The Indian Ocean is an integral part of the world ocean. Its maximum depth is 7729 m (Sunda Trench), and its average depth is just over 3700 m, which is second only to the depths of the Pacific Ocean. The size of the Indian Ocean is 76.174 million km2. This is 20% of the world's oceans. The volume of water is about 290 million km3 (together with all the seas).
The waters of the Indian Ocean are light blue in color and have good transparency. This is due to the fact that very few freshwater rivers flow into it, which are the main “troublemakers.” By the way, due to this, the water in the Indian Ocean is much saltier compared to the salinity levels of other oceans.
Location of the Indian Ocean
Most of the Indian Ocean is in the Southern Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by Asia, to the south by Antarctica, to the east by Australia and to the west by the African continent. In addition, in the southeast its waters connect with the waters of the Pacific Ocean, and in the southwest with the Atlantic Ocean.
Seas and bays of the Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean does not have as many seas as other oceans. For example, in comparison with the Atlantic Ocean there are 3 times less of them. Most of the seas are located in its northern part. In the tropical zone there are: the Red Sea (the saltiest sea on Earth), the Laccadive Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Arafura Sea, the Timor Sea and the Andaman Sea. The Antarctic zone contains the D'Urville Sea, the Commonwealth Sea, the Davis Sea, the Riiser-Larsen Sea, and the Cosmonaut Sea.
The largest bays of the Indian Ocean are the Persian, Bengal, Oman, Aden, Prydz and Great Australian.
Indian Ocean Islands
The Indian Ocean is not distinguished by an abundance of islands. The largest islands of mainland origin are Madagascar, Sumatra, Sri Lanka, Java, Tasmania, Timor. Also, there are volcanic islands such as Mauritius, Regyon, Kerguelen, and coral islands - Chagos, Maldives, Andaman, etc.
The underwater world of the Indian Ocean
Since more than half of the Indian Ocean is located in the tropical and subtropical zones, its underwater world is very rich and diverse in species. The coastal zone in the tropics is replete with numerous colonies of crabs and unique fish - mudskippers. Corals live in shallow waters, and in temperate waters a variety of algae grow - calcareous, brown, red.
The Indian Ocean is home to dozens of species of crustaceans, mollusks and jellyfish. A fairly large number of sea snakes also live in ocean waters, among which there are poisonous species.
The special pride of the Indian Ocean is sharks. Its waters are plied by many species of these predators, namely tiger, mako, gray, blue, great white shark, etc.
Mammals are represented by killer whales and dolphins. The southern part of the ocean is home to several species of pinnipeds (seals, dugongs, seals) and whales.
Despite all the richness of the underwater world, seafood fishing in the Indian Ocean is rather poorly developed - only 5% of the world catch. Sardines, tuna, shrimp, lobsters, rays and lobsters are caught in the ocean.
1. The ancient name of the Indian Ocean is Eastern.
2. In the Indian Ocean, ships are regularly found in good condition, but without a crew. Where he disappears is a mystery. Over the past 100 years, there have been 3 such ships - the Tarbon, the Houston Market (tankers) and the Cabin Cruiser.
3. Many species of the underwater world of the Indian Ocean have a unique property - they can glow. This is what explains the appearance of luminous circles in the ocean.
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The Indian Ocean makes up 20% of the World Ocean by volume. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east.
In the zone 35° S. passes the conventional border with the Southern Ocean.
Description and characteristics
The waters of the Indian Ocean are famous for their transparency and azure color. The fact is that few freshwater rivers, these “troublemakers,” flow into this ocean. Therefore, by the way, the water here is much saltier than in others. It is in the Indian Ocean that the saltiest sea in the world, the Red Sea, is located.
The ocean is also rich in minerals. The area near Sri Lanka has been famous for its pearls, diamonds and emeralds since ancient times. And the Persian Gulf is rich in oil and gas.
Area: 76.170 thousand sq. km
Volume: 282.650 thousand cubic km
Average depth: 3711 m, greatest depth - Sunda Trench (7729 m).
Average temperature: 17°C, but in the north the waters warm up to 28°C.
