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The Pacific Ocean
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The Pacific Ocean was given its name in 1520 by Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese navigator, who was impressed with its peaceful and calm waters. It is the largest and the deepest water body on our planet. So large that the amount of surface area that it covers is more than a third of the earth's surface. So huge that for practical reasons it is demarcated as North Pacific and South Pacific. The portions
are named as per the direction they lie in with relation to the equator.
The land and water that it meets on all sides
To the east of the Pacific lie the continents of South and North America. On the western side lie Asia, the Malay Archipelago and Australia. The landmass lying to the south of the Pacific is Antarctica. Arbitrary divisions to demarcate where one ocean ends and the other begins have been made. The Drake passage, named after Sir Francis Drake an English navigator and explorer, separates it from the Atlantic Ocean in the southeast. The Bering Strait lies to its north. The Strait of Malacca joins the Pacific and the Indian oceans on the west, and the Strait of Magellan links the Pacific with the Atlantic Ocean on the east. |
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Some interesting facts
The oldest rocks found on the bed of the Pacific Ocean have been estimated to be around 200 million years old. The Pacific is at its widest at about 5º N latitude. At this point it stretches across a width of 19,800 km from Indonesia to the coast of Columbia. The western most point of the Pacific Ocean is the Strait of Malacca. The Pacific also has the distinction of having the lowest point on earth within its boundaries. This point is known as the Marianas Trench. Want to see mountains underwater? The Pacific Ocean bed has them. The ocean bed has steep flat-topped submarine peaks known as seamounts. The seamounts in the western part of the ocean rise above the water surface and we know them as islands. The Solomon Islands and New Zealand are examples of such islands.
The number of islands contained in this huge water body is an astounding 25,000. All the other oceans put together do not contain so many islands in all. The total area covered by the Pacific Ocean has been estimated at 179.7 million sq. km. Many seas dot the margin of the Pacific Ocean. Some of the noteworthy ones are Yellow Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, Sea of Japan and the Coral Sea.
What is the water in the Pacific Ocean like?
The temperature of water in the ocean is bound to vary from place to place as it covers such a vast area. Near the poles the water is freezing and near the equator it is at a temperature of 29º C. Similarly the water salinity also varies. Water near the equator is less salty than the water in the mid-latitudinal region. The reason for this is the difference in the amount of precipitation at both the places. The water near the poles is also comparatively less salty. Here low precipitation is the reason.
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How does the Pacific Ocean affect the climate of different regions?
Five distinct climatic regions have been classified in this context. Only the regions lying towards the interior of large land masses are not affected by climatic changes due to the Pacific Ocean. The climatic regions have been classified as:
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The mid-latitude westerlies - Seasonal differences in temperature are seen here.
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The trades - The steady trade winds blowing throughout the year result in constant temperatures throughout the year.
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The monsoon region - A distinctly marked season of rainfall occurs in this region.
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The typhoon region - This region stands witness to extensive damage caused by typhoons.
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The doldrums - This area is characterized by high humidity, cloudiness and light winds.
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