The Indian Ocean is the first ocean to be discovered by great pioneers. Today Indian Ocean covers about 20% water surface Earth and is considered the third largest basin of the World Ocean. Most of the Indian Ocean is located in Southern Hemisphere. The Indian Ocean washes the shores of Africa, Asia, Antarctica and Australia.
The Indian Ocean includes several seas and gulfs - the Red, Arabian, Andaman Seas, as well as the Persian, Oman, Great Australian, Aden and Bengal Bays. World-famous tourist islands such as Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Seychelles and Maldives are also part of the Indian Ocean.
The first voyages to the Indian Ocean were made back in the days of the most ancient centers of civilization. It is believed that the first written civilization, the Sumerians, were the first to conquer the Indian Ocean. Back in the 4th millennium BC, the Sumerians, who lived in the southeast of Mesopotamia, made voyages to the Persian Gulf. In the 6th century BC, the Phoenicians were the conquerors of the ocean. With the advent of our era, the Indian Ocean began to be explored by the inhabitants of India, China and Arab countries. In the 8th-10th centuries, China and India established constant trade relations with each other.
The first attempt to explore the Indian Ocean during the Great geographical discoveries undertaken by the Portuguese navigator Peru da Covilhã (1489-1492). The Indian Ocean owes its name to one of the most famous navigators of the era of great geographical discoveries - Vasco da Gama. His expedition crossed the Indian Ocean in the spring of 1498 and arrived at south coast India. It was in honor of the rich and beautiful India that the ocean was named Indian. Until 1490, the ocean was called the Eastern Ocean. And the ancient people, believing that this large sea, called the ocean the Erythraean Sea, the Great Gulf and the Indian Red Sea.
The average temperature of the Indian Ocean is 3.8 degrees Celsius. Highest temperature water observed in the Persian Gulf - over 34 degrees. In the Antarctic waters of the Indian Ocean, the temperature surface waters drops to 1 degree. The ice of the Indian Ocean is seasonal. Permanent ice found only in Antarctica.
The Indian Ocean is rich in oil and gas deposits. The largest geological reserves of oil and gas are located in the waters of the Persian Gulf. There are also several oil fields on the shelves of Australia and Bangladesh. Gas deposits have been identified in almost all seas included in the Indian Ocean basin. In addition, the ocean is rich in deposits of other minerals.
The Indian Ocean is interesting because amazing luminous circles appear on its surface from time to time. Scientists cannot yet explain the nature of the appearance of these phenomena. Presumably, these circles arise as a result of a large concentration of plankton, which tends to float up and form luminous circles on the surface.
Second world war The Indian Ocean was not spared either. In the spring of 1942, in the waters of the Indian Ocean, military operation, known as the Indian Ocean Raid. During the operation Imperial Navy Japan defeated the eastern fleet British Empire. These are not the only military battles that took place in the ocean waters. In 1990, a battle took place in the waters of the Red Sea between the Soviet artillery boat AK-312 and Eritrean armed boats.
The history of the Indian Ocean is rich and interesting. The waters of the ocean contain many mysteries and secrets that rich history humanity have never been solved.
Bookmark this page:The school course in geography includes the study of the largest water areas - the oceans. This topic is quite interesting. Students are happy to prepare reports and essays on it. This article will present information that contains a description of the geographical location of the Indian Ocean, its characteristics and features. So let's get started.
Brief description of the Indian Ocean
By scale and quantity water reserves The Indian Ocean is comfortably in third place, behind the Pacific and Atlantic. A significant part of it is located on the territory of the Southern Hemisphere of our planet, and its natural apertures are:
- Southern part of Eurasia in the north.
- East coast of Africa in the west.
- Northern and northwestern coasts of Australia in the east.
- Northern part of Antarctica in the south.
In order to indicate the exact geographical location Indian Ocean, you'll need a map. It can also be used during a presentation. So, on the world map the water area has the following coordinates: 14°05′33.68″ south latitude and 76°18′38.01″ east longitude.
According to one version, the ocean in question was first named Indian in the work of the Portuguese scientist S. Munster entitled “Cosmography,” which was published in 1555.
Characteristic
The total, taking into account all the seas included in its composition, is 76.174 million square meters. km, depth ( average) is more than 3.7 thousand meters, and the maximum was recorded at over 7.7 thousand meters.