Currents: two cycles are conventionally distinguished - northern and southern. Both move clockwise and are separated by the Equatorial Countercurrent.
Main currents of the Indian Ocean
Warm:
Northern Passatnoye- originates in Oceania, crosses the ocean from east to west. Beyond the peninsula, Hindustan is divided into two branches. Part flows to the north and gives rise to the Somali Current. And the second part of the flow heads south, where it merges with the equatorial countercurrent.
South Passatnoye- begins at the islands of Oceania and moves from east to west all the way to the island of Madagascar.
Madagascar- branches off from the South Passat and flows parallel to the Mozambique from north to south, but slightly east of the Madagascar coast. Average temperature: 26°C.
Mozambican- another branch of the South Trade Wind Current. It washes the coast of Africa and in the south merges with the Agulhas Current. Average temperature - 25°C, speed - 2.8 km/h.
Agulhas, or Cape Agulhas Current- a narrow and fast current running along the east coast of Africa from north to south.
Cold:
Somali- a current off the coast of the Somali Peninsula, which changes its direction depending on the monsoon season.
Current of the West Winds encircles the globe in southern latitudes. In the Indian Ocean from it is the South Indian Ocean, which, near the coast of Australia, turns into the Western Australian Ocean.
Western Australian- moves from south to north along the western coast of Australia. As you approach the equator, the water temperature rises from 15°C to 26°C. Speed: 0.9-0.7 km/h.
The underwater world of the Indian Ocean
Most of the ocean is located in the subtropical and tropical zones, and is therefore rich and diverse in species.
The tropical coastline is represented by vast thickets of mangroves, home to numerous colonies of crabs and amazing fish - mudskippers. Shallow waters provide excellent habitat for corals. And in temperate waters brown, calcareous and red algae grow (kelp, macrocysts, fucus).
Invertebrate animals: numerous mollusks, a huge number of species of crustaceans, jellyfish. There are many sea snakes, especially poisonous ones.
Sharks of the Indian Ocean are the special pride of the water area. The largest number of shark species live here: blue, gray, tiger, great white, mako, etc.
Of the mammals, the most common are dolphins and killer whales. And the southern part of the ocean is the natural habitat of many species of whales and pinnipeds: dugongs, fur seals, seals. The most common birds are penguins and albatrosses.
Despite the richness of the Indian Ocean, seafood fishing here is poorly developed. The catch is only 5% of the world's. Tuna, sardines, stingrays, lobsters, lobsters and shrimp are caught.
Indian Ocean exploration
The coastal countries of the Indian Ocean are centers of ancient civilizations. That is why the development of the water area began much earlier than, for example, the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. Approximately 6 thousand years BC. The waters of the ocean were already plied by the shuttles and boats of ancient people. The inhabitants of Mesopotamia sailed to the coasts of India and Arabia, the Egyptians conducted a lively maritime trade with the countries of East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Key dates in the history of ocean exploration:
7th century AD - Arab sailors compiled detailed navigation maps of the coastal zones of the Indian Ocean, explored the waters near the eastern coast of Africa, India, the islands of Java, Ceylon, Timor, and the Maldives.
1405-1433 - seven sea voyages of Zheng He and exploration of trade routes in the northern and eastern parts of the ocean.
1497 - Vasco de Gama's voyage and exploration of the eastern coast of Africa.
(Expedition of Vasco de Gama in 1497)
1642 - two raids by A. Tasman, exploration of the central part of the ocean and discovery of Australia.
1872-1876 - the first scientific expedition of the English corvette Challenger, studying the biology of the ocean, relief, and currents.
1886-1889 - expedition of Russian explorers led by S. Makarov.
1960-1965 - international Indian Ocean expedition established under the auspices of UNESCO. Study of hydrology, hydrochemistry, geology and ocean biology.
1990s - present day: studying the ocean using satellites, compiling a detailed bathymetric atlas.
2014 - after the crash of a Malaysian Boeing, detailed mapping of the southern part of the ocean was carried out, new underwater ridges and volcanoes were discovered.
The ancient name of the ocean is Eastern.
