Atlantic Ocean | Definition, Map, Depth, Temperature, Weather, & Facts

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class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlantic-Ocean">Atlantic Ocean</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean">Introduction & Top Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref33278"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean#ref33278">Physiography</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33279"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean#ref33279">Extent</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33280"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean#ref33280">Relief of the ocean floor</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33281"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Islands">Islands</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33282"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Islands#ref33282">Geology</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33283"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Islands#ref33283">Origin and development</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33284"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Islands#ref33284">Bottom deposits</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33285"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Climate">Climate</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33286"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Climate#ref33286">The North Atlantic</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33287"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Climate#ref33287">The South Atlantic</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33288"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Hydrology">Hydrology</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33289"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Hydrology#ref33289">Surface currents</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33290"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Hydrology#ref33290">The North Atlantic</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33291"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Hydrology#ref33291">The South Atlantic</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33292"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Hydrology#ref33292">Deepwater currents</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33293"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Tides">Tides</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33294"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Tides#ref33294">Salinity and temperature</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33296"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Tides#ref33296">Salinity</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33295"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Tides#ref33295">Temperature</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33297"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Tides#ref33297">Economic aspects</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33298"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Tides#ref33298">Biological resources</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33299"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Fisheries">Fisheries</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33300"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Fisheries#ref33300">Mineral resources</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33301"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Fisheries#ref33301">Submarine hydrocarbons</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33302"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Fisheries#ref33302">Alluvial deposits</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33303"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Fisheries#ref33303">Deep-sea minerals</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33304"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Minerals-from-seawater">Minerals from seawater</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33305"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Minerals-from-seawater#ref33305">Other uses</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33306"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Minerals-from-seawater#ref33306">Trade and transportation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33307"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Minerals-from-seawater#ref33307">Environmental impact of human activity</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33308"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Study-and-exploration">Study and exploration</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33309"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Study-and-exploration#ref33309">Ancient exploration</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33310"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Study-and-exploration#ref33310">European voyages and settlement</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33311"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Study-and-exploration#ref33311">Early oceanography</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33312"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Atlantic-Ocean/Contemporary-study">Contemporary study</a></li></ul></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlantic-Ocean/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Atlantic-Ocean">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlantic-Ocean/images-videos">Images, Videos & Interactives</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/6004-050-EBC240F4/depth-contours-Atlantic-Ocean-submarine-features.jpg" data-href="/media/1/41191/610" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/atlantic/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">GlobalSecurity.org - Atlantic Ocean Islands</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/oceans/atlantic-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Atlantic Ocean</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Atlantic-Ocean/346089" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atlantic Ocean - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Atlantic-Ocean/272999" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atlantic Ocean - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 d-none mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10 px-sm-5 px-md-10 js-header-ai-ask-button"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/David-Barnard-Ericson/867" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">David Barnard Ericson</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Former Research Staff Scientist, Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Columbia University. Coauthor of <i>The Ever-Changing Sea.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> David Barnard Ericson</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/James-M-Broadus/3911" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">James M. Broadus</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Former Director, Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts, 1986–94.