Ocean Planet Exhibition Floorplan
Location: body of water between
Africa, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica
Map references:
Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area 73.6 million sq km
comparative area slightly less
than eight times the size of the US; third-largest ocean (after the Pacific
Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean)
note
includes Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Malacca,
Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Oman, Mozambique Channel, and other tributary
water bodies
Coastline: 66,526 km
International disputes:
some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
Climate:
northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October);
tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the north
Indian Ocean and January/February in the south Indian Ocean
Terrain: surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular
system of currents) in the south Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface
currents in the north 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 Ninety
East Ridge; maximum depth is 7,258 meters in the Java Trench
Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel
aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules
Environment:
current issues endangered marine species include the dugong,
seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf,
and Red Sea
natural hazards NA
international agreements
NA
Note: major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb,
Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and
the Lombok Strait; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme south
near Antarctica from May to October
Digraph: XO
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 oil fields 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, 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.
Industries: based on exploitation of natural
resources, particularly fish, minerals, oil and gas, fishing, sand and gravel
Ports: Bombay (India),
Calcutta (India), Madras (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa),
Fremantle (Australia), Jakarta (Indonesia), Melbourne (Australia), Richards
Bay (South Africa)
Telecommunications: submarine cables
from India to United Arab Emirates and Malaysia, and from Sri Lanka to Djibouti
and Indonesia
Ocean Planet Exhibition Floorplan
gene carl feldman (gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428