The PACIFIC Ocean is the largest of the four main oceans. Although its' name means peaceful, if can be very rough! It is 64 million square miles.

The ATLANTIC Ocean is the busiest. Many ships cross the Atlantic, carrying cargo between the Americas, Africa, and Europe. It is 32 million square miles.

The INDIAN Ocean is located in an area bordered by the continents of Asia, Africa, Anarctica, and Australia. It is 28 million square miles.

The ARCTIC Ocean is the smallest and coldest. It is 5 million square miles.

The average temperature of all oceans is about 39 degrees F (3.8 degrees C).

The average depth of all oceans is about 2.3 miles.

There are mountains, volcanoes, and deep trenches in the ocean.

Oceans are always moving.

CURRENTS flow like rivers, carrying warm water from the tropics, and cold water from the north and south poles.

TIDES change twice a day, all over the world, as the oceans rise and fall along the shoreline. Scientists think this is caused by the pull of the sun and moon on our earth.

CORAL REEFS are vast, rocky areas located in shallow, tropical waters. They are like the tropical rain forest of the ocean! The greatest variety of plant and animal life in the ocean live there. Coral reefs are formed from the bodies of small sea creatures called polyps.


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