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> James M. Broadus</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlantic-Ocean/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-18T00:00:00CST" >Feb 18, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlantic-Ocean/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is the area of the Atlantic Ocean?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Covering approximately one-fifth of Earth\u2019s surface, the area of the Atlantic Ocean without its dependent seas is approximately 31,568,000 square miles (81,760,000 square km) and with them is about 32,870,000 square miles (85,133,000 square km)." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>How deep is the Atlantic Ocean?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Atlantic Ocean has an average depth (with its seas) of 11,962 feet (3,646 meters) and a maximum depth of 27,493 feet (8,380 meters) in the Puerto Rico Trench, north of the island of Puerto Rico." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is a major feature of the seafloor of the Atlantic Ocean?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The outstanding feature of the floor of the Atlantic Ocean is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an immense median mountain range extending throughout the length of the Atlantic, claiming the center third of the ocean bed and reaching roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 km) in breadth. In some places the Mid-Atlantic Ridge reaches above sea level to form islands." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is the salinity of the Atlantic Ocean?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The surface waters of the North Atlantic have a higher salinity than those of any other ocean, reaching values exceeding 37 parts per thousand in latitudes 20\u00B0 to 30\u00B0 N. The basic salinity value of the Atlantic Ocean is highest in the North Atlantic, at 35.5 parts per thousand, and lowest in the South Atlantic, at 34.5 parts per thousand." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What kinds of fish are in the Atlantic Ocean?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Atlantic Ocean provides millions of tons of fish and other seafood annually for human consumption, including lobster, haddock, cod, mackerel, herring, menhaden, sea scallops, shrimp, surf clams, ocean quahogs, and blue mussels." } } ] } </script> <div class="top-questions qa-accordion d-flex flex-column module-spacing"><div class="font-weight-bold font-14 mb-5"> Top Questions </div><div id="intent-accordion" class="md-intent-accordion"><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="1"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is the area of the Atlantic Ocean?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Covering approximately one-fifth of Earth’s surface, the area of the Atlantic Ocean without its dependent seas is approximately 31,568,000 square miles (81,760,000 square km) and with them is about 32,870,000 square miles (85,133,000 square km).</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="2"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>How deep is the Atlantic Ocean?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The Atlantic Ocean has an average depth (with its seas) of 11,962 feet (3,646 meters) and a maximum depth of 27,493 feet (8,380 meters) in the Puerto Rico Trench, north of the island of Puerto Rico.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="3"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is a major feature of the seafloor of the Atlantic Ocean?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The outstanding feature of the floor of the Atlantic Ocean is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an immense median mountain range extending throughout the length of the Atlantic, claiming the center third of the ocean bed and reaching roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 km) in breadth. In some places the Mid-Atlantic Ridge reaches above sea level to form islands.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="4"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is the salinity of the Atlantic Ocean?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The surface waters of the North Atlantic have a higher salinity than those of any other ocean, reaching values exceeding 37 parts per thousand in latitudes 20° to 30° N. The basic salinity value of the Atlantic Ocean is highest in the North Atlantic, at 35.5 parts per thousand, and lowest in the South Atlantic, at 34.5 parts per thousand.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="5"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What kinds of fish are in the Atlantic Ocean?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The Atlantic Ocean provides millions of tons of fish and other seafood annually for human consumption, including lobster, haddock, cod, mackerel, herring, menhaden, sea scallops, shrimp, surf clams, ocean quahogs, and blue mussels.</p></div></div></div><button class="show-more-button js-toggle-top-questions btn btn-unstyled font-14 d-flex pr-10 rounded-sm"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></button></div></div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/41191/c404b0ec9508e6a7d45f579033f71509" rel="nofollow">Sea turtles return to the Atlantic Ocean off Florida after being stunned by the cold</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 18, 2025, 2:58 PM ET (AP) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/41191/570b4fb89af2aa6262bbc53e72279724" rel="nofollow">Tar balls wash ashore on Florida beaches, but the source of the sticky black goo is a mystery</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 12, 2025, 3:25 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/41191/121fe7a76529fcf9ce969868dda6283e" rel="nofollow">In win for Trump, oil giant Shell walks away from major New Jersey offshore wind farm</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Jan. 31, 2025, 11:53 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="96114" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/36044-004-3F815ABB/coast-Labrador-Can-Sea-embayment-Atlantic-Ocean.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/41191/96114"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/36044-004-3F815ABB/coast-Labrador-Can-Sea-embayment-Atlantic-Ocean.