The geographical location of the Indian Ocean has its own characteristics. Due to its large size, it is located in several climatic zones. It is also worth paying attention to the size of the water area. For example, the maximum width is between Linde Bay and the Toros Strait. The length from west to east is almost 12 thousand km. And if we consider the ocean from north to south, then the most big indicator will be from Cape Ras Jaddi to Antarctica. This distance is 10.2 thousand km.
Features of the water area
When studying the geographic features of the Indian Ocean, it is necessary to consider its boundaries. First, let us note that the entire water area is in eastern hemisphere. On the southwestern side it borders on the Atlantic Ocean. In order to see this place on the map, you need to find 20° along the meridian. d. The border with the Pacific Ocean is in the southeast. It runs along the 147° meridian. D. S Northern Arctic Ocean Indian is not reported. Its border in the north is the most big continent- Eurasia.
The structure of the coastline has weak dissection. There are several large bays and 8 seas. There are relatively few islands. The largest are Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Kuria-Muria, Madagascar, etc.
Bottom relief
The description will not be complete if we do not consider the features of the relief.
The Central Indian Ridge is an underwater formation that is located in the central part of the water area. Its length is about 2.3 thousand km. The width of the relief formation is within 800 km. The height of the ridge is more than 1 thousand m. Some peaks protrude from the water, forming volcanic islands.
The West Indian Ridge is located in the southwestern part of the ocean. There is an increased seismic activity. The length of the ridge is about 4 thousand km. But in width it is approximately half the size of the previous one.
The Arabian-Indian Ridge is an underwater relief formation. It is located in the northwestern part of the water area. Its length is slightly less than 4 thousand km, and its width is about 650 km. IN end point(Rodriguez Island) passes into the Central Indian Ridge.
The floor of the Indian Ocean is made up of sediments Cretaceous period. In some places their thickness reaches 3 km. It is approximately 4,500 km long and its width varies from 10 to 50 km. It's called Javanese. The depth of the depression is 7729 m (the largest in the Indian Ocean).
Climatic features
One of the most important circumstances in climate formation is the geographical position of the Indian Ocean relative to the equator. It divides the water area into two parts (the largest is in the south). Naturally, this location affects temperature fluctuations and precipitation. Most high temperatures recorded in the waters of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Here the average is +35 °C. And in southern point temperatures can drop to -16°C in winter and -4 degrees in summer.
The northern part of the ocean is located in a hot climate zone, due to which its waters are among the warmest in the World Ocean. Here it is mainly influenced by the Asian continent. Thanks to the current situation, there are only two seasons in the northern part - a hot, rainy summer and a cool, cloudless winter. As for the climate in this part of the water area, it practically does not change throughout the year.
Considering the geographical location of the Indian Ocean, it is worth noting that its largest part is under the influence of air currents. From this we can conclude: the climate is mainly formed due to monsoons. IN summer period Areas with low pressure are established over land, and areas with high pressure over the ocean. During this season, the wet monsoon flows from west to east. In winter, the situation changes, and then the dry monsoon begins to dominate, which comes from the east and moves to the west.
In the southern part of the water area the climate is more severe, since it lies in the subarctic zone. Here the ocean is influenced by its proximity to Antarctica. Off the coast of this continent average temperature is fixed at -1.5 °C, and the buoyancy limit of ice reaches 60° parallel.
Let's sum it up
The geographical location of the Indian Ocean is very important question who deserves special attention. Because enough large sizes This water area has many features. Along the coastline in a huge number there are cliffs, estuaries, atolls, and coral reefs. It is also worth noting such islands as Madagascar, Socotra, and the Maldives. They represent sections A Andaman and Nicobar originated from volcanoes that rose to the surface.
After studying the proposed material, each student will be able to present an informative and interesting presentation.
Ocean area – 76.2 million sq. km;
Maximum depth – Sunda Trench, 7729 m;
Number of seas – 11;
The largest seas are the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea;
The largest bay is the Bay of Bengal;
The most large islands– Madagascar island, Sri Lanka;
The strongest currents:
- warm - South Passatnoe, Monsoon;
- cold - Western Winds, Somali.