Many species of wildlife in the Indian Ocean have an unusual property - they glow. In particular, this explains the appearance of luminous circles in the ocean.
In the Indian Ocean, ships are periodically found in good condition, however, where the entire crew disappears remains a mystery. Over the last century, this happened to three ships at once: the Cabin Cruiser, the tankers Houston Market and Tarbon.
Our planet is luxurious in every way: a huge variety of vegetation, an incredible wealth of animal life and an endless abundance of aquatic life. All this and much more is contained on our beautiful Earth.
Surely everyone knows that there are four vast oceans on our planet. They are all magnificent in their own way. The Quiet, for example, is the largest, the Atlantic is salty, the Arctic is cold, and Indian is the warmest. It is precisely the latter that we will devote our article to.
Did you know that the Indian Ocean is considered the third largest? Its area is no less than 76.17 million km, which is 20% of the entire globe. So what secrets does our mysterious hero keep? Let's figure it out below.
General information about the location
In the north, the ocean washes mysterious Asia, in the east - adventurous Australia, in the west - sunny Africa, and in the south - frosty Antarctica. The highest point of the Indian Ocean is located along the 30th meridian of northern latitude. It is located in the Persian Gulf. The border with the Atlantic Ocean runs along the 20th meridian of eastern longitude, and the Pacific Ocean - along 146°55 of the same longitude. The length of the Indian Ocean is 100,000 km.
A few words about history
Some areas of ancient civilizations were located precisely on the shores of our hero. Researchers claim that one of the very first voyages took place in the waters of the Indian Ocean, approximately 6 thousand years ago. Arab sailors described the ocean route in detail. The first geographical information appeared in the 90s of the 15th century, during the lifetime of Vasco de Gama himself, who was the first in history to overcome the path from Europe to India. It was he who spoke about the countless water beauties that the Indian Ocean provided.
The depth of the ocean was first measured by the world-famous navigator James Cook, famous for his expeditions around the world and numerous discoveries in the field of geography. Members of one of the famous English expeditions, which plowed the endless expanses on the famous Challenger ship, began to study the ocean in all respects back in the 19th century.
Which countries are washed by the Indian Ocean?
This giant washes a huge number of states, both mainland and island.
Mainland Indian Ocean countries:
Australia;
Thailand;
Saudi Arabia;
Indonesia;
Pakistan;
Malaysia;
Mozambique;
Bangladesh;
Indian Ocean Island Countries:
Mauritius;
Maldives;
Sri Lanka;
Madagascar;
Seychelles.
This is the vast Indian Ocean.
Ocean depth
The Indian Ocean has five seas. They are the ones who form the depth and area of our hero. For example, the Arabian Sea is one of the deepest in the Indian Ocean. The significant point is located on the mid-ocean ridge, in its center, where the rift valley is located. The depth above it is neither more nor less, but 3600 m. The deepest point of the Indian Ocean is located near the island of Java, in the Java Trench, and is 7455 m. Unlike the Pacific Ocean, this is not enough, because its maximum depth is 11022 m. ( Mariana Trench).
Indian Ocean climate
Most of the ocean lies in the tropical, equatorial and subequatorial zones, only its southern region is located in high latitudes.
The climate is represented by monsoons and seasonal winds in the northern part of the ocean. There are two seasons in this area: a warm, calm winter and a hot, rainy, cloudy, stormy summer. Closer to the south, the southeast trade wind rules. In temperate latitudes, a strong westerly wind constantly prevails. The maximum amount of precipitation is observed in (about 3000 mm per year). The minimum is off the coast of the Red Sea, Arabia, and in the Persian Gulf.
Salinity
The maximum salinity of surface waters of the Indian Ocean is in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf (41%). Also, a fairly high salinity coefficient is observed in the eastern part of the southern tropics. As you move towards the Bay of Bengal, the figures drop significantly - to 34%.
The increase in salinity coefficient largely depends on precipitation and evaporation.
Minimum indicators are typical for the territory of Antarctic waters. Typically, this coefficient in this area is affected by the melting of glaciers.
