Today, there are five recognized Ocean basins on our planet: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Southern Ocean basins.Let’s see their main characteristics. Ocean, therefore, represents a much larger body of open water than a sea. Seas are generally smaller than the ocean, and are located at the point where the ocean meets land. Many people tend to use the terms sea and ocean interchangeably from a geographical point of view, however, which is based on the study of the Earth’s surface, the two terms have distinct meanings. What’s the difference between ocean and seas?

The fact that oceans are interconnected is also proven by thermohaline circulation (also known as the Global Ocean Conveyor or the Great Ocean Conveyor Belt), a phenomenon for which seawater circulates around all the Global Ocean, independent of man-made boundaries, and water at depth is replaced by water from the surface.Īs we all know, however, human beings have divided this Global body of water in smaller parts, what we call seas and oceans, based on historical, geographical and cultural factors. Water covers about 71% of the planet’s surface, and oceans and seas hold roughly 9 7 % of all Earth’s water.ĭid you know that all ocean basins and seas are actually part of one huge body of water, connected throughout the world? This is called the Global Ocean and it is home to more than 230,000 marine creatures (and more to be discovered as most of it hasn’t even been explored yet!).

Sea life vs blue planet