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/36044-004-3F815ABB/coast-Labrador-Can-Sea-embayment-Atlantic-Ocean.jpg?w=300" alt="coast of Labrador, Canada" data-width="537" data-height="450" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/36044-004-3F815ABB/coast-Labrador-Can-Sea-embayment-Atlantic-Ocean.jpg" data-href="/media/1/41191/96114">coast of Labrador, Canada</a><span>Rocky coast of Labrador, Canada, on the Labrador Sea, an embayment of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref408427"></span>Atlantic Ocean</strong>, body of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/seawater" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">salt water</a> covering approximately one-fifth of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Earth" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Earth’s</a> surface and separating the continents of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Europe" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Europe</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Africa" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Africa</a> to the east from those of North and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">South America</a> to the west. The ocean’s name, <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="derived" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/derived" data-type="EB">derived</a> from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Greek-mythology" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Greek mythology</a>, means the “Sea of Atlas.” It is second in size to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Pacific-Ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pacific Ocean</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlantic-county-New-Jersey" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Atlantic</a> is, generally speaking, S-shaped and narrow in relation to its length. The area of the Atlantic without its dependent seas is approximately 31,568,000 square miles (81,760,000 square km), and with them its area is about 32,870,000 square miles (85,133,000 square km). It has an average depth (with its seas) of 11,962 <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/foot-measurement" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">feet</a> (3,646 metres) and a maximum depth of 27,493 feet (8,380 metres) in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Puerto-Rico-Trench" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Puerto Rico Trench</a>, north of the island of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Puerto-Rico" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Puerto Rico</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The ocean’s breadth from east to west varies considerably. Between <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Newfoundland-and-Labrador" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Newfoundland</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Ireland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ireland</a> it is about 2,060 miles (3,320 km); farther south it widens to more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km) before narrowing again so that the distance from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cape-Sao-Roque" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cape São Roque</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Brazil" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Brazil</a>, to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Harper-Liberia" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Cape Palmas</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Liberia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Liberia</a>, is only some 1,770 miles (2,850 km). Southward it again becomes broader and is bordered by simple coasts almost without islands; between <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cape-Horn" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cape Horn</a> and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cape-of-Good-Hope" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cape of Good Hope</a> the ocean approaches its border with the Southern Ocean at 60° <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/salinity" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">S</a> latitude on a broad front nearly 3,200 miles (about 5,200 km) wide.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><div class="mb-20"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="292926" data-asm-type="infogram"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="infogram"><script id="infogram_0__/KtQFEAQmy8fGJfHO5WRC" src="https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed.js?Itp" type="text/javascript" title="Dive deep into the depths of the ocean."></script></div></figure></div></div><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Although not the largest of the world’s oceans, the Atlantic has by far the largest drainage area. The continents on both sides of the Atlantic tend to slope toward it, so that it receives the waters of a great proportion of the major rivers of the world; these include the St. Lawrence, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mississippi-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mississippi</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Orinoco-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Orinoco</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Amazon</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Rio-de-la-Plata" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Río de la Plata</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Congo-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Congo</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Niger-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Niger</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Loire-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Loire</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Rhine-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Rhine</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Elbe-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Elbe</a>, and the great rivers draining into the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mediterranean-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mediterranean</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Black-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Black</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Baltic-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Baltic</a> seas. In contrast to the South Atlantic, the North Atlantic is rich in islands, in the variety of its coastline, and in tributary seas. The latter include the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Caribbean-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Caribbean Sea</a>, the Gulfs of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Gulf-of-Mexico" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mexico</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Gulf-of-Saint-Lawrence" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">St. Lawrence</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Hudson-Bay" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hudson</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Baffin-Bay" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Baffin</a> bays on the west and the Baltic, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/North-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">North</a>, Mediterranean, and Black seas on the east.