Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
Oceans - Statistics & Facts
The ocean covers approximately 71 percent of the world’s surface and holds 97 percent of all water on the planet. Technically, there is just one continuous world ocean that wraps around the globe, but this is generally broken up into five separate oceans – the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern oceans – which also include various seas, gulfs, and bays. The ocean plays a crucial role in regulating the world’s climate, however human activity is accelerating global warming with disastrous consequences for life both above and below the water’s surface. It is often claimed that we know more about space than about the oceans, and while this is very unlikely to be true, it does allude to the fact that there is still much to be learned - further exploration may unlock new information about out our oceans and how they work, and could be the key to tackling some of the greatest challenges facing humanity today.
