|
|
|
Background:
|
The
Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five
oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but
larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four
critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal
(Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of
Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca
(Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International
Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to
delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the
portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south.
|
|
Location:
|
body of
water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and
Australia |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
20 00 S,
80 00 E |
|
Map references:
|
Political
Map of the World |
|
Area:
|
total:
68.556 million sq km
note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of
Bengal, Flores Sea, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of
Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea, Mozambique Channel,
Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca,
Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies |
|
Area - comparative:
|
about 5.5
times the size of the US |
|
Coastline:
|
66,526 km
|
|
Climate:
|
northeast
monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to
October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and
October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and
January/February in the southern Indian Ocean |
|
Terrain:
|
surface
dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular
system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique
reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian
Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from
hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon
and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while
high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling,
winter air results in the northeast monsoon and
northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor
is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and
subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge,
Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest
point: Java Trench -7,258 m
highest point: sea level 0 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
oil and
gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates,
placer deposits, polymetallic nodules |
|
Natural hazards:
|
occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern
reaches |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
endangered marine species include the dugong, seals,
turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea,
Persian Gulf, and Red Sea |
|
Geography - note:
|
major
chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz,
Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal,
and the Lombok Strait |
|
Economy - overview:
|
The
Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the
Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the
Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of
petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of
the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great
and growing importance to the bordering countries for
domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from
Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the
Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves
of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas
of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An
estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production
comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy
minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively
exploited by bordering countries, particularly India,
South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Chennai
(Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South
Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India)
Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards
Bay (South Africa) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
some
maritime disputes (see littoral states) |
|
This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
|
|
| |
|
|
