what countries are connected to the atlantic ocean
Atlantic Sea
Oceans encompass nigh seventy.8% of the Earth's surface. They serve as the planet'south largest habitat and as well helps in regulating the global climate. The World Sea is divided into five major regions; the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is the world's second-largest Ocean later the Pacific Ocean. It covers approximately 29% of the total water surface and 20% of the Earth's full surface area. The Atlantic is Southward-shaped and sandwiched between North and South America to the due west and Africa and Europe to the east. It is connected to the other iv earth'south oceans and divided into Due north Atlantic and South Atlantic Sea by the equatorial counter current.
Contents:
- Origin Of The Name
- Origin And Development
- Geography
- Climate
- Hydrology
- Cursory History
- Marine Life
- Threats
Origin Of The Name
The oldest recorded mention of the name "Atlantic" was in the Histories of Herodotus of Ancient Greek around 450 BC. In the Greek linguistic communication, the word "Atlantis" loosely translates to "island of Atlas," or in some texts as "Sea of Atlas." However, even until 360 BC, there was still no mention of the ocean in any written linguistic communication, except for its mythological description by a Greek philosopher named Plato.
According to Greek mythology, Atlas (from where the Atlantic is derived) was a god responsible for holding up the sky for eternity. Atlas was given the responsibility of begetting the Earth's weight by Zeus. In most of the images, Atlas is depicted every bit bending while supporting a weight (Earth) on his shoulder. Likewise the Atlantic Ocean, the Atlas Mountains and water bodies off the Strait of Gibraltar, are named after him.
Origin And Development
The Atlantic Body of water'southward origin and development are based on plate tectonics and continental shelf theories. The Pangea, an ancient supercontinent, began rifting almost 180 million years ago. The rifting caused the Eastern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere to migrate apart, leading to the Atlantic Ocean Bowl germination. Equally tin can be seen from the earth maps, Europe and North America's continental shorelines, and those of Africa and South America, almost match. If these continental shelves' edges are matched, they fit almost perfectly.
The Atlantic Ocean'south underwater is dominated past the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), a submarine mount range, which runs approximately 190 miles between the N Pole and Bouvet Island. The ridge divides the ocean into two halves, with each half having series of basins, delimited by other ridges. Although virtually of the MAR is submerged underwater, some sections reach the water surface as volcanic islands. Nine of the MAR'south volcanic islands have been designated World Heritage Site because of their geological significance. MAR'south geology and physiography have been studied widely to empathise the plate tectonic theory that led to the Atlantic Ocean formation.
Geography
The Atlantic Ocean covers nigh 41.1 million square miles or 20% of the Earth'south total area. The North Atlantic Ocean spans 16.02 one thousand thousand square miles, while the South Atlantic Sea covers about 15.55 meg square miles. It is 27,480 anxiety deep at the deepest point (Puerto Rico Trench) but has an average depth of 11,962 feet below the water surface. Its volume is about 74.5 million cubic miles, while the shore length is 69,510 miles. Information technology is continued in the southwest to the Pacific Ocean, southeast to the Indian Ocean, the Chill Ocean in the north, and south to the Southern Sea.
The Atlantic Ocean's coast is characterized by features, such as bays, seas, and gulfs. The Ocean has numerous seas on its margins, of which 42 seas embrace at least 3,200 square miles. The Sea'south largest ocean is the Sargasso Body of water at 1.35 million square miles. It is the but Atlantic sea with no land boundary. The Caribbean Body of water, bordered by Central America, United mexican states, and the Greater Antilles, is the second-largest body of water, spanning virtually 1.one million square miles. Sargasso and the Caribbean Sea are the world'southward 5th and 10th largest seas. Other seas of the Atlantic Body of water are the Mediterranean Body of water, Gulf of Guinea, Gulf of Mexico, Norwegian Sea, Hudson Bay, Greenland Sea, and the Argentinian Sea.