Temperature
The temperature of the Indian Ocean on the surface of the water is +29 o C. This is the highest indicator. Less observed off the African coast, where the Somali Current lies - +22-23 o C. At the equator, the temperature of surface waters averages +26-28 o C. If you move further south, it reaches -1 o C (off the coast of Antarctica).
Icebergs also contribute to temperature changes, and in rare cases they float into the southern latitudes.
As you can see, 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):
Gulfs of the Indian Ocean Red Sea
- Aqaba. In recent years it has acquired resort significance. Length - 175 km, width - 29 km. The West Bank belongs to Egypt, the East to Saudi Arabia, and the North to Jordan and Israel.
- Makadi. Attracts tourists with its amazing coral beaches. It is a bay stretching for 30 km along the Red Sea coast.
- 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 of a ridge at its depth called the Indian Central Ridge. It stretches along the western shores of Hindustan. The average depth above 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 Pacific Ocean, almost touching Antarctica, and ends at the Australasian-Antarctic Rise, the depth above which is 3.5 km.
The other branch goes south to Antarctica and ends with a ridge called the Karguelen-Gausberg, the minimum depth above which is 0.5 km, the maximum is 2.3 km.
The Central Indian Ridge divides the ocean into two parts of different sizes: western and eastern. In the eastern territory there are the Indian-Australian and South Australian basins, the depths above which vary from 500 to 7455 m. In the northeastern part of the Indian-Australian basin there is the deepest depression in the Indian Ocean. The depth of the ocean, more precisely, its maximum point, is located nearby (7455 m).
The bottom of the Indian Ocean in the western relief part is significantly different from the eastern part; it is more complex in its structure. This is explained by the fact that in the latter quite often there is a significant rise in the bottom (due to this, in most cases small-sized islands are formed) and an uneven arrangement of basins.
To the north of the island of Madagascar there is a basin called the Somali Basin, the depth above which is 5.2 km. To the south of the island there is a plateau called Crozet, surrounded on all sides by basins. The depth above it is 2.5 km. If you move to the northeast, the Central Indian Basin appears. The depth above it is 5.5 km. Between Madagascar and Crozet, a little to the north, there is a basin called Madagascar with a depth of 5.78 km. To the south is a basin belonging to Cape Agulhas, the depth above which is 5.5 km. The relief of the Indian Ocean towards Antarctica is characterized by the presence of bottom subsidence. The depth above this area reaches 5.8 km.
Flora and fauna
The nature of the Indian Ocean is diverse and very interesting. Animals and plants that live here are accustomed to regular droughts and floods.
Many tropical shores of the Indian Ocean are represented by mangroves, or rhizophores. Among the animals in this area, numerous species of crabs live. A fish called the mudskipper inhabits almost the entire mangrove region of the Indian Ocean.
In shallow areas of tropical waters, corals with fish and numerous invertebrates living on them have taken root.
In temperate zones, brown, blue-green plants grow and most of them are kelp, microcystis and fucus. Among phytoplankton, diatoms predominate, and in tropical zones - peridinea.
The most famous crayfish, which largely predominate in the Indian Ocean, are copepods. Now there are more than 20 thousand species. In second place among the animals living in this ocean are jellyfish and squid. Among the fish known are tuna, sailfish, coryphens and light anchovies.
They have chosen the ocean territory and dangerous animal species. Sharks, crocodiles and poisonous snakes regularly terrorize local residents.
The dominant mammals in the Indian Ocean are dolphins, whales, dugongs and fur seals. Birds - penguins, albatrosses and frigate birds.
Pool
The Indian Ocean basin is quite diverse. It includes the African rivers - Zambezi and Limpopo; largest Asian rivers - Irrawaddy, Salween; The Euphrates and Tigris, which merge just above their confluence with the Persian Gulf; The Indus flows into the Arabian Sea.
Fisheries and marine activities
The coastal population has been engaged in economic activities for quite a long time. To this day, fishing and seafood is of great importance for the economy of many countries washed by the Indian Ocean. The depth of the ocean provides rich gifts to people, for example, in Sri Lanka, northwestern Australia and the Bahrain Islands there is intensive mining of mother-of-pearl and pearls.
