Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean Third-largest ocean in the world, bounded by Asia (n), Antarctica (s), Africa (w) and Southeast Asia and Australia (e). Known in ancient times as the Erythraean Sea, the Indian Ocean was the first to be extensively navigated. Branches of the ocean include the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Its largest islands are Madagascar and Sri Lanka. The average depth is 4000m (13,000ft) although there is a Mid-Oceanic Ridge, extending from Asia to Antarctica; several of its peaks emerge as islands. The deepest part is the Java Trench, reaching 7725m (25,344ft). The climate of the nearby land masses is strongly influenced by the ocean's winds and currents. There are three wind belts: the monsoons, which pick up moisture from the ocean, bringing heavy rainfall to w India and Southeast Asia; the se trade winds; and the prevailing westerly winds, bringing tropical storms. The currents are governed by these winds, the seasonal shift of the monsoon dictating the flow of water n of the Equator. Area: c.73,600,000sq km (28,400,000sq mi).
Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean One of the world's major oceans, lying between Africa, India, and Australia. It has a surface area of 77 million km2 and an average depth of 3872 m. The ocean receives a great deal of sediment from three of the world's major rivers (the Ganges, the Indus, and the Brahmaputra).
Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean One of the world's major oceans, lying between Africa, India, and Australia. It has a surface area of 77 million km2 and an average depth of 3872 m. The ocean receives a great deal of sediment from three of the world's major rivers (the Ganges, the Indus, and the Brahmaputra).
More From encyclopedia.com
Ocean , Oceans are large bodies of salt water that surround Earth's continents and occupy the basins between them. The four major oceans of the world are the… Antarctic Ocean , Antarctic Ocean Southern Ocean , Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean or Antarctic Ocean, name sometimes given to those parts of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans that surround Antar… Arctic Ocean , Arctic Ocean, the smallest ocean, c.5,400,000 sq mi (13,986,000 sq km), located entirely within the Arctic Circle and occupying the region around the… Paleotethys , Palaeotethys There is confusion over the relationship between Tethys (or Neotethys) and Palaeotethys. Some authors refer to the existence of a late P… Subduction Zone , Subduction zones occur at collision boundaries where at least one of the colliding lithospheric plates contains oceanic crust . In accord with plate…
About this article
Indian Ocean
All Sources -
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
Indian Ocean