been identified as a separate oceanic unit, which is located south of sixty degrees south latitude and is partially covered by sea ice, the size of which depends on the season.

They are bordered by small adjoining reservoirs. such as seas, bays and straits.

Physical properties

The total mass of the hydrosphere is about 1.4 quintillion metric tons, which is about 0.023% of the Earth's total mass. Less than 3% - fresh water; the rest is salt water. The ocean area is about 361.9 million square kilometers and covers about 70.9% of the Earth's surface, and the volume of water is about 1.335 billion cubic kilometers. The average depth is about 3,688 meters and the maximum depth is 10,994 meters in the Mariana Trench. Almost half of the world's sea waters are over 3,000 meters deep. Huge spaces below 200 meters deep cover about 66% of the Earth's surface.

The bluish color of the water is a constituent of several contributing agents. Among them are dissolved organic matter and chlorophyll. Sailors and other sailors have reported that ocean waters often emit a visible glow that extends for miles at night.

oceanic zones

Oceanographers divide the ocean into different vertical zones determined by physical and biological conditions. Pelagic zone includes all zones and can be divided into other areas, divided by depth and illumination.

The photic zone includes surfaces down to a depth of 200 m; it is an area where photosynthesis takes place and is therefore highly biodiverse.

Because plants require photosynthesis, life found deeper than the photon zone must either rely on material descending from above or find another energy source. Hydrothermal vents are the main source of energy in the so-called aphotic zone (more than 200 m deep). The pelagic part of the photon zone is known as the epipelagic.

Climate

Cold deep water rises and warms in the equatorial zone, while thermal water sinks and cools near Greenland in the North Atlantic and near Antarctica in the South Atlantic.

Ocean currents strongly influence the Earth's climate, transferring heat from the tropics to the polar regions. By transferring warm or cold air and precipitation to coastal regions, winds can carry it inland.

Conclusion

Many of the world's goods are moved by ship between the world's seaports. Ocean waters are also the main source of raw materials for the fishing industry.

In contact with

The liquid state of water is maintained on Earth due to a combination of many factors: the size of the planet, due to which the necessary force of attraction arises to hold the atmosphere; the distance to the Sun, which is why the planet maintains the desired temperature; the amount of atmosphere held by attraction and creating the necessary pressure at the surface; rotation of the Earth around its axis, due to which the circulation of atmospheric currents occurs. Without them, there would be no water on earth. Based on these factors, others follow, which contribute to the maintenance of life.

The main use of water by living organisms is only one thing - to maintain the functioning of living cells that make up the tissues that make up these organisms, including humans. Animals and humans also use water for other needs. Maintaining cleanliness, cooling the body from elevated ambient temperatures, for digestion of food, and as a general diluent.

Life without water

The existence of a world without water on earth, more or less, is seen in the example of life in the deserts. The scorching sun and dry air make all living things take cover somewhere by any means. Reptiles burrow under the surface of the earth, look for all kinds of shady places, change their appearance in the course of evolution, which helps them retain a supply of moisture. Plants lengthen their roots, going deep into the cooler bottom, to the water, the leaves are replaced with thorns for less moisture consumption.

People living in desert conditions are also protected from wasting water. They know the sources and the distances between them in order to calculate the flow of water when moving and then replenish it in time. The Bedouins, who completely wrap their bodies in black cloth, thus maintain the right amount of body moisture, which ensures the right temperature. Their measured, unhurried movements do not cause an extra expenditure of energy for the restoration of which water is also needed.

And if we talk about the use of water by man in industry, then it is obvious that without it, no development of civilization would have occurred. And in the future, if for some reason there is less water on earth (not to mention it), the difficulties of mankind will be inevitable.

In the distant future, the Earth will be without the conditions that support the existence of water. And then the planet will turn into an inanimate, cold stone world, monotonously flying into the eternal expanses of space.

It is always interesting to imagine very improbable, but in principle real things. What would happen if all the ice on Earth, which is more than 20 million cubic kilometers, melted?

National Geographic has created a series of interactive maps that show what kind of catastrophic consequences would occur on our planet. The melted ice, which would have entered the oceans and seas, would have led to a sea level rise of 65 meters. It would engulf cities and countries, changing the general appearance of continents and coastlines, wiping out entire populations.