Near Antarctica, people are actively engaged in whale fishing, and tuna fishing is carried out near the equator.
The Persian Gulf contains rich sources of oil, both onshore and underwater.
Environmental problems of the Indian Ocean
Human activity has led to horrific consequences. The ocean waters have become significantly polluted, which is gradually leading to the extinction of some species of marine life. For example, several species of cetaceans were in danger of becoming extinct at the end of the 20th century. The number of sei whales and sperm whales has greatly decreased.
In the 80s of the 20th century, the Whale Fishing Commission introduced a complete ban on hunting 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 lifted.
A great danger for marine life is the pollution of ocean waters with petroleum products, all kinds of waste from the nuclear industry and heavy metals. Oil tankers also pass through the ocean, delivering oil from the Persian Gulf to European countries. If a sudden accident occurs on such a transport, it will lead to mass death of underwater inhabitants.
Studying geography is quite interesting, especially when it comes to sea beauties and inhabitants. The 7th grade of a comprehensive school studies the Indian Ocean in the most detail. Children enthusiastically listen to everything that the teacher tells about this beautiful and mysterious giant, which is teeming with a variety of vegetation and a wealth of animal life.
The Indian Ocean occupies a smaller area than the Pacific Ocean. Its water area covers 76 million square kilometers. It is almost entirely located in the southern hemisphere. In ancient times, people considered it a great sea.
The largest islands of the Indian Ocean are Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Masirai, Kuria Muria, Socotra, Greater Sunda, Seychelles, Nicobar, Andanama, Cocos, Amirantha, Chagos, Maldives, Laccadive.
The coast of the Indian Ocean is where ancient civilizations were located. Scientists believe that navigation in this ocean began earlier than in others, approximately 6 thousand years ago. The first to describe ocean routes were the Arabs. The accumulation of navigational information about the Indian Ocean began from the time of the travels of Vasco de Gama (1497-1499). At the end of the 18th century, the first measurements of its depths were carried out by the English navigator James Cook.
Detailed study of the ocean began at the end of the 19th century. The most extensive study was carried out by a British research group on the Challenger. At the moment, dozens of research expeditions from different countries are studying the nature of the ocean, revealing its riches.
The average depth of the Indian Ocean is about 3,700 meters, and the maximum is 7,700 meters. In the western part of the ocean there are seamounts that connect at a point south of the Cape of Good Hope with the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Near the center of the ridge in the Indian Ocean there are deep faults, areas of seismic activity and volcanic eruptions on the ocean floor. These faults extend to the Red Sea and reach land. The ocean floor is crossed by numerous hills.
While the Pacific Ocean inspires with its blue color, the Indian Ocean is known for the clarity of its dark blue and azure waters. This is due to the purity of the ocean, since little fresh water enters the ocean from rivers - “disturbers of purity”, especially in its southern part.
The Indian Ocean is saltier than other oceans. This is especially noticeable in the northwestern part of the ocean, where hot air masses from the Sahara are added to high water temperatures. The record holder for salt content is the Red Sea (up to 42%) and the Persian Gulf.
The northern Indian Ocean is heavily influenced by land; it rightfully deserves the name “monsoon sea”. In winter, dry air comes from the largest continent - Eurasia. In summer the situation changes dramatically. The heated ocean saturates the air with more moisture. Then moving to the mainland it breaks out over the south of the continent with heavy rains. Before the summer monsoon winds, thunderstorms occur, generating sea swells that are carried by the wind to the southwestern coast of India. In autumn and spring, typhoons form in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, causing many problems for residents of the shores of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, as well as for sailors. In the south of the Indian Ocean you can feel the cold breath of Antarctica; in these places the ocean is the harshest.
The Indian Ocean creates good conditions for coral life. Their large colonies are located in the Maldives, located south of the Hindustan Peninsula. These islands are, by their composition, the longest coral islands in the world.
The Indian Ocean is rich in its fish resources, which have been used by man since ancient times. For many coastal residents, fishing is the only source of income.
Since time immemorial, pearls have been mined in these places. The coast of the island of Srilanka has served as a mining site for emeralds, diamonds, emeralds and many other types of precious stones since ancient times.
