In scope, the Atlantic Ocean is second only to the Pacific. Its dimensions are impressive, and the average depth is 3700 m. The deepest point is 8742 m. In the Atlantic Ocean there are such seas as the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Baltic, Black, Azov, Adriatic, etc. The salinity of the water in this ocean is 35 ppm.
A bit of history
The Atlantic Ocean got its name from the sunken island - the legendary Atlantis. According to another theory, the ocean was named after the ancient Greek character Atlanta. At different times, Phoenicians, Normans, Vikings, ships of Columbus and Krusenstern sailed in its waters. The seabed was first studied in 1779. Fundamental research began in 1803. At this time, the first map of the Atlantic Ocean was drawn up.
oceanic features
The famous islands are located in it: British, Iceland, Canary, Falkland, etc. The largest ports are Hamburg, Genoa, London, Boston, Rotterdam, New York, St. Petersburg, etc.
Water temperature varies by ocean zone and season. In the equatorial region, it is about 26 degrees, and in the coastal region of North America, the temperature does not rise above +7 degrees. The coast of the Atlantic Ocean is heavily indented. Its coastline forms numerous bays and seas. Many rivers flow into this ocean. Another of its features is that the bottom has a complex relief. The Atlantic Ocean occupies a significant part of the planet, so the climate in its different parts is heterogeneous. The weather is influenced by the poles and strong currents. In the west of the ocean, the water is much warmer than in the east. This is due to the warm current of the Gulf Stream.
The Atlantic Ocean is distinguished by a diverse flora and fauna. Sea urchins, sharks, parrot fish, dolphins, etc. live in the tropics. Fur seals, whales, and seals live in the northern regions. Commercial fish are salmon, herring and cod. Over half of the world's tuna, cod, sardine and herring production comes from the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean floor is still poorly understood. Little is known about the life of the inhabitants of the abyss.
Relaxation
The Atlantic Ocean guarantees a varied holiday, as its waters wash the shores of different countries. A tourist can choose a resort based on personal preferences and budget. The best beaches of the Atlantic Ocean are known all over the world. These include the Canarian and Portuguese beaches, as well as the beaches of South Africa.
The Atlantic Ocean (map added below) is an integral part of the World Ocean. It is considered the most studied body of water on our planet. In terms of its area, it ranks second, second only to the Pacific. The Atlantic Ocean covers an area of 91.66 million square kilometers. km, while Quiet - at 178.684 million square meters. km. As we can see, these numbers are quite impressive.
Description of the geographical position of the Atlantic Ocean
Meridionally, the ocean stretches for 13 thousand km. In the north, it washes the shores of about. Greenland, Canada and parts of Europe, connects with the waters of the Arctic Ocean. In the south, the Atlantic Ocean reaches the shores of Antarctica itself. Sometimes the southern part of the Atlantic, from about 35 ° S. sh. up to 60°S sh., are classified as separate, but its existence is still a controversial issue.
The greatest width of the Atlantic Ocean is 6,700 km. In the east, it washes the western coast of Africa, Europe, connects with along the border from Cape Igolny to Queen Maud Land (in Antarctica). In the west, it brings its waters to the shores of South and North America, through connecting with the Pacific.
The geographical position of the Atlantic Ocean is such that it unites with all other major bodies of water on the planet, and also washes the shores of all continents except Australia.
Briefly about the ocean
The area of the Atlantic is more than 91 million square meters. km. In percentage terms, it accounts for 25% of all the waters of the oceans. Of the total water area, 16% falls on bays and seas. There are only 16 of the latter. Sargasso, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean are the largest seas that make up the Atlantic Ocean. The map added below also shows the largest bays. This is Mexican, Maine. The Atlantic Ocean is rich in both islands and archipelagos. The most significant in terms of area: British, Greater Falkland, Iceland, Newfoundland, Greater Antilles, Bahamas, etc.
The average depths of the ocean are in the region of 3,500-4,000 m. The maximum is the Puerto Rico trench, its length is 1,754 km, its width is 97 km, and the greatest depth in this place reaches 8,742 m.
