The ocean dividing Africa and Australia is Indian. It is located immediately between the four continents and, despite being considered the third largest in the world, it is the most diverse and interesting from the point of view of science. Well, let’s look at what it really is, the ocean washing Eurasia, Africa, Australia and Antarctica, and how its waters differ from each other in different parts of the world.
General information about the Indian Ocean
The third largest ocean in the world occupies about 20 percent of its water surface. Its volume is 282.65 million cubic kilometers, and the deepest point is the Sunda Trench, which sinks down to 7729 meters. The northernmost point of this greatest body of water is in the Persian Gulf, and the southernmost is off the coast of Antarctica. The ocean separating Africa and Australia, has a width of 10 thousand kilometers between the southernmost points of these two continents. The very name, which, obviously, has something in common with India, was not given to the reservoir by the inhabitants of this country at all. Even in the time of Alexander the Great, these waters were called the Indian Sea, similarly it was called Arabs, Chinese and other ancient ethnic groups.
Seas and bays of the Indian reservoir
The total area of the seas that make up the ocean between Africa and Australia is 15 percent. Among the largest bodies of water are the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea (Persian Gulf), the Bay of Bengal, and the Laccadive Sea. The shores of Thailand are washed by the Andaman Sea. But off the coast of Australia, the Timor and Arafura Seas are already opening before us . To the south is the Great Australian Gulf, and after it the southernmost bodies of water on the planet. Their waters are between Australia and Antarctica, because the currents are most often cold. So, these are the seas of Davis, Mawson, the sea of the Commonwealth and the sea of Cosmonauts. Sometimes they are all referred simply to the Southern Ocean, although the term is scientifically incorrect.
Islands in Indian waters
Everyone knows that the ocean separating Africa and Australia is famous for its tropical islands, which are fashionable and very expensive world-class resorts. But among the small land areas that are found in these waters, one can also find archipelagos that are completely overgrown with tropical jungles, which, incidentally, are seismically unstable. So, the largest island of the ocean is Madagascar. Staying on it is safe, since it is, in fact, a separate part of Africa, which was previously the mainland. Zanzibar is adjacent to the African continent. Australia is also surrounded by islands of mainland origin, the largest of which is Tasmania, followed by the kangaroo island, the Queensland archipelago and many others. The tourist paradise, which is located in the Indian Ocean, are two archipelagos - Seychelles and Maldives.
Africa is the home of the whole world
The African continent is now considered one of the least developed in the world. However, earlier, in prehistoric times, it was here, according to one version, that humanity was born, and homosapience as a species lived and developed here for many millennia. Most likely, this happened because of the extremely favorable position of the mainland, and besides, at that time the climate here was not so sultry and scorching. It is also worth paying attention to what oceans Africa is washed by. Its east coast is bathed in the waters of the Indian reservoir, and in the West we see the Atlantic. It is worth noting that the eastern coast of the continent is much more suitable not only for life, but also for tourism. The local landscapes, breathtaking sea landscapes, which are combined with savannas and deserts, win the hearts of everyone who gets here.
Conclusion
As it turned out, the ocean separating Africa and Australia, as if carries within itself the cultures and traditions of those powers and peoples to whose lands it approaches. The country of the same name bathes in its waters, adjacent to China, Thailand and Indonesia. Below it passes into the numerous Australian seas and bays, bypasses Antarctica in the South and reaches the shores of Africa. Almost at every point, the Indian Ocean is incredibly beautiful and attractive. Its waters are warm everywhere, with the exception of the southern regions, therefore on all the islands that are in it, it is so pleasant to relax at any time of the year.