Beneath the floor of the Persian Gulf, located in the northwestern part of the Indian Ocean, gas and oil reserves have been forming for thousands of years.
The Indian Ocean ranks third in terms of area. At the same time, compared to others, the greatest depth of the Indian Ocean is very modest - only 7.45 kilometers.
Location
It is not difficult to find it on the map - the Asian part of Eurasia is located in the north of the ocean, Antarctica lies on the southern shores, and Australia lies in the east on the path of the currents. Africa is located in its western part.
Most of the ocean area is located in the southern hemisphere. A very conventional line divides Indian and - from Africa, down the twentieth meridian to Antarctica itself. It is separated from the Pacific by the Indo-Chinese peninsula of Malacca, the border goes to the north then along the line that on the map connects the islands of Sumatra, Java, Sumba and New Guinea. The Indian Ocean does not have common borders with the fourth - the Arctic Ocean.
Square
The average depth of the Indian Ocean is 3897 meters. Moreover, it occupies an area of 74,917 thousand kilometers, which allows it to be in third place in size among its “brothers”. The shores of this huge body of water are very slightly indented - this is the reason why there are few seas in its composition.
Relatively few islands lie in this ocean. The most significant of them once broke away from the mainland, so they are located close to the coastline - Socotra, Madagascar, Sri Lanka. Far from the coast, in the open part, you can find islands born from volcanoes. These are Crozet, Mascarene and others. In the tropics, on volcanic cones, there are islands of coral origin, such as the Maldives, Cocos, Adamans and others.
The shores in the east and north-west are indigenous, while in the west and north-east they are mostly alluvial. The edge of the coast is very weakly indented, except for its northern part. This is where most of the large bays are concentrated.
Depth
Of course, over such a large area the depth of the Indian Ocean cannot be the same - the maximum is 7130 meters. This point is located in the Sunda Trench. Moreover, the average depth of the Indian Ocean is 3897 meters.
Sailors and explorers of the waters cannot rely on the average figure. Therefore, scientists have long compiled a map of the depths of the Indian Ocean. It accurately indicates the height of the bottom at various points, all the shallows, trenches, depressions, volcanoes and other relief features are visible.
Relief
Along the coast lies a narrow strip of continental shallows, about 100 kilometers wide. The shelf edge, located in the ocean, has a shallow depth - from 50 to 200 meters. Only in the north-west of Australia and along the Antarctic coast does it increase to 300-500 meters. The slope of the continent is quite steep, in some places divided by underwater valleys of large rivers such as the Ganges, Indus and others. In the northeast, the rather monotonous topography of the Indian Ocean floor is enlivened by the Sunda island arc. It is here that the most significant depth of the Indian Ocean is found. The maximum point of this trench is located 7130 meters below sea level.
Ridges, ramparts and mountains divided the bed into several basins. The most famous are the Arabian Basin, the African-Antarctic Basin and the Western Australian Basin. These depressions formed hilly ones located in the center of the ocean, and accumulative plains located not far from the continents, in those areas where sedimentary material arrives in sufficient quantities.
Among the large number of ridges, the East Indian is especially noticeable - its length is about 5 thousand kilometers. However, the bottom topography of the Indian Ocean also has other significant ridges - the Western Australian, meridional and others. The bed is also rich in various volcanoes, in some places forming chains and even quite large massifs.
Mid-ocean ridges are three branches of a mountain system that divide the ocean from the center to the north, southeast and southwest. The width of the ridges ranges from 400 to 800 kilometers, the height is 2-3 kilometers. The bottom topography of the Indian Ocean in this part is characterized by faults across the ridges. Along them, the bottom is most often shifted horizontally by 400 kilometers.
Unlike ridges, the Australian-Antarctic Rise is a shaft with gentle slopes, the height of which reaches a kilometer, and the width extends up to one and a half thousand kilometers.
The predominantly tectonic structures of the bottom of this particular ocean are quite stable. Active developing structures occupy a much smaller area and flow into similar structures in Indochina and East Africa. These main macrostructures are divided into smaller ones: plates, blocky and volcanic ridges, banks and coral islands, trenches, tectonic scarps, Indian Ocean depressions and others.
