Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean on Earth. It stretches like a long letter S between the Americas in the west and Europe and Africa in the east.
Picture credit: kallerna (CC BY-SA 4.0) · FrankBanalis (CC BY 4.0) · Standardpizza (CC BY 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Where is Atlantic Ocean?
Continents on its shores: North America, South America, Europe, Africa.
The story behind it
The Atlantic is named after Atlas, a giant from the old Greek myths. Deep below its waves runs a huge underwater mountain chain, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It runs from near the North Pole to a small island far in the south, and in one place it rises above the sea: Iceland sits right on top of it. On average the Atlantic is the saltiest of the big oceans. A warm current called the Gulf Stream flows from the coast of North America towards Europe and helps to keep winters milder there. In the Sargasso Sea, golden seaweed floats on the water, and European eels swim more than 5 000 km to lay their eggs there. Whales, seals, sea turtles and manatees also live in the Atlantic. Norse sailors were the first people known to cross it, and in 1492 Christopher Columbus reached the Americas.
Find it on the globe
Atlantic Ocean is there as a name written across its water — tap the water and its card opens. From far away the planet is only a blue ball; detail arrives as you zoom in, and this one appears once you are close enough. Open it on the globe.
Questions children ask
How big is the Atlantic Ocean?
Together with its side seas, the Atlantic covers about 106.5 million km². The exact size depends on where you draw its borders, but only the Pacific is bigger.
How deep is the Atlantic Ocean?
On average it is about 3 650 m deep. Its deepest point, the Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench, lies about 8 376 m below the surface; measurements there differ a little.
Why is it called the Atlantic?
The name comes from Atlas, a Titan from Greek myths. Long ago, people called the sea beyond the Strait of Gibraltar the “Sea of Atlas”.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page was checked against public reference sources before publication. Where sources genuinely disagree, the text says so.
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