Atlantic Ocean- this is a "plot" of the water area of the World Ocean, which is limited by Europe and Africa on the south side, and South and North America on the western side. A huge mass of salt water, beautiful views, rich flora and fauna, hundreds of beautiful islands - it's all called the Atlantic Ocean.
Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean consider the second largest component of our planet (in the first place -). The coastline is clearly divided into water areas: seas, bays. Total area of the Atlantic Ocean, the river basins that flow into it is about 329.7 million km³ (this is 25% of the waters of the oceans).
For the first time the name of the ocean - Atlantis, is found in the works of Herodotus (5th century BC). Then the prototype of the modern name was recorded in the writings of Pliny the Elder (1st century AD). It sounds like Oceanus Atlanticus, translated from ancient Greek - the Atlantic Ocean.
There are several versions of the etymology of the name of the ocean:
- in honor of the mythological titan Atlanta (Atlas, which holds the entire heavenly vault);
- from the name of the Atlas Mountains (they are located in the northern part of Africa);
- in honor of the mysterious and legendary mainland Atlantis. Immediately I offer you an interesting video - the film "Battle of Civilizations - Find Atlantis"
—
—
These are the versions and assumptions put forward about Atlantis and the mysterious race of Atlantes.
As for the history of the formation of the ocean, scientists are sure that it arose due to the split of the missing supercontinent Pangea. It included 90% of the continental crust of our planet.
Atlantic Ocean on the world map
Every 600 million years, continental blocks come together to break apart again over time. It was as a result of this process that 160 years ago arose Atlantic Ocean. Map currents shows that the waters of the ocean move under the influence of cold and warm currents. 
These are all the main currents of the Atlantic Ocean.
Atlantic Ocean islands
The largest islands in the Atlantic Ocean are Ireland, Great Britain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Newfoundland. They are located in the northern sector of the ocean. Their total area is 700 t.km 2. Several groups of smaller islands are located in the eastern part of the ocean: the Canary Islands,. On the western side are groups of the Lesser Antilles. Their archipelago creates a unique arc of earth that surrounds the eastern sector of the waters.
It is impossible not to mention one of the most beautiful islands in the Atlantic -.
water temperature in the atlantic ocean
The waters of the Atlantic Ocean are colder than those of the Pacific (due to the large extent of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge). The average water temperature on the surface is +16.9, but it varies depending on the season. In February, in the northern part of the water area and in August in the southern part, the lowest temperature is recorded, and the highest is observed in other months.
Depth of the Atlantic Ocean
How deep is the atlantic ocean? The maximum depth of the Atlantic Ocean reaches 8742 m (recorded in the Puerto Rico Trench at 8742 m), and the average depth is 3736 m. The Puerto Rico Trench is located on the border of the waters of the ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Its length along the slopes of the Antilles Range is 1200 km.
The area of the Atlantic Ocean is 91.66 million km². And a quarter of this territory falls on its seas. Here .
Atlantic Ocean: sharks and more
Underwater world of the atlantic ocean will amaze the imagination of any person with its richness and diversity. It is a unique ecosystem that brings together many species of plants and animals.
The flora of the Atlantic Ocean is represented mainly by bottom vegetation (phytobenthos): green, red, brown algae, kelp, flowering plants such as poseidonia, phylospadix.
Without exaggeration, the Sargasso Sea can be called a unique natural wonder, located in the Atlantic Ocean between 20 ° and 40 ° north latitude and 60 ° west longitude. On the surface of 70% of its water surface, there are brown algae - sargasso all the time.
But most of the surface of the Atlantic Ocean is covered with phytoplankton (these are unicellular algae). Its mass, depending on the site, varies from 1 to 100 mg/m3.
inhabitants of the atlantic ocean beautiful and mysterious, because many of their species are not fully understood. A large number of different representatives of underwater fauna live in cold and temperate waters. For example, pinnipeds, whales, perch, flounder, cod, herring, shrimp, crustaceans, mollusks. Many animals are bipolar, that is, they have adapted to a comfortable existence in both cold and temperate zones (turtles, crabs, jellyfish, fur seals, whales, seals, mussels).
