Indian Ocean: the depth of the ocean. The bottom of the Indian Ocean. Temperature and relief of the Indian Ocean

Our planet is magnificent in every respect: a huge variety of vegetation, the untold wealth of the animal kingdom and the endless abundance of aquatic inhabitants. All this and much more is contained on our most beautiful Earth.

Surely everyone knows that on our planet there are four immense oceans. All of them are gorgeous in their own way. Quiet, for example, the largest, the Atlantic - salty, the Arctic - cold, and the Indian - the warmest. That's the last we will devote our article.

Do you know that the Indian Ocean is the third largest? Its area is no less, 76.17 million km, and this is 20% of the world. So what secrets does our mysterious hero keep? Let's see below.

General information about the location

In the north, the ocean is washed by mysterious Asia, in the east - adventurous Australia, in the west - solar Africa, and in the south - frosty Antarctica. At 30 ^{on the} meridian of the northern latitude is the highest point of the Indian Ocean. It is located in the Persian Gulf. The border with the Atlantic Ocean runs along the meridian of the eastern longitude, and along the meridian of the eastern longitude there is a border with the Atlantic Ocean, with the Pacific at 146 ^o 55 of the same longitude. The length of the Indian Ocean is 100,000 km.

A few words about the history

Some areas of ancient civilizations were located exactly on the shores of our hero. Researchers argue that one of the earliest seafaring was realized on the waters of the Indian Ocean, about 6 thousand years ago. The Arab seamen described in detail the ocean route. The first geographic information appeared in the 90s of the 15th century, even during the life of Vasco de Gama himself, the first in the history to overcome the path from Europe to India. It was he who told about the countless water beauties that the Indian Ocean provided.

The depth of the ocean was first measured by the world famous sailor James Cook, famous for his round-the-world expeditions and numerous discoveries in the field of geography. To study the ocean in all respects began in the XIX century, members of one of the famous British expeditions, plowing endless expanses on the famous vessel "Challenger".

Which countries are washed by the Indian Ocean?

This giant is washed by a huge number of states, both mainland and island.

Mainland countries of the Indian Ocean:

- India;

- Australia;

- Thailand;

- Saudi Arabia;

- Iran;

- Iraq;

- Indonesia;

- Egypt;

- Somalia;

- Kenya;

- South Africa;

- Pakistan;

- United Arab Emirates;

- Myanmar;

- Malaysia;

- Mozambique;

- Bangladesh;

- Oman.

Island countries of the Indian Ocean:

- Mauritius;

- The Maldives;

- Sri Lanka;

- Madagascar;

- The Seychelles.

Here is such an immense Indian Ocean.

Depth of the ocean

The Indian Ocean has five seas in its composition. They form the depth and area of our hero. So, for example, the Arabian Sea is one of the deepest in the Indian Ocean. A significant point is on the mid-oceanic ridge, in its center, where the rift valley is located. The depth to it is no less than 3600 m. The deepest point of the Indian Ocean lies near the island of Java, in the Javan Depression, and is 7455 m. Unlike the Pacific, this is not enough, because its maximum depth is 11022 m. ( Mariana Trench).

The climate of the Indian Ocean

Most of the ocean lies in the tropical, equatorial and subequatorial belts, only its southern region is in high latitudes.

The climate represents monsoons and seasonal winds in the northern part of the ocean. In this area, there are two seasons: a warm, calm winter and a hot, rainy, cloudy, stormy summer. Closer to the south is the south-east trade wind. In the temperate latitudes a strong west wind constantly prevails. The maximum amount of precipitation is observed in the equatorial belt (about 3000 mm per year). Minimum - off the coast of the Red Sea, Arabia, in the Persian Gulf.

Salinity

The maximum salinity of the surface waters of the Indian Ocean is in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf (41%). Also, a high salinity coefficient is also observed in the southern tropics in the eastern part. As we move towards the Bay of Bengal, the figures are significantly reduced - to 34%.

In many respects, the increase in the coefficient of salinity from precipitation and evaporation depends.

Minimal indicators are typical for the territory of Antarctic waters. As a rule, glacier melting affects this coefficient in this area.