Scientists believe it will take about 5,000 years for temperatures to rise enough to melt all the ice on Earth. However, a start has already been made.

Over the past century, the temperature on Earth has increased by about 0.5 degrees Celsius, and this has led to a sea level rise of 17 cm.

If we continue to burn coal, oil and gas reserves, the average temperature on our planet will reach 26.6 degrees Celsius instead of today's 14.4 degrees Celsius.

So let's see what will become of the continents...

In Europe, cities like London and Venice will be under water. It will also flood the Netherlands and most of Denmark. The Mediterranean Sea will expand and increase the size of the Black and Caspian Seas.

In Asia, China and Bangladesh will be flooded, and more than 760 million people will be under water. Among the destroyed cities will be: Karachi, Baghdad, Dubai, Calcutta, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Beijing. The coast of India will also decrease significantly.

In North America, the entire Atlantic coastline in the US will disappear along with Florida and the Gulf Coast. In California, the hills of San Francisco will turn into islands, and the California Valley will become a huge bay.

In South America, the Amazonian lowland and the Paraguay river basin will become the straits of the Atlantic Ocean, wiping out Buenos Aires, coastal Uruguay and part of Paraguay.

Compared to other continents, Africa will lose less land mass due to rising sea levels. However, rising temperatures will lead to the fact that most of it will become uninhabitable. In Egypt, Alexandria and Cairo will be flooded by the Mediterranean Sea.

Australia will have a continental sea, but it will lose most of the narrow coastal strip where 4 out of 5 Australians live.

In Antarctica, what was once land ice will no longer be ice or land. This will happen because under the ice there is a continental relief, which is below sea level.

What does Antarctica look like without ice?

Antarctica is the largest ice sheet in the world, but what is under it?

Scientists from NASA have shown the surface of Antarctica, which has been hidden under a thick layer of ice for more than 30 million years. In a project called BedMap2, researchers calculated the total amount of ice in Antarctica to predict sea level rise in the future. To do this, they needed to know the underlying topography, including wide valleys and hidden mountain ranges.

Some of the most impressive discoveries in Antarctica were the deepest point of all continents, the valley below the Byrd Glacier, which is located at a distance of 2780 meters below sea level. The scientists also received the first detailed images of the Gamburtsev Mountains, which are under a 1.6-kilometer layer of ice.

The new map is based on surface elevation, ice thickness and base topography, which were taken using land, air and satellite surveys. The scientists also used radar, sound waves, and electromagnetic instruments to map.

We bring to your attention a selection of strange and unusual geographical maps that surprised us.

1. A map where land and ocean have switched places

If you imagine what the Earth would look like if there were oceans in place of the continents, and land in the place of the oceans, it would turn out something like this: large lakes and seas on the continents familiar to us would become islands, and ocean ridges would become the highest mountain ranges on the planet .

As you can see on the map, there would be much more land, but at the South Pole there would be almost the largest ocean on Earth - the Antarctic. It is difficult to imagine what kind of territory modern peoples would occupy, but the map is professionally and beautifully done.

2. Map showing the population density of the Earth

There are anamorphosis maps - they are made with special distortions designed to demonstrate what territory a particular country should occupy in terms of, for example, the number of books published in this country or in proportion to any other indicator. At the same time, the classical outlines of continents and oceans should remain unchanged: only the area of ​​​​countries changes.

Here you see a map that shows what territory countries should occupy in terms of population: India and China got the most land, and Russia on this map looks like a narrow light green strip in the very north of Eurasia. Data for the compilation of the map are taken from the 2011 census.

3. Map of Marina in 1539

Of course, the Marina Map does not meet modern standards, but it can rightfully be considered a work of art. The outlines of the mainland and the islands here are slightly distorted for obvious reasons, and the sea, according to the artist's intention, is inhabited by incredible sea monsters.

But what is surprising: modern satellite observations have shown that the monsters depicted in some parts of the ocean correspond to currents, storm fronts, dangerous underwater rocks and shoals. Perhaps the map was really used by sailors as a warning about the danger that may lie in wait for them in these places.

4. Antarctica without ice

Given global warming, this may well become a reality. It is possible that relatively soon - in, say, 400 years - majestic forests will grow on the continent covered with eternal ice, and subglacial lakes with fresh water will open.

Some artists are already undertaking to imagine what a green Antarctica will look like.

