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

At first glance, the world's oceans appear to be a gigantic static reservoir of salt water, the only movement in which is carried out in the form of waves. However, this is far from being the case - in each ocean there are dozens of large and small currents that affect a significant part of their area. The Atlantic Ocean is no exception.

Classification of the sea currents of the Atlantic

For a long time, the Atlantic has been famous for its sea currents; sailors have been using them for many centuries as a wide sea "road". Sea currents of the Atlantic Ocean are two large circles of circulation, almost isolated from each other. One of them is located in the northern part of the ocean, and the second in the south. At the same time, in the southern "circle" the water moves counterclockwise, and in the northern part of the Atlantic - on the contrary, clockwise. This direction of movement is due to the Coriolis law.

These circulation "circles" are not strictly isolated - turbulent eddies form on their outer edges in the form of separating flows. In the northern hemisphere, the most famous is Greenland, gradually turning into Labrador. In the southern hemisphere, the Guiana Current separates from the South Trade Wind, rushing north and joining the North Trade Wind there.

All sea ​​currents of the atlantic ocean divided into warm and cold. But such a division is purely conditional. In systematics, their main role is played by the temperature of the surrounding mass of water. For example, conventionally, the flow of the North Cape has an average temperature of 6-8 ° C, but it is considered warm, because the temperature of the Barents Sea, into which it flows, is only 2-4 degrees. Similarly, the Canary current is considered cold, although its temperature is much higher than that of the North Cape.

In addition to separation by temperature, the sea currents of the Atlantic Ocean are:

• Gradient - caused by the difference in temperature and density of water in different parts of the sea.
• Wind (drift) - they arise under the influence of winds, most often blowing in a given area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe ocean.
• Tidal, arising under the influence of the force of attraction of the moon and the sun.

Causes of sea currents

The main causes of sea currents in the Atlantic Ocean are:

• Coriolis force arising as a result of the inertia of a liquid medium. The mass of water that fills the ocean simply does not keep up with the planet rotating around its axis.
• The difference in temperature and density of water. These factors are decisive for the emergence of deep currents.
• The effect of winds on the ocean surface.

All of these factors are not isolated, but affect the ocean in a complex, leading to the emergence of water circulation. For the most part, the currents affect spaces limited in depth, not exceeding a few hundred meters. But in width they can reach several hundred, or even a thousand kilometers. For example, the subantarctic current of the West Winds is sometimes up to 2,000 km wide, moving 270 million cubic meters of water per second, which is 2,000 times the volume of the Amazon.

The main sea currents of the Atlantic Ocean

There are several tens (or even hundreds) of permanent sea currents in the Atlantic. It is simply not possible to list all of them. Let's dwell on the most significant. To main sea ​​currents of the atlantic ocean relate:

• Gulfstream. This is perhaps one of the most grandiose and widely known course of the Atlantic Ocean. Its average width is 100-150 km, and the depth reaches 1 km. The total volume of water moved by it is about 75 million m3, which is ten times more than the volume of all the rivers of the planet. It originates in the Gulf of Mexico, which is reflected in the name: gulf stream - “the course of the gulf”. Further, it goes along the east coast of the United States, gradually deviating to the east.
• North Atlantic. To the southeast of the Newfoundland peninsula, the Gulf Stream splits into two new streams: the North Atlantic Current and the Canary. The North Atlantic, carrying warm water, continues the path of the Gulf Stream to the east, and reaches the northwestern coast of Europe, causing a mild climate there. In the Faroe region, the northern Greenland current separates from it, and the rest goes around Norway in the form of the North Cape current and reaches the Barents Sea. Thanks to him, we have an ice-free port of Murmansk on the shores of the Arctic Ocean.
• Canarian. It is the southern, right branch of the North Atlantic Sea Current. Passing along the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco, it reaches the Canaries, losing its strength. However, the transatlantic North Trade Wind Current originates from these places.
• Northern trade wind. It is one of the longest major sea currents in the Atlantic Ocean. It originates off the coast of Morocco and reaches the American continent in the Caribbean. Here it flows into the Caribbean Sea, smoothly turning into small currents, eventually giving rise to the Gulf Stream. Thus, the great North Atlantic circle is closed.

