The Pacific Ocean is the very embodiment of the sea element on our luxurious planet. This huge natural formation creates the weather of all continents to a greater or lesser extent. Its 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, often found name of the ocean is the Great. And it truly is.
The faces of this element are multifaceted. The science of geography has collected over the centuries a mass of data that the Pacific Ocean has revealed to researchers. Geographical position, area, communication with other oceans of the Earth, washed continents - all this interests us within the framework of this travel article.
"The very best" Pacific Ocean
In addition to the most interesting history of the ocean in question getting its name, it has earned a number of "very-most" distinctions. They mainly concern him.geographic features. But just in terms of peace and tranquility, the opposite is true - this ocean is the most stormy and unpredictable. Now consider the geographical location and area of the Pacific Ocean.
As we have already mentioned, the Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in terms of area. It is 178.7 million km2. In addition, it is the deepest. Within its limits is the Mariana Trench, the depth of which is more than 11 kilometers below sea level!
The huge size of the ocean contributed to its other records. On the surface of the water, it is the warmest of all. With hurricanes and tsunamis, its expanses are the richest. The highest waves were also recorded in the Pacific Ocean.
Position relative to the equator
As we know, one of the basic characteristics of the geographical position of objects is their location relative to the Earth's equator. We will 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 larger part of it, nevertheless, refers to the south.
Length
As for the outlines of the ocean, here it is elongated from the northwest to the southeast. At its widest point from west to east, it has 19 thousand kilometers, from north to south - 16 thousand. The huge size contributed to the diversity of conditions within its limits. According to many criteriahe was lucky to become "the very best", according to others - the only one.
To realize the impressiveness of the expanses of the Pacific Ocean on a planetary scale, let's make such a comparison. The territory of all the continents of the Earth taken together 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 the second warmest (in the first place - Indian).
The variety of natural conditions within the Pacific expanses can only be surprised. The Pacific Ocean has opened up a little more to us: the geographical location and features of the territory.
Washed Continents
The waters of the Pacific Ocean wash all the continents of the planet except 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 all over the Earth.
But because communication with the cold Arctic Ocean is cut off by land, the Pacific Ocean does not receive cold air masses. As a result, the southern part of the ocean is colder than the northern one.
Communication with the rest of the oceans
There is far less doubt about land boundaries than there is about oceans. The boundaries of the communicating oceans of the Earth are very conditional. The Pacific Ocean, whose geographical position we are considering, has the same feature.
Thus, it is most clearly possible to define the dividing line between the Pacific and the Arctic: it is the Chukotka Peninsula andAlaska. Communication with the Atlantic goes through the very wide Drake Strait.
The borders of the Pacific and Indian oceans are conditional. Between the continents of Australia and Antarctica, they pass along the meridian, starting from Cape South on the island of Tasmania.
The nature of the borders
In geographical research, 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 indented by inflows of water, 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. By their type, these are marginal seas adjacent to Eurasia and Australia. Interisland seas belong to the Australo-Asian group.
Off the coast of Antarctica there are little-known seas: Ross, Bellingshausen and Amundsen.
Seismic features
Earth forces are active in the Pacific Ocean. Its borders are delineated by the "ring of fire" - seismically active zones with many active volcanoes. The area, geographical position of the Pacific Ocean coincided with the mobile tectonic plates of the earth's crust
Due to the high seismic activity of the Pacific Ocean, tsunamis are so frequent here,earthquakes.
Conclusion
In our article, we made an attempt to embark on a short journey through the expanses of the Pacific Ocean - perhaps the most impressive natural formation on the planet. There are so many interesting things among its turbulent waters that fantasy itself paints visual pictures.
We have considered 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.
Let's remember the main thing:
- The Pacific Ocean is the largest on the planet: its area is 178.7 million km22.
- For almost every question of the plan "Which of the oceans is the most …?" you can answer that Quiet, while justifying your answer. Indeed: almost all the records that can be attributed to the ocean as a natural form have been broken in its expanses.
- The ocean is located on both sides of the Earth's equator, mostly in the southern hemisphere.
- Borders on all the oceans of the planet, as well as on all continents except Africa.
- The most diverse in terms of natural conditions.
- High seismic activity leads to frequent tsunamis and earthquakes.
This is the Great Pacific Ocean, the geographical position of which we have considered. And let, after the new information received, we dream of a warm coast and gentle waves!