A special class are the inhabitants of the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Corals, sponges, echinoderm species of fish amaze and impress the human eye.
What sharks are in the atlantic ocean can pay a visit to a gaping tourist? The number of species that live in the Atlantic exceeds a dozen. The most common are white, soup, blue, reef, giant, sand sharks. But, cases of attacks on people do not occur very often, and if they do, it is more often due to the provocations of the people themselves.
The first officially recorded shark attack on a person happened on July 1, 1916 with Charles Van Sant on a New Jersey beach. But even then, the residents of the resort town took this incident as an accident. Such tragedies began to be recorded only in 1935. But the shark scientists Nichols, Murphy and Lucas did not take the attacks lightly and began to intensively look for their specific causes. As a result, they created their theory of "shark year". She claimed that the attacks were motivated by a large migration of sharks. Since the beginning of 2013, according to the International Shark Attack Registry, 55 cases of predator attacks on humans have been recorded in the world, of which 10 were fatal.
Bermuda Triangle
Atlantic Ocean- the second largest ocean after the Pacific Ocean. It contains 25% of the world's water. The average depth is 3,600 m. The maximum depth is in the Puerto Rico trench - 8,742 m. The ocean area is 91 million square meters. km.
general information
The ocean arose as a result of the split of the supercontinent Pangea» into two large parts, which subsequently formed into modern continents.
The Atlantic Ocean has been known to man since ancient times. Mentioning the ocean, which " called the Atlantic“, can be found in the records of the 3rd c. BC. The name probably originated from the legendary missing mainland " Atlantis«.
True, it is not clear what territory it designated, because in ancient times people were limited in their means of transportation by sea.
Relief and islands
A distinctive feature of the Atlantic Ocean is a very small number of islands, as well as a complex bottom topography, which forms many pits and gutters. The deepest among them are the Puerto Rico Trench and the South Sandwich Trench, which are over 8 km deep.
Earthquakes and volcanoes have a great influence on the structure of the bottom, the greatest activity of tectonic processes is observed in the equatorial zone.
Volcanic activity in the ocean has been going on for 90 million years. The height of many underwater volcanoes exceeds 5 km. The largest and most famous are found in the Puerto Rico and Yuno Sandwich trenches, as well as on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Climate
The large meridional extent of the ocean from north to south explains the diversity of climatic conditions on the surface of the ocean. In the equatorial zone, there are slight temperature fluctuations throughout the year and an average of +27 degrees. The exchange of water with the Arctic Ocean also has a huge impact on ocean temperature. From the north, tens of thousands of icebergs drift into the Atlantic Ocean, reaching almost tropical waters.
The Gulf Stream, the largest current on the planet, is born off the southeastern coast of North America. Water consumption per day is 82 million cubic meters, which is 60 times higher than the flow of all rivers. The width of the current reaches 75 km. wide, and the depth is 700 m. The speed of the current varies between 6-30 km / h. The Gulf Stream carries warm waters, the temperature of the upper layer of the current is 26 degrees.
In the area of The Newfoundland Gulf Stream meets the cold wall of the Labrador Current. The mixing of waters creates ideal conditions for the reproduction of microorganisms in the upper layers. Best known in this regard Large Newfoundland barrel, which is a source of fishing for fish such as cod, herring and salmon.
Flora and fauna
The Atlantic Ocean is characterized by an abundance of biomass with a relatively poor species composition in the northern and southern margins. The greatest species diversity is observed in the equatorial zone.
Of the fish, the most common are the families of nanoteniy and white-blooded pikes. Large mammals are most widely represented: cetaceans, seals, fur seals, etc. The amount of plankton is insignificant, which causes whales to migrate to feeding areas to the north or to temperate latitudes, where it is more abundant.
Many places in the Atlantic Ocean have been and continue to be intensive fishing grounds. Earlier development of the ocean has led to the fact that hunting for mammals has been common here for a long time. This has reduced the number of some animal species compared to the Pacific and Indian Oceans. 