5. Language map of Europe

Europe is a multinational territory: in a relatively small area there are many countries with their own cultural characteristics, traditions, and, of course, a unique language. Surprisingly, for example, in Spain, the languages ​​of the inhabitants of the provinces of Andalusia and A Coruña are not very similar: each place has its own slang. Of course, the Spaniards understand each other perfectly, but the fact remains: they speak different dialects. Or, for example, on this map you can see the regions of Russia, where, along with the national language - Russian - other languages ​​​​predominate. The map shows that on the territory of a particular country, not all local residents necessarily speak it.

6. Map of the world of underground water sources

We know that fresh water is a limited resource. However, in addition to rivers, glaciers and freshwater lakes located on the surface of the Earth and therefore open and explored, our planet also has "secret" reserves. Do you think there is no water in the Sahara Desert? Look at the map. The whole sea is hidden under the desert.

7. Physical map of the night Earth

The map was compiled by National Geographic based on satellite imagery and photographs of the Earth from space at night. It not only demonstrates the density of population in various parts of our planet, but also illustrates what an amazing place has become our home.

The bright lights of night cities are immediately evident, which is worth at least a huge bright spot in the place of Moscow. Also on the map you can see the largest deposits of natural gas or outbreaks of natural fire. And you can also see the centers of night industrial fishing off the coast of Argentina and Japan, highlighted in bright blue.

8. Physical relief map of the Arctic

Few people thought about how the Arctic really looks and what areas belong to it. This is clearly displayed on the physical relief map of the Arctic: it almost completely includes the northern coasts of Russia and Canada, Greenland, Iceland and, of course, the Arctic Ocean.

9. Map where the most populous countries occupy the largest area

The difference between this map and map number three on our list is that here the outlines of the countries have not been changed. The familiar territory of Russia remains the same as it is now, only it belongs to China. The second largest population of India went, of course, Canada, and Russia "moved" to the place of Kazakhstan.

The United States was the luckiest of all: the country has remained in the same place, since it ranks fourth in the world both in terms of area and population.

There is another country on the map that has remained in its rightful place. You can try to find it.

10 The Earth That Stopped Rotating

If the Earth did not rotate, the outlines of the continents and oceans would be completely different. The centrifugal force from the poles to the equator would cease to act, and the ocean water would move towards the poles, because there is more gravity. The continents would move to the equator, moreover, the land area on the planet would also increase, in particular, there would be no seas left on the equator at all. This map is not just an artist's fantasy, but the result of the research work of a group of scientists.

According to the stories of astronauts, there is no more beautiful and bewitching picture than the view of the Earth from space. When you look at a small ball consisting of white clouds, brown earth and blue water, it is impossible to take your eyes off ...

Today we will look at some cool online 3D Earth globes that you can use right from this page. All of them are interactive, you can interact with them. No need to download and install additional programs such as Google Earth, etc. - just open this page in your browser and enjoy.

Photorealistic 3D Earth Globe

This is a three-dimensional model of the world, on which photo textures obtained by NASA satellites are stretched.

You can rotate the ball in different directions by holding down the left mouse button. Rolling the mouse wheel up zooms in on the view, down, vice versa, it zooms out.

At the maximum approximation, the textures become blurry, so I recommend that you do not get too carried away with scaling.

Blurring is due to the fact that low-resolution photographs are used in the model. Otherwise, it would take too long for them to load in the browser.

This 3D globe allows you to see our planet almost the way astronauts see it. Well, or close to it :)

Virtual Earth Globe

This is a three-dimensional interactive virtual globe, which shows the borders of states, the names of cities, regions, settlements, etc.

This 3d model of the world does not have raster textures, like the previous one, but vector ones, so here scaling can be done up to individual buildings. At maximum magnification, there are even house numbers and street names.

historical globe

It demonstrates how our ancestors saw our Earth at the end of the 18th century. Its authorship belongs to the famous geographer and cartographer Giovanni Maria Cassini, and it was published in Rome in 1790.

It is also fully interactive, it can be twisted, rotated, zoomed in or out of the map. Looking at it, you understand how much the world has changed in just 200 years, and how many events were behind it all...

And here is the globe itself (1790), from which this online 3d model was made:

Finally, a stunningly beautiful video of how the Earth actually looks from space:

Friends, share your impressions, opinions and ask questions in the comments!