The Indian Ocean ranks third in size. Most of it is located in the Southern Hemisphere. In the north it washes the shores of Eurasia, in the west – Africa, in the south – Antarctica, and in the east – Australia. Coastline The Indian Ocean is slightly indented. WITH north side The Indian Ocean is seemingly shrouded in land, making it the only ocean that is not connected to the Arctic Ocean.
The Indian Ocean was formed as a result of the splitting of the ancient continent of Gondwana into parts. It lies within three lithospheric plates– Indo-Australian, African and Antarctic. The mid-ocean ridges of the Arabian-Indian, West Indian and Australian-Antarctic are the boundaries between these plates. Underwater ridges and elevations divide ocean bed into separate basins. The ocean shelf zone is very narrow. Most of the ocean lies within the boundaries of the bed and has considerable depth.
From the north, the Indian Ocean is reliably protected by mountains from the penetration of cold air masses. Therefore, the temperature of surface waters in the northern part of the ocean reaches +29 ˚С, and in the summer in the Persian Gulf it rises to +30...+35 ˚С.
An important feature of the Indian Ocean is the monsoon winds and the monsoon current created by them, which changes its direction seasonally. Hurricanes are frequent, especially around the island of Madagascar.
The coldest areas of the ocean are in the south, where the influence of Antarctica is felt. Icebergs are found in this part of the Pacific Ocean.
The salinity of surface waters is higher than in the World Ocean. The salinity record was recorded in the Red Sea – 41%.
The organic world of the Indian Ocean is diverse. Tropical water masses rich in plankton. The most common fish include: sardinella, mackerel, tuna, mackerel, flounder, flying fish and numerous sharks.
Shelf areas and coral reefs are especially rich in life. In the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean there are giant sea turtles, sea snakes, a lot of squid, cuttlefish, and starfish. Whales and seals are found closer to Antarctica. Pearls are mined in the Persian Gulf near the island of Sri Lanka.
Across the Indian Ocean mostly in its northern part there are important shipping routes. Dug at the end of the 19th century, the Suez Canal connects the Indian Ocean with Mediterranean Sea.
The first information about the Indian Ocean was collected 3 thousand years BC by Indian, Egyptian and Phoenician sailors. The first sailing routes in the Indian Ocean were drawn up by the Arabs.
Vasco da Gama, after the discovery of India in 1499, Europeans began to explore the Indian Ocean. English navigator James Cook made the first measurements of the depth of the ocean during the expedition.
A comprehensive study of the nature of the Indian Ocean begins at the end of the nineteenth century.
Nowadays warm waters and the picturesque coral islands of the Indian Ocean, which attract the attention of tourists from different countries world, are carefully studied by numerous scientific expeditions from all over the world.
Indian Ocean- most warm ocean of our planet. Occupying a fifth of the Earth's surface, the Indian Ocean is not the largest ocean, but it has rich flora and fauna, as well as a lot of other advantages.
Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean takes up 20% of everything globe. This ocean is characterized by a rich and diverse natural life. 
shows huge territories and a large number of interesting islands for researchers and tourists. If you don't yet know where it is located Indian Ocean map will tell you.
Indian Ocean Current Map
The underwater world of the Indian Ocean
Rich and varied underwater world of the Indian Ocean. In it you can find both very small aquatic inhabitants and large and dangerous representatives of the aquatic world.
Since ancient times, man has been trying to subjugate the ocean and its inhabitants. In all ages on the inhabitants underwater world There was a hunt going on in the Indian Ocean.
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There are even those that can cause trouble for a person. For example, these are sea anemones that live in almost all the seas and oceans of our planet. Sea anemones can be found not only in the depths, but also in the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean. They almost always feel hungry, so they sit hidden with their tentacles widely spaced. Predatory representatives of this species are poisonous. Their shot can hit small organisms and also cause burns in people. They live in the waters of the Indian Ocean sea urchins, seals, the most exotic species of fish. Flora varied, which makes diving truly exciting.
Fishes in the Indian Ocean
By studying geography, a person becomes better acquainted with the planet on which he lives, gets an idea of the scale of the world and learns to treat nature more carefully, admiring its unique corners. Oceans are one of the most impressive themes possible. Each of these huge bodies of water is worthy of attention. Let's take a closer look at the Indian Ocean today.