The southern circulation originates off the southwestern coast of Africa in the form of the cold Benguela Current (named after the coastal city in Angola). Further, heating up, the flow of water is deflected by the trade winds blowing from the continent to the west, becoming the South Trade Wind Current. At the northwestern tip of Brazil, it is divided into two branches: the Guiana Current deviates to the north, and the Brazilian Current to the south. The latter reaches the high Antarctic latitudes, merging with the course of the Western winds. The cooled mass of water is transferred to the east, to the coast of South Africa, closing the southern circle. sea ​​currents of the atlantic ocean.

Using the sea currents of the Atlantic Ocean

Sailors have long used the sea currents of the Atlantic to optimize movement. The most widely known example is the journey of Christopher Columbus, who descended from Spain along the Canary Current to the place of formation of the "transatlantic" - the North Trade Wind Current. It was more or less safe and delivered him to the West Indies.

The use of the sea currents of the Atlantic Ocean does not lose its relevance today. If you decide to make a transatlantic crossing, then you should not “reinvent the wheel”, but simply use the sea route beaten centuries ago. That is, you need to go down to the Canary Islands or the Cape Verde Islands (Cape Verde), and go straight to the New World with a fair wind and current. To some extent, it will be like rafting on a slow and wide river, of course, with adjustments for the far from riverine nature of the open ocean. No wonder experienced sailors say: any item dropped into the water off the Canary Islands will be caught in the Caribbean in a few months.

It is best to return back to Europe by the northern route, through the Gulf Stream. Sailors also have a saying about this: “The way from the Canary Islands to Europe lies through America.” This means that it is much easier to sail back from the Canary Islands via the Caribbean than to go against the grain, against the prevailing winds and the Canary current, despite the huge increase in the total length of the route. Of course, for motorized ships, the old marine advice is of little relevance, especially if there is an adequate supply of fuel on board.

Further, having reached the Caribbean Sea, along the Florida current we get to the sources of the Gulf Stream, and we rise along this grandiose sea "river" to approximately 40 o. After that, we turn east and after a certain time, following the south of the North Atlantic Stream, we reach the western tip of Europe. It was this route that Columbus returned from his voyages to the West Indies.

When using the Gulf Stream, experienced yachtsmen do not advise to rise above 40 degrees. At higher latitudes, the warm waters of the Gulf Stream collide with the northern Labrador Current, with all the resulting climatic delights: a sudden change in winds, frequent fogs and storms. No wonder the northeast coast of the United States and the Newfoundland region has long been called the "rotten corner of the Atlantic." In winter, one should also not forget about the possibility of icebergs being carried south by the Labrador Current - does anyone else remember the 20th century blockbuster Titanic?

Ocean water is on the move, affecting your climate, your local ecosystem, and the seafood you eat. Ocean currents, abiotic features of the environment, are continuous and directed movements of ocean water. These currents are located in the depths of the ocean and on its surface, flowing both locally and globally.

The most important and unique currents of the Atlantic Ocean

• Equatorial north current. This current is created due to the rise of cold water near the African west coast. The warm current is also pushed westward by the cool Canarian current.
• The Equatorial South Current flows from the west coast of Africa to the coast of South America between the equator and latitude 20°. This current is more constant, stronger and more powerful than the north equatorial current. In fact, this current is a continuation of the Benguela current.
• The Gulf Stream consists of several currents that are directed in a northeasterly direction. This current system originates in the Gulf of Mexico and reaches the western coasts of Europe around 70°N.
• The Florida Stream is a continuation of the well-known equatorial current to the north. This current flows through the Yucatán Channel into the Gulf of Mexico, after which the current moves forward through the Strait of Florida and reaches 30°N.
• The Canary Current, it is the coolest, which flows along the western coast of North Africa between Madeira and Cape Verde. In fact, this current is a continuation of the North Atlantic drift, which turns south near the Spanish coast and flows south along the coast of the island of the Canary Islands. The approximate current speed is between 8 and 30 nautical miles.
• The Labrador Current, an example of a cold current, originates in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait and, after flowing through the coastal waters of Newfoundland and the Grand Bank, merges with the Gulf Stream at about 50°W. The flow rate is 7.5 million m3 of water per second.