Climate
The Atlantic Ocean's climate is influenced by several factors, including wind, water current, and surface water temperature. Although maritime climates are prevalent, they are moderate with little seasonal variations. The North Atlantic weather is adamant past the amount of air mass and current of air current originating from Due north America. Since the atmospheric pressure near Republic of iceland is low, air oftentimes flows in a counterclockwise direction. However, the region near the Azores is a high-pressure surface area. When the depression and high atmospheric pressures meet, westerly winds form and prevail beyond Western Europe and the N Atlantic.
Latitudes determine the Ocean's climatic zones. The warmer zones prevail on the north of the equator, while the coldest zones are on higher latitudes. The coldest regions are mainly areas covered by ice. The body of water currents play an of import role in determining the climate by transporting cold or warm water to other regions. Cool or warm winds influence the climate of the surrounding areas when they blow over these currents.
Hydrology
The ocean'south surface water temperature is influenced by factors, such as seasons, the electric current organization, and latitude. It ranges from 28 degrees Fahrenheit to over 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The highest temperatures are recorded north of the equator, while Polar Regions record minimum values. Sea ice often covers the ocean'south surface between Oct and June in Denmark Strait, Labrador Sea, and Baltic Sea. The Coriolis Effect causes the South Atlantic water to circulate in an anticlockwise motion and North Atlantic h2o to broadcast in a clockwise direction.
The Atlantic Ocean is the world's saltiest ocean, with the salinity level ranging from iii.iii% to iii.7%. The surface salinity is influenced by precipitation, evaporation, body of water ice melting, and inflow from rivers. The region to the north of the equator has the lowest saline values due to heavy tropical rains. The tropical regions are the well-nigh saline due to the high evaporation rate and low precipitation.
The Atlantic tides have been studied since ancient times. Equally early every bit 600 CE, Monks observed the tidal movements forth the English coast to sympathise the relationship between the tides and phases of the moon and the sun's position. The Atlantic basin tides are considered a single phenomenon. Several circuitous factors influence the tides' speed, dimension, course, and behavior, including seafloor topography, seafloor features, and current and wind patterns. Semidiurnal, the most prevalent tide, is characterized by two low and two high tides daily and occurs on the body of water'south eastern margins. Mixed tides are prevalent in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Brief History
In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed to America's declension under the Castilian flag. In 1498, Vasco da Gama proved that the Indian and Atlantic oceans were connected, after successfully reaching India through the Cape of Good Hope under the Portuguese flag. Ii years after, Pedro Alvares Cabral'south vessel drifted to Brazil while on his way to India. Presently later on, the Spanish and Portuguese colonized much of the New World territories and confined the Amerindians to slavery. However, the ii colonizers frequently conflicted, leading to series of Spanish-Portuguese Wars.
Between the 15th and the late 19th centuries, the Atlantic slave trade thrived across the Atlantic Ocean, with over 10 million Africans exported to the Americas as slaves. The US and British Empire officially abolished the slave trade in 1808, but slavery was abolished in 1838 (by the British) and 1865 (by the U.s.). Trans-Atlantic trade was crucial for Europe between 1500 and 1800, with countries such as hurting, Portugal, France, Britain, and holland having direct access to the body of water.
Marine Life
The Atlantic Sea is home to innumerable species of marine flora and fauna. It ranges from microscopic algae and phytoplanktons as primary producers to noon predators like whales, sharks, etc. The sea is too home to several threatened marine animals including several species of sea turtles, whales, manatees, etc. Thousands of fish species live in the bounding main and provide food and a source of livelihood through line-fishing for millions of people.
Threats
Marine pollution is a major issue currently threatening the ecosystem of the Atlantic Ocean. Littering along the beaches, the dumping of wastes and sewage into the ocean waters, and polluted rivers emptying into the sea, are some of the sources polluting the Atlantic Ocean. Climate change also threatens the flora and fauna of the ocean and the lives of those living forth the Atlantic coastline. As per predictions by researchers, warmer sea surface temperature volition result in a increased hurricane activity over the Atlantic. Fishing stocks are too decreasing in the ocean due to unregulated and indiscriminate line-fishing practices past many countries. The problem of bycatch is too killing threatened marine animate being like turtles and whales.
Source: https://www.worldatlas.com/oceans/atlantic-ocean.html
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