Smallest Ocean in the World

Historically, there is only four ocean being considered all over the world, and they are the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and the Indian. However, in recent years, most countries have also considered the Southern Antarctic the newest member of the ocean. There is still a lot that we don't know about these bodies of water.

If you're wondering which of them is the smallest, you are not alone! Most people don't know which is the smallest, but most understand the biggest, the Pacific. The Pacific Ocean has long been considered the biggest of them all and is also among the most popular. If you want to know the smallest ocean in the world, we have you covered as we will dive down deeper into the world of oceans, comparing each one of them.

What Is The Smallest Ocean in The World? Ranking The Five Oceans Of The World 

1. Pacific Ocean

Before we start delving ourselves into the world of the smallest ocean in the world, let's first talk about the biggest. The Pacific Ocean is the largest in the world, covering almost half of the world's free water! If we put everything into perspective, all of the world's continents can easily fit right into the size of the Pacific. That's how massive this body of water is. The Pacific Ocean has an average depth of around 3,970 meters and is also the deepest.

Not only is the pacific the largest of them all, but it is also one of the oldest bodies of water in the world! Some archaeological evidence suggests that the pacific has been for around 200 million years! It is also infamous for being named the 'Ring of Fire' as it constantly encounters various land and volcanic activity and is home to some of the most intense earthquakes mankind has ever faced. To put everything in numbers, the Pacific Ocean covers almost 165.2 million km²and pales compared to the other bodies of water in the world.

2. Atlantic Ocean

When it comes to the second biggest ocean in the world, the Atlantic comes in second. 'Atlantic' comes from the Greek word 'Atlantis,' which means Sea of Atlas. It is the second-largest ocean in the world, covering around 85.1 million km². Even though it is the second-largest among the five, the Pacific Ocean is still twice as big as the Atlantic.

The Atlantic Ocean has an average depth of around 3,646. Its recently discovered deepest point is situated on the Puerto Rican Trench named 'Milwaukee Deep,' which was discovered by Victor Vescovo.

3. Indian Ocean

Covering around 70.56 million km², the Indian Ocean is third the world's largest ocean. The Indian Ocean covers around 1/5 of the world's surface and is home to various tropical island destinations across the globe. Unlike the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the Indian Ocean doesn't come from the North to the South. Instead, it is landlocked in the North and is bordered by the areas of Asia, Australia, Antarctica to the South, Africa to the Northwest, and India.

Although the Indian Ocean comes in third as the largest ocean in the world, it is quite a few hundred meters deeper than the Atlantic. The Indian Ocean has the fewest trenches out of the five but houses the second-longest trench in the world. It was not until the 15th century that it was known as the Indian Ocean, as this body of water was formerly known as the Eastern Ocean until the changing of the name. In addition, the Indian ocean is also the warmest. As we've mentioned, it consists of some of the world's tropical islands.

4. Antarctic Ocean

Fourth on the list is the Antarctic, commonly known as the Southern Ocean. It was not recognized during the early centuries like most of its counterparts as it is constantly debated where the area of the Antarctic starts and ends. Still, the Antarctic covers around 21. 96 km², or 6.1% of the world's ocean.

Despite being relatively smaller than its neighboring oceans, it has an average depth not far enough among its counterparts. The inclusion of the Antarctic Ocean among the bodies of water in the world is hotly debated, some recognize it, and some don't. In recent years, the climate within this ocean has constantly been changing due to its location. It is one of the areas wherein global warming has greatly affected it. The Antarctic is home to some of the world's most recognizable creatures, the orca, seals, walruses, and penguins!

5. Arctic Ocean – The Smallest Ocean in the World

And we have arrived at our destination! If we're talking about the smallest ocean in the world, look no further than the Arctic Ocean. This ocean covers only 14.05 km² or around 4.3% of the world's ocean, and it is not only the smallest but also the shallowest ocean out of the five.

Although it might be the smallest and shallowest, the rest of the ocean members pales in comparison when we talk about the coldest. However, due to global warming, the ice caps along the Arctic ocean have since been constantly shrinking, and temperatures are dropping.

The name Arctic comes from the Greek word, 'Arktos' meaning 'bear.' It is not to link the land mammals as it is more connected to the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor constellations. Some organizations don't recognize the arctic as the ocean; they recognize it as the Arctic Sea. Still, the International Hydrographic Organization considers this an ocean.

Wrapping Things Up

Whether the smallest or the biggest, our ocean is part of our lives. They have become a steady source of our food and a shelter for thousands of marine organisms. Each ocean, regardless of its size, plays an important role for everyone. It is up to us to continue preserving them for the future.

Our ocean isn't exempt from global warming, and some of them have been experiencing the effect for centuries. It's up to us to reduce carbon emissions and fossil fuels if we're hoping they will last long enough for millions of years.

You can join us here in our mission to preserve and protect the beauty of the Ocean and all the marine life.

With every purchase you made from our Ocean-inspired jewelry, part of it goes to Ocean conservation charities.

Dive into our unique collection of Atolea Sea-inspired jewelry now and help us in continuing our mission of protecting the Ocean for the future generation to appreciate!