The Atlantic Ocean is considered one of the largest and most voluminous in size, namely the second largest after the Pacific Ocean. This ocean, the most studied and developed, when compared with other areas. Its location is as follows: from the east it is framed by the shores of North and South America, and in the west its borders end with Europe and Africa. In the South, it passes into the Southern Ocean. And on the north side it borders on Greenland. The ocean is distinguished by the fact that there are very few islands in it, and the topography of its bottom is all dotted and has a complex structure. The coastline is broken.

Characteristics of the Atlantic Ocean

If we talk about the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe ocean, then it occupies 91.66 million square meters. km. We can say that part of its territory is not the ocean itself, but the existing seas, bays. The volume of the ocean is 329.66 million square meters. km, and its average depth is 3736 m. Where the Puerto Rico trench is located, it is considered the greatest depth of the ocean, which is 8742 m. There are two currents - North and South.

Atlantic Ocean from the north side

The border of the ocean from the north is marked in some places by ridges located under water. In this hemisphere, the Atlantic is framed by a rugged coastline. Its small northern part is connected to the Arctic Ocean by several narrow straits. Davis Strait is located in the northeast and connects the ocean with the Baffin Sea, which is also considered to belong to the Arctic Ocean. Closer to the center is the Danish Strait, which is less wide than Davis. Between Norway and Iceland towards the northeast lies the Norwegian Sea.

The Gulf of Mexico is located in the southwest of the North Ocean, which is connected by the Strait of Florida. Also the Caribbean. Many bays can be noted here, such as Barnegat, Delaware, Hudson Bay and others. It is in the northern side of the ocean that you can see the largest and largest islands, which are famous for their fame. These are Puerto Rico, the world famous Cuba and Haiti, as well as the British Isles and Newfoundland. Closer to the east you can find small groups of islands. These are the Canary Islands, Azores and Cape Verde. Closer to the west - the Bahamas, Lesser Antilles.

South Atlantic Ocean

Some of the geographers believe that the southern part is the entire space to the Antarctic. Someone defines the border at Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope of the two continents. The coast in the south of the Atlantic Ocean is not as indented as in the north, and there are no seas here. There is one large gulf near Africa - Guinea. The farthest point in the south is Tierra del Fuego, which is framed by small islands in large numbers. Also, you cannot find large islands here, but there are separate islands, like about. Ascension, St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha. In the extreme south you can find the South Islands, Bouvet, Falkland and others.

As for the current in the south of the ocean, here all systems flow counterclockwise. Near the east of Brazil, the South Equatorial Current forks. One branch goes north, flows near the northern coast of South America, filling the Caribbean. And the second is considered southern, very warm, moves near Brazil and soon connects with the Antarctic current, then heads to the east. Partially separates and turns into the Benguela Current, which is distinguished by its cold waters.

Landmarks of the Atlantic Ocean

There is a special underwater cave in the Belize Barrier Reef. They called it the Blue Hole. It is very deep, and inside it there is a whole series of caves, which are interconnected by tunnels. Deep into the cave reaches 120 m and is considered unique in its kind.

There is no person who does not know about the Bermuda Triangle. But it is located in the Atlantic Ocean and excites the imagination of many superstitious travelers. Bermudas beckon with their mystery, but at the same time they frighten with the unknown.

It is in the Atlantic that you can see an unusual sea that has no shores. And all because it is located in the middle of the body of water, and its boundaries cannot be framed by land, only currents show the boundaries of this sea. This is the only sea in the world that has such unique data and is called the Sargasso Sea.

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In the circulation of the waters of the World Ocean, the largest role belongs to currents, which owe their appearance mainly to the action of constant winds.

Other factors in them, in comparison with the wind, recede into the background, as a result of which these currents are called drift currents. It is obvious that the beginning of drift currents must be sought in those regions of the ocean where the constant or prevailing winds are expressed especially well and correctly, i.e., primarily in the zone of development of the trade winds.

In this zone of the Atlantic Ocean, there are two trade winds (equatorial) currents. Deviated from the direction of the corresponding trade winds by 30-40 °, both of them carry water from east to west.

South of the equator is the South Equatorial Current. Its edge, facing the polar latitudes, does not have a clear boundary; the other edge, facing the equator, is more distinct, but its position, due to the movement of the trade winds themselves, changes somewhat; thus, in February, the northern boundary of the South Equatorial Current lies at about 2°N. sh., in August near 5 ° with. sh.