Among the various irregularities, the north of the Mascarene ridge occupies a special place. Presumably, this part previously belonged to the long-lost ancient continent of Gondwana.
Climate
The area and depth of the Indian Ocean make it possible to assume that the climate in its different parts will be completely different. And indeed it is. The northern part of this huge body of water has a monsoon climate. In summer, during a period of low pressure over mainland Asia, southwestern equatorial air flows dominate over the water. In winter, tropical air flows from the northwest dominate here.
A little south of 10 degrees south latitude, the climate over the ocean becomes much more constant. In tropical (and subtropical in summer) latitudes, southeastern trade winds dominate here. In temperate regions there are extratropical cyclones that move from west to east. Hurricanes are common in western tropical latitudes. Most often they sweep through in summer and autumn.
The air in the north of the ocean warms up to 27 degrees in summer. The African coast is blown with air with a temperature of about 23 degrees. In winter, the temperature drops depending on latitude: in the south it can be below zero, while in northern Africa the thermometer does not fall below 20 degrees.
Water temperature depends on currents. The coasts of Africa are washed by the Somali Current, which has fairly low temperatures. This leads to the fact that the water temperature in this region remains at around 22-23 degrees. In the north of the ocean, the upper layers of water can reach a temperature of 29 degrees, while in the southern regions, off the coast of Antarctica, it drops to -1. Of course, we are talking only about the upper layers, since the greater the depth of the Indian Ocean, the more difficult it is to draw conclusions about the water temperature.
Water
The depth of the Indian Ocean does not affect the number of seas at all. And there are fewer of them than in any other ocean. There are only two Mediterranean seas: the Red and the Persian Gulf. In addition, there is also the marginal Arabian Sea, and the Andaman Sea is only partially closed. In the east of the vast waters are Timor and
The largest rivers in Asia belong to the basin of this ocean: the Ganges, Salween, Brahmaputra, Irwadi, Indus, Euphrates and Tigris. Among African rivers, it is worth highlighting the Limpopo and Zambezi.
The average depth of the Indian Ocean is 3897 meters. And in this column of water a unique phenomenon occurs - a change in the direction of currents. The currents of all other oceans are unchanged from year to year, while in the Indian currents are subject to winds: in winter they are monsoonal, in summer they are predominant.
Since deep waters originate in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, almost the entire body of water is highly salinized with a low percentage of oxygen.
Shores
In the west and north-east there are predominantly alluvial shores, while in the north-west and east there are primary shores. As already mentioned, the coastline is almost flat, very slightly indented along almost the entire length of this body of water. The exception is the northern part - this is where most of the seas belonging to the Indian Ocean basin are concentrated.
Inhabitants
The rather shallow average depth of the Indian Ocean boasts a wide variety of animal and plant life. The Indian Ocean is located in tropical and temperate zones. The shallow waters are full of corals and hydrocorals, among which a huge number of invertebrate species live. These include worms, crabs, sea urchins, stars and other animals. No fewer brightly colored tropical fish find shelter in these areas. The coasts are rich in mangroves, in which the mudskipper has settled - this fish can live for a very long time without water.
The flora and fauna of beaches exposed to low tides is very poor, since the hot rays of the sun destroy all living things here. in this sense it is much more diverse: there is a rich selection of algae and invertebrates.
The open ocean is even richer in living creatures - representatives of both the animal and plant worlds.
The main animals are copepods. More than a hundred species live in the waters of the Indian Ocean. Pteropods, siphonophores, jellyfish and other invertebrates are almost as numerous in number of species. Several species of flying fish, sharks, glowing anchovies, tuna, and sea snakes frolic in the ocean waters. Whales, pinnipeds, sea turtles, and dugongs are no less common in these waters.
Feathered inhabitants are represented by albatrosses, frigate birds and several species of penguins.
Minerals
Oil deposits are being developed in the waters of the Indian Ocean. In addition, the ocean is rich in phosphates, potassium raw materials necessary for fertilizing agricultural land.