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/all-about-oceans-and-seas-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/172748-131-287B3EAC/wave-ocean-sea-waves-hurricane-cyclone-storm.jpg" alt="wave. ocean. Cresting ocean wave. Large sea waves. storm, hurricane, tropical cyclone" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">All About Oceans and Seas Quiz</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">This article treats the physical and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/human-being" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">human</a> geography of the Atlantic Ocean as a whole. For detailed discussion of the physical and chemical oceanography and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/marine-geology" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">marine geology</a> of the Atlantic Ocean, <em>see</em> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">ocean</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref33278"> <h2 class="h1">Physiography</h2> <section data-level="2" id="ref33279"> <h2 class="h2">Extent</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Various boundaries have been used to define particularly the <span id="ref408428"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/North-Atlantic-Ocean" class="md-crosslink ">northern</a> but also the <span id="ref408429"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Atlantic-Ocean" class="md-crosslink ">southern</a> limits of the Atlantic Ocean. There are no universally accepted boundary <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="conventions" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/conventions" data-type="EB">conventions</a>. In the north the situation is further complicated by the fact that the <span id="ref408430"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Arctic-Ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Arctic Ocean</a> frequently is considered to be a dependent sea of the Atlantic. This is because the <span id="ref408431"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Arctic-Basin" class="md-crosslink ">Arctic basin</a>—which stretches from the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bering-Strait" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bering Strait</a> across the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/North-Pole" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">North Pole</a> to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Svalbard" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Spitsbergen</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Greenland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Greenland</a>—resembles a semienclosed basin (i.e., it is nearly surrounded by land, receives proportionately large volumes of river discharge and sediments, has an extensive <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/continental-margin" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">continental margin</a>, and is relatively shallow). In this article, however, the Arctic Ocean is considered a separate entity.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=august-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="23415" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/13549-004-DDEFD963/Alesund-limit-Nor-Atlantic-Ocean.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/41191/23415"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/13549-004-DDEFD963/Alesund-limit-Nor-Atlantic-Ocean.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/13549-004-DDEFD963/Alesund-limit-Nor-Atlantic-Ocean.jpg?w=300" alt="Alesund, Norway" data-width="293" data-height="300" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/13549-004-DDEFD963/Alesund-limit-Nor-Atlantic-Ocean.jpg" data-href="/media/1/41191/23415">Alesund, Norway</a><span>Alesund, Norway, near the northeastern limit of the Atlantic Ocean.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Attempts to define the open-water boundary between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans often rely on <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="arbitrary" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/arbitrary" data-type="EB">arbitrary</a> latitude coordinates or linear transects; the two most common latitudinal boundaries are 65° N and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Arctic-Circle" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Arctic Circle</a> (66°30′ N). A less arbitrary method involves drawing a line eastward from Greenland to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Iceland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Iceland</a> along the shallow Greenland-Iceland Rise and from Iceland to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Faroe-Islands-Atlantic-Ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Faroe Islands</a> along the Faroe-Iceland Rise and then northward from the Faroes along the relatively shallow bottom features of the Voring Plateau to the west coast of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Norway" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Norway</a> at a point near 70° N. Perhaps a more appropriate method for determining this boundary is by following the division between the distinctive Arctic and Atlantic <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/water" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">water</a> masses: the relatively warm and saline waters of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Norwegian-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Norwegian Sea</a> are assigned to the Atlantic, and the cold, lower-salinity waters of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Greenland-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Greenland Sea</a> to the Arctic.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">There is less <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="ambiguity" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambiguity" data-type="MW">ambiguity</a> about the southern boundaries of the Atlantic Ocean, although the name <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Southern-Ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Southern Ocean</a> has been given to the waters south of 60° S latitude that surround <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Antarctica" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Antarctica</a>. The most widely accepted limit between the South Atlantic and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Indian-Ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Indian</a> oceans is a line that runs south from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cape-Agulhas" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cape Agulhas</a>, at the southern tip of Africa, along the 20° E meridian to the 60° S parallel. Similarly, the boundary dividing the Atlantic and Pacific oceans passes through the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Drake-Passage" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Drake Passage</a> between Cape Horn at the tip of South America and the tip of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Antarctic-Peninsula" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Antarctic Peninsula</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="2" id="ref33280"> <h2 class="h2">Relief of the <span id="ref408432"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/ocean-floor" class="md-crosslink ">ocean floor</a></h2> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The outstanding feature of the Atlantic floor is the <span id="ref408433"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mid-Atlantic-Ridge" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mid-Atlantic Ridge</a>, an <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="immense" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/immense" data-type="EB">immense</a> median mountain range extending throughout the length of the Atlantic, claiming the centre third of the ocean bed, and reaching roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 km) in breadth. This feature, though of tremendous proportions, is but the Atlantic portion of the world-encircling <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/oceanic-ridge" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">oceanic ridge</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD11 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="95371" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/3173-050-5FFD1A09/pitch-continental-shelf-slope-way-rise-transition.