Plants are represented by a wide range of green, brown and red algae. The famous Sargasso form the Sargasso Sea, popular in books and interesting stories.
Atlantic ocean map
Ocean area - 91.6 million square kilometers;
Maximum depth - Puerto Rico trench, 8742 m;
Number of seas - 16;
The largest seas are the Sargasso Sea, the Caribbean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea;
The largest bay is the Gulf of Mexico;
The largest islands are Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland;
The strongest currents:
- warm - Gulf Stream, Brazilian, Northern Tradewind, Southern Tradewind;
- cold - Bengal, Labrador, Canary, West Winds.
The Atlantic Ocean occupies the entire space from subarctic latitudes to Antarctica. It borders the Pacific Ocean in the southwest, the Indian Ocean in the southeast, and the Arctic Ocean in the north. In the northern hemisphere, the coastline of the continents, which are washed by the waters of the Arctic Ocean, is heavily indented. There are many inland seas, especially in the east.
The Atlantic Ocean is considered a relatively young ocean. The mid-Atlantic ridge, which stretches almost strictly along the meridian, divides the ocean floor into two approximately identical parts. In the north, individual peaks of the ridge rise above the water in the form of volcanic islands, the largest of which is Iceland.
The shelf part of the Atlantic Ocean is not large - 7%. The greatest width of the shelf, 200 - 400 km, is in the area of the North and Baltic Seas.
The Atlantic Ocean is located in all climatic zones, but most of it is in tropical and temperate latitudes. Climatic conditions here are determined by trade winds and westerly winds. The wind force is strongest in the temperate latitudes of the southern Atlantic Ocean. In the area of the island of Iceland is the center of the origin of cyclones, which significantly affect the nature of the entire Northern Hemisphere.
Average surface water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean are much lower than in the Pacific. This is due to the influence of cold waters and ice that come from the Arctic Ocean and Antarctica. In high latitudes, there are many icebergs and drifting ice floes. In the north, icebergs slide off Greenland, and in the south, from Antarctica. Today, the movement of icebergs is monitored from space by piece satellites of the earth.
Currents in the Atlantic Ocean have a meridional direction and are characterized by a strong movement of water masses from one latitude to another.
The organic world of the Atlantic Ocean is poorer in species composition than that of the Pacific. This is explained by the geological youth and cooler climatic conditions. But, despite this, the stocks of fish and other marine animals and plants in the ocean are quite significant. The organic world is richer in temperate latitudes. More favorable conditions for the residence of many fish species have developed in the northern and northwestern parts of the ocean, where there are fewer flows of warm and cold currents. Here, cod, herring, sea bass, mackerel, capelin are of industrial importance.
The natural complexes of individual seas and the inflow of the Atlantic Ocean are distinguished by their originality. This is especially true for the inland seas: the Mediterranean, Black, North and Baltic. In the northern subtropical zone is located, unique in nature, the Sargas Sea. The giant Sargassum seaweed, which is abundant in the sea, has made it famous.
Important sea routes run across the Atlantic Ocean, which connect the New World with the countries of Europe and Africa. On the coast and islands of the Atlantic there are world-famous areas of recreation and tourism.
The Atlantic Ocean has been explored since ancient times. Since the 15th century, the Atlantic Ocean has become the main waterway of mankind and does not lose its significance today. The first period of ocean research lasted until the middle of the 18th century. He was characterized by the study of the distribution of ocean waters and the establishment of the boundaries of the ocean. A comprehensive study of the nature of the Atlantic began at the end of the 19th century.
The nature of the ocean in our time is being studied more with 40 scientific ships from around the world. Oceanologists carefully study the interaction of the ocean and the atmosphere, observe the Gulf Stream and other currents, and the movement of icebergs. The Atlantic Ocean is no longer able to independently restore its biological resources. Preservation of its nature today is an international matter.
Choose one of the unique places of the Atlantic Ocean and take an exciting journey with Google maps.
You can find out about the latest unusual places on the planet that appeared on the site by going to
