South America is a continent connected by the Isthmus of Panama with North America. It hosts many countries, for example Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Brazil. Almost each of them has access to the sea, since the size of the mainland is not too large. What kind of waters is it washed by?
Pacific Ocean
To start listing the oceans washing South America is from the Pacific. It is the oldest and largest on the planet, with an area of 178 million kilometers. In such a territory, it would be easy to place all the continents at once. The name is associated with the traveler Fernand Magellan, who first visited the ocean in fine weather and was captivated by its calm. It has oval outlines with the widest part at the equator. It was only possible to really truly investigate it in the nineteenth century, although the first expeditions to study the coastline of South America were carried out by James Cook and Fernand Magellan. Now a special international organization is dealing with these issues.
At the Tuamotu Islands, the ocean is often stormy, but off the coast of South America the weather is stable, with a light wind. The calm areas are characterized by periodic showers. The Pacific Ocean significantly affects life in the countries of South America. Many states are engaged in fishing in the water area, they produce mollusks and crabs, and in some regions they grow edible algae.
Atlantic Ocean
Listing the oceans washing South America, the Atlantic is the second to be mentioned. It covers an area of 92 million square kilometers and stands out for uniting the polar regions of the earth. In the center of the ocean runs the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, along which various volcanic islands rise from the water. The most famous of them can be called Iceland. Off the coast of South America is the deepest part: the Puerto Rico Depression reaches a depth of 8742 meters. In the tropical part, southeastern trade winds blow and there are no cyclones, off the coast of Brazil they have green color, and dark blue prevails in other areas. Where the Amazon River flows into the Atlantic, the water seems cloudy, in addition, it is a place of low salinity, because of which corals are not found here, but other animals and plants thrive in abundance. During the great geographical discoveries, the ocean was the most important waterway to South America.
Unofficial south ocean
In geography, even now there are many controversial topics. The traditional answer to the question of which oceans wash South America suggests two names. But there is another theory. According to her, the ring of water that separates the mainland from Antarctica has the features of a separate ocean. Despite the fact that the question of borders remains complex, some scholars distinguish this territory. The southern ocean occupies 86 million square kilometers, its average depth is about 3 kilometers, and the lowest point is the South Sandwich Trench. Off the coast of America there are fairly gentle slopes, and at the bottom there are small ridges and hollows. Currents and bottom sediments affect mainly Antarctica. In South America, it is difficult to notice the influence of this hypothetical ocean.
The Caribbean
The position of the mainland greatly affects the lives of its inhabitants, industry and even climate. Studying the seas and oceans washing South America, it is easy to be convinced of it. For example, the Caribbean is a popular holiday destination and an oil rich area. It is located in the north of South America, covering an area of 2 million square kilometers. Washes the coast of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, the Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. There are many coral reefs. The coastline of South America is full of all kinds of bays and bays. This area is the only answer to the question of which seas wash South America, and is located in a tropical climate with periodic hurricanes and precipitation from 250 to 9000 millimeters. There are many fish, amphibians, and on the banks you can find a variety of birds. The magnificent beaches ensure the continued popularity of the Caribbean. The waters that wash South America are popular with divers. However, ordinary travelers from Brazil, the USA and Canada also like to relax here.
Warm currents
Listing the seas and oceans washing South America, many forget about the currents. Meanwhile, this can be called a serious mistake, because it is they who often determine the climate on the coast. The warmest areas of South America include the Atlantic: this ocean is warmer than the Pacific. The shores washed by the Guiana and Brazilian currents are especially distinguished; they are the most comfortable and make the eastern part of the mainland a more popular destination for tourism.
Cold currents
The seas and oceans washing South America are quite warm, but still the difference in waters can be extremely noticeable. In the Pacific there are much more cold currents, many of which pass near the mainland. For example, next to Antarctica, South America is washed by the Falkland Current and the West Winds. The latter was named so in the era of the great geographical discoveries. The western coast is also washed by the cold Peruvian current, which is why the climate and fauna in Peru are noticeably different from the Brazilian ones. Moreover, the location of the countries is quite similar. Therefore, it is necessary to consider not only the seas and oceans washing South America, but also the currents.