What is the area of the Indian Ocean? The very name of the water area implies quite large numbers. It is worth paying attention to the fact that the Indian Ocean is the third largest among similar reservoirs of our planet. In the widest part of the ocean, the distance is about 10 thousand km. This value visually connects the southern points of Africa and Australia. It is located between four continents: Antarctica, Eurasia, Africa and Australia. So, what is the area of the Indian Ocean (million km2)? This figure is 76.174 million square meters. km
Take a look at the story
The Indian Ocean in the north crashes so far into the land that the people of the ancient world defined it as a very large sea. It was in these waters that mankind began its first long journeys.
On ancient maps, it (or rather, the western part) was called the "Eritrean Sea". And the ancient Rusichi called him Black. In the IV century, a consonant name with the present began to appear for the first time: the Greek "Indikon Pelagos" - "Indian Sea", the Arab Bar el-Hind - "Indian Ocean". And already from the XVI century, the hydronym, which was proposed by a Roman scientist, was officially assigned to the ocean.
Geography
The Indian Ocean, whose area is inferior to the Pacific and Atlantic, is younger and much warmer than these reservoirs. This water body receives many rivers of the region, the largest of them are Limpopo, Tigris, Ganges and Euphrates. The near-ocean waters of the ocean are muddy due to the abundance of clay and sand that the rivers carry in them, but its open water surface is surprisingly clean. There are many islands in the Indian Ocean. Some of them are fragments of the ancient continent. The largest are Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Comoros, Maldives, Seychelles and many others.
The Indian Ocean has seven seas and six bays, as well as several straits. Their area is more than 11 million square meters. km The most famous are the Red (the most saline in the world), the Arabian, Andaman seas, the Persian and Bengal bays.
The ocean is located above the oldest tectonic plates that are still moving. Because of this, tsunamis and eruptions of underwater volcanoes are frequent in the region.
Climatic indicators
Indian Ocean, an area of more than 76 million square meters. km, is located in four climatic zones. The north of the water basin is influenced by the Asian continent, which is why there are frequent tsunamis with a characteristic monsoon climate. Thanks to high temperatures, the water heats well, so the seas and bays are the warmest there. In the south, the southeast trade wind prevails with its cold air. Tropical hurricanes often form in the middle.
The entire weather background is formed by monsoons - winds that change direction depending on the season. There are two of them: summer - hot and rainy and winter, with sudden changes in weather, often accompanied by storms and floods.
World of flora and fauna
The Indian Ocean, whose area is quite large, has an extremely diverse fauna and flora, both on land and in the water. The tropics are rich in plankton, which, unlike the Pacific, is replete with luminous organisms. A huge number of crustaceans, jellyfish and squid. Of the fish, flying species, a poisonous sea snake, tuna, and some species of sharks are most often found. On the expanses of water you can see whales, seals and dolphins. Giant turtles and sea elephants have chosen the coast.
From the variety of birds, albatrosses and frigates can be distinguished. And in southern Africa, there are various populations of penguins. Coral grows in shallow waters, sometimes forming entire islands. Among these beautiful designs, many representatives of this region live - a sea urchin and a starfish, crabs, sponges, coral fish.
Like any other body of water, the Indian Ocean abounds with numerous species of algae. For example, sargassovye, which are available in the Pacific region. There are also lush and strong lithotamnia and halimeds that help corals build atolls, turbinaries and cowlerps, forming a whole underwater jungle. The zone of ebbs and flows of tides was chosen by mangroves - dense, always green forests.
Economic characteristics of the Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is divided between 28 mainland and 8 island states. Due to the fact that some species of whales are on the verge of extinction, the once very developed whaling industry is coming to naught. Fisheries occupy a small percentage in the economy of this region. Off the coast of Australia, Bahrain and Sri Lanka, mother of pearl and pearl are mined.
The ocean is the largest transport artery for ships in the region. The main maritime transport hub is the Suez Canal, connecting the Indian Ocean with the Atlantic. From there, a path opens to Europe and America. Almost the majority of the region’s business life is concentrated in port cities - Mumbai, Karachi, Durban, Colombo, Dubai and others.
Due to the fact that the area of the Indian Ocean (million km2) is more than 76, this area contains a huge number of mineral deposits. Huge deposits of non-ferrous metals and ores. But the main wealth, of course, are the richest deposits of oil and gas. They focus mainly on the shallows of the Persian and Suez Gulfs.
Unfortunately, human activity is becoming a threat to the integrity and preservation of this world. Tankers and industrial ships ply across the Indian Ocean in large numbers. Any leak, even a small one, can be a disaster for the entire region.