The South Trade Wind flows from the coast of Africa to the coast of America. At Cape San Roque, it divides into two branches, one of which, under the name of the Guiana Current, heads northwest along the coast of the mainland to the Antilles, and the other, known as the Brazilian Current, goes southwest to the mouth of La Plata, where and meets with the cold Falkland current running from Cape Horn along the coast of the continent; here the Brazilian current turns to the left; water masses rush east, cross the Atlantic Ocean and then, once again deviating to the left, rise from south to north along the western coast of Africa in the form of a cold Bengal current, merging with the South Tradewind. This closes the circle of currents in the southern part of the Atlantic, in which the water moves counterclockwise - mainly along the periphery of the South Atlantic anticyclone.

The edge of the North Equatorial Current, facing the high latitudes, is just as indefinite as the analogous edge of the South Employment Current; the southern boundary is more distinct and in February lies at 3°N. sh., in August at 13 ° N. sh. The current, caused by the northeast trade wind, begins west of Cape Verde (about 20° W), crosses the ocean, and then passes into the slow Antilles current, washing the garland of the Antilles from the outside. In addition, part of the North Trade Wind current joins the Guiana Islands in the region of the Lesser Antilles, and this combined stream enters the Caribbean Sea, forming the Caribbean Current here. There is a compensatory countercurrent to the east between the North and South Equatorial Currents; its extended extension is called the Guinea current and ends in the Gulf of Guinea.

The American semi-enclosed sea, and, in particular, its northern part - the Gulf of Mexico - serves as an area where the trade wind, which actually blows from the east, continuously draws water. The accumulation of water gets an outlet through the Strait of Florida, forming a powerful Florida Current, which occupies the entire width of the strait (150 km) and is felt to a depth of 800 m; its speed is about 130 km per day, and the water consumption is about 90 billion tons per hour; surface water temperature 27-28°; however, this temperature fluctuates somewhat depending on the change in the strength of the trade winds, forcing warm water into the Gulf of Mexico.

The Florida Current rushes north as it exits the strait. In the channel between Florida and the Bahamas, its width, equal to the entire width of the channel, is 80 km; warm (24 °) dark blue water is very sharply delimited in color from the waters of the rest of the sea.

In the region of Cape Hatteras, the weaker Antilles joins the Florida Current. In the latest oceanographic literature, it is this united current that is given the name Gulf Stream.

The Gulf Stream differs from the Florida Current in its greater width and lower speed, which is 60 km per day 500 km north of the Bahamas. The Gulf Stream moves along the coasts of America, deviating from them to the right, and nowhere, even at its beginning, does it directly wash the mainland: there is always a strip of colder water between it and the coast. In winter, the temperature difference between the Gulf Stream and coastal water reaches 8 ° near Cape Hatteras, and 12-15 ° at the latitude of New York and Boston; in summer, when the coastal waters are well warmed up, this difference noticeably weakens, and in some places disappears altogether.

From the New York parallel, the Gulf Stream runs from west to east. Southeast of Newfoundland, about 40° W. e. Gulf Stream ends. Here it, greatly expanding, breaks up into a fan of jets directed in the most diverse ways; the deflection due to the rotation of the Earth tells the jets most often the direction to the east and south. The area of ​​extinction and branching of the Gulf Stream was called the Gulf Stream Delta. The delta occupies such a large area that the air masses passing over this part of the ocean in winter, due to the vastness of the warm underlying surface, experience significant heating. The jet, going east of the Azores, approaches the Iberian Peninsula, and then turns south along the coasts of Europe and Africa, forming a weak and cold Canary Current, which merges with the Northern Trade Wind Current in the area of ​​the Cape Verde Islands.

This closes the ring of currents in that part of the Atlantic that lies north of the equator. The movement of water in this ring is clockwise, mainly along the periphery of the Azores anticyclone.

