The Pacific Ocean is the very embodiment of the sea element on our magnificent planet. This huge natural formation creates the weather of all continents to a greater or lesser extent. His waves are beautiful in their power and indomitability.
As we probably already know, the Pacific is the largest ocean on the planet. Its name was obtained as a result of the incredible luck of that team of sailors, to whom it seemed peaceful and calm. The second, common name for the ocean is Great. And this is true.
The faces of this element are multifaceted. The science of geography has gathered over the centuries a wealth of data that the Pacific has revealed to researchers. Geographical location, area, communication with other oceans of the Earth, washed by the continents - all of this interests us in the framework of this travel article.
The Most-Most Pacific Ocean
In addition to the most interesting history of the name being considered by the ocean under consideration, it has earned a number of distinctions of "very-most". They relate mainly to its geographical features. But just in terms of silence and tranquility, the opposite is true - this ocean is the most turbulent and unpredictable. Now consider the geographical location and area of the Pacific Ocean.
As we have already mentioned, the Pacific Ocean is the largest in area among all the oceans. It is 178.7 million km 2 . In addition, it is the deepest. Within it lies the Mariana Trench, the depth of which is below sea level by more than 11 kilometers!
The enormous size of the ocean contributed to its other records. On the surface of the water, it is the warmest of all. By hurricanes and tsunamis, its expanses are the richest. The highest waves are also recorded precisely in the Pacific Ocean.
Equator position
As we know, one of the basic characteristics of the geographical location of objects is its location relative to the equator of the Earth. Let us also consider the geographical position of the Pacific Ocean relative to the equator.
So, the object of our consideration extends both in the northern and southern hemispheres of the Earth. A somewhat large part of it, nevertheless, belongs to the south.
Length
As for the shape of the ocean, here it is distinguished by its elongation from the northwest to the southeast. At the widest point from west to east, it has 19 thousand kilometers, from north to south - 16 thousand. The sheer size contributed to a variety of conditions within it. By many criteria, he was fortunate enough to become the "most-most", according to others - the only one.
To realize the imposing expanses of the Pacific Ocean on a planetary scale, we give such a comparison. The territory of all the continents of the Earth combined will be smaller than this ocean. The width of the expanses of the Pacific Ocean in tropical latitudes contributed to the fact that it is second in terms of warmth (in the first place - Indian).
The variety of natural conditions within the Pacific expanses can only be surprised. The Pacific Ocean opened a little more for us: geographical location and features of the territory.
Washed continents
The waters of the Pacific Ocean are washed by all the continents of the planet, except for Africa. That is, Asia, Australia, North and South America, as well as Antarctica, have access to its stormy waves. By the way, the influence of the cold fronts of the latter through the Pacific Ocean spreads almost throughout the Earth.
But because the communication with the cold Arctic Ocean is cut off by land, the Pacific Ocean does not accept cold air masses. As a result, the southern part of the ocean is colder than the northern.
Communication with the rest of the oceans
Within land, there is much less doubt than is the case with the oceans. The boundaries of the interconnected oceans of the Earth are very arbitrary. The Pacific Ocean has the same peculiarity, the geographical position of which we are considering.
So, it is most clearly possible to determine the dividing line between the Pacific and the Arctic: it is the Chukchi Peninsula and Alaska. With Atlantic communication occurs through a very wide strait of Drake.
Conventional borders of the Pacific and Indian oceans. Between the continents of Australia and Antarctica, they pass along the meridian, starting from the South Cape on the island of Tasmania.
Nature of borders
In geographical surveys, we are also interested in the nature of the coastline of that part of the land with which the ocean borders.
So, on the eastern side, the coastlines are simple, not so cut by water flows, the territories are less saturated with island massifs. The western part, on the contrary: there are many islands and archipelagos, seas, peninsular parts of the land.
Even the nature of the bottom in the western part is appropriate: with strong differences in depths.
Separately, you can consider such a question as the geographical position of the seas of the Pacific Ocean. As we said, there are more of them in the western part. In type, these are marginal seas adjacent to Eurasia and Australia. Inter-island seas belong to the group of Australasian.
The coast of Antarctica has little-known seas: Ross, Bellingshausen and Amundsen.
Seismic features
Earth forces are violently active in the Pacific. Its borders are outlined by the "ring of fire" - seismically active zones with many active volcanoes. The area and geographical location of the Pacific Ocean coincided with the moving tectonic plates of the earth's crust
Due to the high seismic activity of the Pacific Ocean, tsunamis and earthquakes are so frequent here.
Conclusion
In our article, we attempted to embark on a short journey through the expanses of the Pacific Ocean - the most impressive, perhaps, natural formation on the planet. Among its stormy waters there is so much interesting that the fantasy itself draws visual pictures.
We examined the geographical position of the Pacific Ocean briefly, only to the extent that it is possible to interest the reader or satisfy general educational curiosity.
Remember the main thing:
- The Pacific Ocean is the largest on the planet: its area is 178.7 million km 2 .
- For almost every question on the plan, "Which of the oceans is the most ...?" You can answer that Quiet, while substantiating your answer. Indeed: in its open spaces almost all the records that can be attributed to the ocean as a natural form have been broken.
- The ocean is located on both sides of the Earth’s equator, mostly in the southern hemisphere.
- It borders on all the oceans of the planet, as well as on all continents except Africa.
- The most diverse in natural conditions.
- High seismic activity leads to frequent tsunamis and earthquakes.
Such is he, the Great Pacific Ocean, whose geographical position we have examined. And even after the new information received, we dream of a warm beach and gentle waves!