Temperature

The temperature of the Indian Ocean on the water surface is +29 ^о С. This is the highest indicator. Less observed in the African coast, where the Somali current runs - + 22-23 ^o C. At the equator, the surface water temperature averages + 26-28 ^o C. If you move south, it reaches -1 ^o C (off the coast of Antarctica).

Icebergs also make their contribution to temperature changes, which in rare cases swim to the territory of southern latitudes.

Apparently, the average temperature of the Indian Ocean as a whole is high, which is why our hero was awarded the title of "the warmest ocean in the world".

Bays

The Indian Ocean has 19 bays (3 of them belong to the Red Sea):

1. The Gulf of Aden. It is quite important in the economy. It is used to transport gas and oil to Europe. The bay connects with the Bab el Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea. It is an integral part of the Arabian Sea. The length of it is 890 km square. In recent years, piratical robberies have increased in the Gulf of Aden.
2. The Great Australian Gulf. The length is 1335 thousand sq. Km. The depth is 5670 km. The bay stretches from the Western Cape to the cape, located in Tasmania.
3. Carpentaria. The depth is 69 m. The bay belongs to the Arafura Sea. Leaves inland for 600 km.
4. Shark. It is located 650 km from the city of Perth. All the bays of the Indian Ocean have their own history and characteristics, Sharke is the only legacy of UNESCO. Annually, its natural beauty attracts 120,000 tourists a year.
5. Spencer. Located in South Australia. Its length is 322 km, width is 129 km. Washes the peninsulas of York and Eyre.
6. Van Diemen. It was named by the discoverer Abel Tasman in honor of Governor-General Antoni Van Diemen. The area of the bay is 14,000 square meters. Km.
7. Manza. Located on the coast of Tanzania, 16 km from the city of Tanga.
8. Cambay Bay. It is an important trade center that connects the trade routes of the Indian Ocean with India. The length is 130 km.
9. The Gulf of Oman. It connects the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea. Its length is 45 km, its width is 330 km, its depth is 3695 km.
10. Joseph Bonaparte. Named after the elder brother of Napoleon. Its area is 26,780 km2. In this bay there are numerous oil fields.
11. Maputo. Its length is 112 km, depth - 16 m, width - 40 km. In this bay fishery is well developed, in particular catching shrimp.
12. Saint Vincent. One of the largest bays in southern Australia.
13. Persian Gulf. They are rich in oil reserves. It is the most important geopolitical object. The area is 233000 km square, the depth is 75 m, the width is 320 km, the length is 925 km.
14. Tajur. Washes Djibouti and Somalia. On the initiative of NI Ashinov, a village called "New Moscow" was erected on its territory.
15. Phang Ng. Is popular with tourists. Area - 400 square meters. Km.
16. Moutam. Washes the coast of Myanmar. The length is 150 km, the width is 220 km, the depth is 20 m.
17. The Manar bay. The richest representative of flora and fauna in the Indian Ocean. Inhabits more than 3500 species of fish. The extraction of pearls is developed. On the territory of the Gulf, a national park was created, later declared a biosphere reserve.

Bays of the Indian Ocean of the Red Sea

1. Aqaba. In recent years, has acquired a resort value. The length is 175 km, the width is 29 km. The West Bank belongs to Egypt, the eastern bank to Saudi Arabia, the northern one to Jordan and Israel.
2. Makadi. Attracts tourists with its amazing coral beaches. It is a bay stretching for 30 km along the shore of the Red Sea.
3. The Gulf of Suez. Separates the Asian Sinai Peninsula from Africa. Length - 290 km, width - 55 km.

Relief

The relief of the Indian Ocean is characterized by the presence on its depth of the ridge called the Indian central ridge. It stretches along the western shores of Hindustan. The average depth over it is 3.5 km. In some places it decreases and is already about 2.4 km. After this, the ridge branches. The first branch goes towards the east and reaches the territory of the Pacific Ocean, almost touching Antarctica, and ends at the Australian-Antarctic Uplift, the depth over which is 3.5 km.

The other branch goes to Antarctica to the south and ends with a ridge called Kargelen-Gaussberg, the minimum depth over which is 0.5 km, the maximum depth is 2.3 km.