Features and history
Before studying which continents are washed by the Indian Ocean, it is worth finding out details about it itself. It is slightly smaller in size than Quiet and Tak, its area is 76 million square kilometers. The ocean extends most widely in the Southern Hemisphere, and in the Northern Hemisphere it rather resembles a sea. The ancients perceived it precisely in this capacity, and only changed their ideas about this territory. The first European to collect information about it was Vasco da Gama, and after him James Cook came here. Today people know much more than before. Average depth The ocean is almost four kilometers long. Its deepest point is the Java Trench. Here the ocean depth is 7729 meters. Pacific Ocean is known for its blue color, while the waters of its Indian counterpart are clear and famous for their azure hue. This is due to the fact that little flows into it fresh rivers. Therefore, the seas associated with it are distinguished by record salinity - the Red Sea is famous for this throughout the world. However, the Indian Ocean is full of life. Fishing, pearl searching, gas and oil extraction from the bottom, and even precious stones, such as emeralds or diamonds.
Washed continents
So, the basic information has been studied. Now you can find out which continents are washed by the Indian Ocean. Despite their rather modest compared to Quiet and Atlantic Oceans size, it is located next to four continents at once. These are Eurasia, Africa, Australia and Antarctica. Due to this location, ocean waters change their temperature from +30 degrees at the equator to +1 o C closer to the pole. The maximum length is 10,000 kilometers. Along the entire length of the ocean from west to east there are various climatic zones, in the Indian Ocean all are present possible options. In the north - the most warm region. Hot currents pass here, separating the region from the cold masses. The hot spot is different maximum temperature not only for a specific ocean, but for the entire planet as a whole. With every ten kilometers towards the pole, the degree decreases. Salinity also changes, but reverse order. In the region off the coast of Eurasia, the waters are strongly influenced by monsoons, changing the directions of currents. Now you can easily list the continents that are washed by the Indian Ocean, and you can even explain what its features are in different parts planets.
Coastal states
Having studied which continents are washed by the Indian Ocean, you can move on to more specific information. There are quite a lot of countries located on the coast of this huge water basin. These are both mainland and island states; the latter are worth considering separately. So, which countries are washed by the Indian Ocean? These countries include India, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Madagascar, Somalia, Oman, Seychelles, Kenya, Tanzania, Comoros, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Mauritius and South Africa. Many of them become popular tourist destinations precisely because of their favorable location, and in some it is associated with most production.
Island states
Having figured out which countries are washed by the Indian Ocean, it is worth dwelling on some of them in more detail. The island states here are few in number, but each has its own unique natural conditions and is popular among tourists. The most famous, perhaps, is Madagascar, which was once a French colony. No less popular is Sri Lanka - a beautiful resort, a place of tea plantations and legendary elephants. There are also volcanic islands in the Indian Ocean (Prince Edward, Mascarene, Crozet). Largest islands, which are washed by the Indian Ocean, in addition to Madagascar, are included in groups such as Maldives, Andaman or Coconut.
Seas
An educated person can easily answer not only the question of which continents are washed by the Indian Ocean. It is also necessary to know the seas that belong to its basin. The Indian Ocean lags behind others in their number, as well as in size. The largest is the Red Sea located in the north. The Arabian and Andaman seas are also large. In the eastern part there are the Timorese, Laccadive and Due to their physical and geographical characteristics, two bays can also be included - the Bengal and the Persian. In the south there are territories that are sometimes referred to as an unofficial basin South Sea(Cosmonauts, Davis, Commonwealth, D'Urville and Riiser-Larsen, which differ from those listed above by a significantly lower water temperature associated with their location near Antarctica).
Currents
It is worth paying attention to this component of the pool. The type of water that the Indian Ocean washes directly affects the temperature of the currents entering it. Warm ones, laying their routes in the north or west, are called the South Trade Wind, Madagascar and Agulhas. There are two cold currents in the Indian Ocean. This is the Western Winds Current, which carries its waters in the southernmost part, and the Western Australian Current, which has its “registration” in the east of the basin. Distinctive feature most of the listed currents is strongly expressed seasonal variation directions of surface waters. In the northeast of the ocean, this is directly related to the presence in this region large quantity regular tropical monsoons.