Within the North Atlantic ring of currents between 20 and 35° N. sh. and 40 and 75° W. There is an extremely peculiar, calm, unaffected by currents, region of the Sargasso Sea. The surface of the sea is covered with islands, tufts or long strips of floating algae, colored olive-green or yellowish at the tops, and brown at the base. The most common are Sargassum bacciferum, S. natans and S. vudgare; they are all pelagic, i.e., characteristic of the open sea and not associated with the ground. In the western part of the Sargasso Sea, there are other types of coastal algae. Algae sizes range from a few centimeters to several decimeters.

The accumulations of algae are very uneven, but they do not interfere with navigation anywhere. A ship can cross the Sargasso Sea and not meet a single seaweed; sometimes there are so many algae on the way that they occupy the entire visible horizon, and the ocean looks like a green meadow. In summer, when the winds blow from the south, the boundary of the Sargasso clusters reaches 40°N. sh., but further north it is not allowed by the cold waters of the Labrador Current, since at temperatures below 18 ° algae already die.

From the Gulf Stream delta, in addition to its branch, which eventually forms the Canary Current, another definite current departs, going northeast between 43 and 70 ° N. sh. This current is called the Atlantic. It serves, as it were, as a direct continuation of the Gulf Stream, but genetically represents a completely new phenomenon, because the impulse that excited the Gulf Stream has already dried up in the Gulf Stream delta and has ceased to operate. The Atlantic current is due to the western and southwestern winds prevailing in the region of its origin and propagation, giving it an average speed of about 25 km per day. Consequently, the continuity of the transition of the Gulf Stream to the Atlantic Current is purely external and is the result of a kind of relay race, due to which there was a “transfer” of water movement from the sewage current (Gulf Stream) to the drift current (Atlantic).

Having advanced beyond the 60th parallel, the Atlantic Current begins to give branches to the right and to the left - the first under the influence of the Earth's rotation, the second under the influence of the relief of the seabed. Near the underwater ridge connecting Iceland with the Faroe Islands, a branch called the Irminger Current runs to the north-west; west of Iceland, it turns sharply to the southwestern tip of Greenland and enters through the Davis Strait into Baffin Bay in the form of a warm West Greenland current. From the 70th parallel, approximately on the 15th east meridian, two large jets depart: one to the north to the western shores of Svalbard - the Svalbard current, the other to the east along the northern tip. Scandinavian Peninsula - the North Cape current; its minimum temperature is +4°. Having entered the Barents Sea, the North Cape current, in turn, is divided into branches. South - under the name of the Murmansk Current - runs parallel to the Murmansk coast at a distance of 100-130 km from it; its temperature in August is about 7-8 °. The continuation of the Murmansk Current is the Novaya Zemlya Current, heading north along the western shores of the islands of the same name.

None of the listed warm currents goes into the Arctic Ocean along its surface further than the area of ​​Franz Josef Land "since here their waters, due to their greater density (salinity) compared to the density of the waters of the Arctic Ocean, sink under the sea surface and penetrate into The polar basin in the form of a warm deep current. The deep current, subject to the deflecting action of the Earth's rotation, follows eastward, presses against the northern margin of the Eurasian shelf, but, due to the high density of its waters, does not extend to the shelf surface. The main stream runs along the continental shelf, but the warm Atlantic waters fill, in addition, the entire Polar Basin. In many of its deep places, it was observed that the upper layer of water with a thickness of 200-250 m, having a negative temperature (up to -1°.7), is then replaced to a depth of 600-800 m by a layer of water with positive (up to +2°) temperatures, and below to the very bottom lies again a thickness of cold (up to -0 °.8) water. The warm "layer" is a warm current that has disappeared from the surface of the ocean.

The numerous currents of the Atlantic Ocean are very heterogeneous in their origin, although they are interconnected in the most intimate way. Both equatorial currents, which arose under the action of the trade winds, are drift; The Florida current as a result of the surge of water into the Gulf of Mexico is sewage; its continuation - the Gulf Stream - waste and drift; The Atlantic current is predominantly drifting; Guinean - compensatory and partly drifting, since the southwestern monsoon also takes part in its formation; Canarian - compensatory, compensating for the loss of water created off the coast of Africa by the North Trade Wind, etc.

On the example of the currents of the Atlantic Ocean, we also got acquainted with the factors that affect the direction of the currents: with the deflecting effect of the Earth's rotation and with the significance of the underwater relief and coast configuration (separation of the South Equatorial Current).