The central Indian ridge divides the ocean into two different parts: the western and the eastern. On the territory of the eastern is the Indian-Australian and South-Australian basins, the depths over which range from 500 to 7455 m. In the north-eastern part of the Indian-Australian basin there is the deepest depression that the Indian Ocean has. The depth of the ocean, more precisely, its maximum point, is near the island of Java (7455 m).

The bottom of the Indian Ocean in the western relief part differs significantly from the eastern one, it is more complex in structure. This is due to the fact that on the latter, a considerable increase in the bottom is often carried out (due to this in most cases small islands are formed) and the uneven arrangement of the basins.

North of the island of Madagascar is a hollow called Somalia, the depth over which is 5.2 km. South of the island is a plateau, called Crozet, surrounded from all sides by basins. The depth above it is 2.5 km. If you move to the northeast, the Central Indian hollow appears. The depth above it is 5.5 km. Between Madagascar and Crozet, slightly to the north, there is a basin called Madagascar with a depth of 5.78 km. To the south is the hollow belonging to the Iglousn Cape, the depth over which is 5.5 km. The relief of the Indian Ocean towards the Antarctic is characterized by the presence of the bottom. The depth above this area reaches 5.8 km.

Flora and fauna

The nature of the Indian Ocean is diverse and very interesting. Here live animals and plants that are used to regular droughts and floods.

Many tropical shores of the Indian Ocean are represented by mangrove thickets, or rhizophores (mangroves). Of the animals in this area, there are numerous varieties of crabs. A fish called a mud-plucked diver inhabits almost the entire territory of the mangrove area of the Indian Ocean.

In the shallow waters of tropical waters, corals with fish inhabiting them and numerous invertebrates took root.

In temperate zones, brown, blue-green and red algae grow , most of them are laminaria, microcystis and fucus. Among the phytoplankton, diatoms predominate, and in the tropical zones - peridines.

The most famous cancers, which predominate in the Indian Ocean, are copepods. Now they number more than 20 thousand species. In second place among the animals that live in this ocean, there are jellyfish and squid. Among the fish are known tuna, sailfish, flying fish, daffodils and light anchovies.

Have chosen the territory of the ocean and dangerous species of animals. Sharks, crocodiles and poisonous snakes regularly instill fear on local residents.

Of mammals in the Indian Ocean, dolphins, whales, dugongs and seals are predominant. Birds are penguins, albatrosses and frigates.

Pool

The basin of the Indian Ocean is quite diverse. It includes African rivers - Zambezi and Limpopo; The largest Asian rivers - Irrawaddy, Salween; Euphrates and Tigris, which merge with each other just above the confluence of the Persian Gulf; Indus, flowing into the Arabian Sea.

Fisheries and marine fishing

The coastal population has been engaged in economic activity for quite some time. And to this day catching fish and seafood is of great importance for the economies of many countries that bathe the Indian Ocean. The depth of the ocean provides rich gifts to people, for example, in Sri Lanka, in the north-west of Australia and in the Bahrain Islands, intensive extraction of mother-of-pearl and pearls.

Near Antarctica people are actively engaged in whaling, and near the equator is fishing for tuna.

In the Persian Gulf there are rich sources of oil, both on the coastal territory and under water.

Ecological problems of the Indian Ocean

Human activities have had terrible consequences. Ocean waters have become significantly polluted, which gradually leads to the extinction of some species of marine life. For example, several species of whales at the end of the 20th century were threatened with complete extinction. The number of sei whales and sperm whales decreased greatly.

In the 1980s, the Whaling Commission introduced a complete ban on hunting for them. Violation of the moratorium was strictly punishable by law. But in 2010, under the influence of countries such as Japan, Denmark, Iceland, the ban, unfortunately, was canceled.

A great danger for marine inhabitants is the pollution of ocean waters with oil products, all kinds of waste from the nuclear industry and heavy metals. Also through the ocean pass the ways of oil tankers, which deliver oil from the Persian Gulf to European countries. If suddenly there is an accident on such transport, this will lead to mass death of underwater inhabitants.

To study geography is quite interesting, especially if it concerns the beauty of the sea and the inhabitants. The most studied in the Indian Ocean is the 7th grade of the general education school. Children enthusiastically listen to everything that the teacher tells about this beautiful and mysterious giant that is teeming with the diversity of vegetation and the richness of the animal world.