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/41191/95371"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/3173-050-5FFD1A09/pitch-continental-shelf-slope-way-rise-transition.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/3173-050-5FFD1A09/pitch-continental-shelf-slope-way-rise-transition.jpg?w=300" alt="Elements of the continental margin" data-width="1600" data-height="881" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/3173-050-5FFD1A09/pitch-continental-shelf-slope-way-rise-transition.jpg" data-href="/media/1/41191/95371">Elements of the continental margin</a><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">In some places the Mid-Atlantic Ridge reaches above <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/sea-level" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">sea level</a> to form islands. Iceland, which rises from its crest, is rent by an extension of the median <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/rift-valley" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">rift valley</a>. East and west of the ridge, about 12,000 to 18,000 feet (3,700 to 5,500 metres) below sea level, lie basins that seem to present a relatively even profile, but parts of the basin floor are as mountainous as the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mid-Atlantic-Ridge" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mid-Atlantic Ridge</a>, while other parts are extremely smooth. The former are rocky <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/abyssal-hill" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">abyssal hills</a>; the latter are the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/abyssal-plain" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">abyssal plains</a> that form the upper surface of great ponds of mud that fill many of the broad depressions. Large ancient volcanoes are found singly or in rows in the basins; these rise to form seamounts and, occasionally, islands.</p><span class="marker MOD11 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD12 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">As the continents are approached and the rugged Mid-Atlantic Ridge is left behind, an abyssal plain first is encountered, followed by the smooth, undulating surface of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/continental-rise" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">continental rise</a>. These broad embankments, which lie at depths of some 8,000 to 15,000 feet (2,400 to 4,500 metres) at the foot of continents, reach more than 300 miles (500 km) in width off northwestern Africa, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Angola" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Angola</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Argentina" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Argentina</a>, and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Eastern-Seaboard" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Eastern Seaboard</a> of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">United States</a>. In other areas they are exceedingly narrow. Millions of years of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/weathering-geology" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">weathering</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/erosion-geology" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">erosion</a>, and riverine sediment <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="deposition" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deposition" data-type="MW">deposition</a> have contributed to creating the sloping continental rises that are characteristic of the Atlantic basin. It is beneath these slopes—in accumulations 10,000 to 50,000 feet (3,000 to 15,000 metres) thick—that some of the largest potential reserves on Earth of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/petroleum" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">petroleum</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/natural-gas" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">natural gas</a>, and coal are found.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD12 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD13 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lesser-Antilles" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Lesser Antilles</a> and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Sandwich-Islands" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">South Sandwich Islands</a> form large unstable <span id="ref408435"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/island-arc" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">island arcs</a>, where the greatest depths of the Atlantic are found in steep-sided, narrow gashes that drop to more than 25,000 feet (7,600 metres) below sea level and more than 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) below the floors of <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="adjacent" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adjacent" data-type="MW">adjacent</a> basins. Depths greater than 13,000 feet (4,000 metres) occur in the Caribbean basin, which has numerous shallow and several deep connections with the open ocean, and in a few parts of the Mediterranean Sea, which communicates with the Atlantic only through the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Strait-of-Gibraltar" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Strait of Gibraltar</a>. The strait is about 8 miles (13 km) wide at its narrowest point, and the maximum depth on its sill (submarine ridge between basins) is only a little more than 1,000 feet (300 metres). The partial isolation of the large seas adjacent to the Mediterranean has a profound effect on the conditions in the seas themselves as well as in the open ocean.</p><span class="marker MOD13 mod-inline"></span> </section> </section><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":9,"pageId":41191,"pageLength":1285,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"A","adLeg":"A","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Atlantic Ocean | Definition, Map, Depth, Temperature, Weather, & Facts | Britannica