Covering the entire area south of the Indian subcontinent, the Indian Ocean is a massive feature of the planet’s geographical blueprint. Read along to know 10 interesting facts about the Indian Ocean.
Indian Ocean is one of the-largest Ocean in the world
This Ocean’s area is strategically located. It is also the third-biggest of the world’s five oceans. It is over 6200 miles between the southern end of Africa and Australia. This does not include the extent of its marginal water bodies.
Another Indian Ocean fact is that it has an area of around 27,243,000 square miles that is about 70,560,000 square kilometres. The average depth is 12,274 feet we can say 3,741 metres.
One more Indian ocean fact is that it is surrounded by Iran, India, Pakistan also Bangladesh from the north. The east had the the Malay Peninsula, Sunda islands of Indonesia and Australia. While the Southern Ocean towards the south and Africa also the Arabian Peninsula from the west. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean. Th oceam mingles with the Pacific Ocean waters from the southeast.
Indian Ocean has important maritime chokepoints, Gulfs and Bays
It has crucial chokepoints such as the the Bab el Mandeb, the Strait of Hormuz, also Strait of Malacca, the southern reach to the Suez Canal and the Lombak Strait.
Going north of this ocean is the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. To the northwest we have the Arabian sea, and in the northeast is the Andaman sea. The well travelled gulfs of Aden and Oman are to the northwest. Also, the Bay of Bengal is to the northeast. The Great Australian Bight is found off the southern Australian Coast.
It is a vital geographic entity
This ocean is is not the same as the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in various respects. The Northern Hemisphere is has land all around and does not go to the Arctic waters. This ocean has less islands and a smaller continental shelf.
The question of defining the exact boundaries remains a point of dispute. The most thought border is one with the Atlantic, going from Cape Agulhas, from the southern areas of Africa further southward. The Pacific Ocean border is considered from South East Cape in Tasmania island along the 147° E meridian.
Indian Ocean Covers one-fifth of the Earth’s Surface
The first bit of Indian Ocean facts that gets hold of anyone’s attention is its size. Also, it does not just look very big. It is huge. Covering almost a fifth of the earth’s total surface. Thus, the Indian Ocean makes a huge contribution to the water total of the world.
Owing to its vast size, this Indian Ocean has a great volume of 292,131,000 cubic kilometres, with an average depth of 3890 meters.
Strategically positioned on the earth’s surface
One more Indian Ocean fact is that it is bound by several continents on each side. The north has the Indian subcontinent. We have Africa towards the west, The Sunda Islands in addition Australian lands towards the east and Antarctica when you go south.
The geographical details about the Indian Ocean depict the diversity of this Ocean through dozens of island groups, 16 African nations and 18 Asian countries being linked directly through its waters. Many other smaller ports or bigger cities are connected indirectly via navigational options of this Ocean.
It is essential for World geopolitics
A country that has a top level security position in the Indian Ocean could be viable for other littoral countries lying on the Indian ocean coastline such as Africa, the countries in the Arab world and South Asia. After the end of world war 2, nations focussed on internal economic and security prob,ems.
The island nations grouped into smaller regions while dividing the Ocean marking the Eastern Indian Ocean also the Western Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean is a major water body, and it played a big role in the Cold War when the world was divided into two allianced headed by the United States and the USSR. India, on the other hand, maintained a position of neutrality.
The Highest elevation is at the Sea Level Itself
Owing to the Ocean’s depth, it is a very interesting Indian Ocean facts is that the lowest part of this Ocean is about 7,300 m deep-lying on the Java Trench in the Sunda Shelf. At the same time its highest point is at sea level.
Limited Marine Life Due To Hot Water Temperatures
A somewhat interesting bit of Indian Ocean facts is the lesser amount of marine animal life due to its warmer water temperature. The Ocean is the warmest on the planet and offers little scope to plankton and different species for growth.
Shrimp and tuna are there in abundance in this ocean. These are also caught and shipped to European countries. Many endangered species are found in this ocean. These creatures are threatened by illegal fishing while other unlawful activities like human trafficking, maritime piracy, drug smuggling and other activiy, also happen via important waterways like the Indian Ocean.
Has Unique Chemical and Physical Properties
This Ocean holds a unique place due to its properties. As said in the Indian Ocean facts, the water in this has the highest concentration of dissolved and floating hydrocarbons. It has maximum negative water balance and is the only source of water with the highest and lowest salinity levels.
Has Several Tectonic Plate Boundaries
The Indian Ocean basin was formed after the break up of the supercontinent Gondwanaland about 180 million years ago. The Indian subcontinent began moving towards the north 125 million years ago, closer to Eurasia. Roughly 53 million years ago, Africa travelled westward, and Australia disconnected from Antarctica.
Around 36 million years in the past, this great ocean took its current shape. It opened roughly 140 million years ago; the Ocean basin is only 80 million years old. It has a lot of ridges and a seismically active mountain range, component of the world’s ocean ridge system.
One of the little-known facts related to this Ocean is that it bears great tectonic plate boundaries, includes the Rodrigues Triple Point, where African, Indo-Australian, and Antarctic continental plates merge.
