Where the world's oceans meet

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the boundaries between the world's five oceans, although there is no complete agreement among countries .

There are five oceans on Earth , all connected to form a continuous body of water. Previously, there were only four oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic. In 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization decided to add a new ocean surrounding the least-inhabited continent of Antarctica, based on evidence that the body of water has a distinct ecosystem and a unique impact on global climate. The Southern Ocean became the fifth ocean on Earth and the fourth largest, according to Amusing Planet . Like national borders , the boundaries of the five oceans are clearly defined by the International Hydrographic Organization, although not everyone agrees with these boundaries .

The meeting point of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in the Beagle Channel in Tierra del Fuego, Chile. (Photo: Dea).

The largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean, extending from the Southern Ocean to the Arctic Ocean. Its eastern boundary runs along the coasts of North and South America, finally meeting the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Horn along a line extending from Tierra del Fuego to the Southern Ocean. Its western boundary is defined by the East Indies, Philippine Sea, Sea of ​​Japan, and Sea of ​​Okhotsk in the northern half and the Australian coast in the southern half. The Pacific Ocean meets the Indian Ocean at Southeast Cape, the southernmost point of Tasmania.

The Atlantic Ocean , the world's second largest ocean, extends from the Southern Ocean between the Americas, Africa, and Europe to the Arctic Ocean. It meets the Pacific Ocean at Cape Horn and the Indian Ocean at Cape Agulhas, south of Africa.

The Indian Ocean , the third largest ocean, extends north from the Southern Ocean to India, the Arabian Peninsula, and Southeast Asia. In the west, it skirts the coast of Africa until it meets the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Agulhas. In the east, the Indian Ocean meets the Pacific Ocean near Tasmania.

The boundaries of the Arctic Ocean are more complicated because the land is not continuous. The Arctic Ocean covers the North Pole, bordering North America in the Western Hemisphere and Scandinavia and Siberia in the Eastern Hemisphere. It meets the Atlantic Ocean near Greenland and Iceland, and the Pacific Ocean at the Bering Strait.

The Southern Ocean has the clearest boundary. It is a perfect circle that encircles Antarctica at 60 degrees south latitude. However, not all countries agree with this proposed boundary, so it has not yet been adopted by IHO members.