Southern Ocean

The ocean encircling Antarctica, only formally recognised as its own ocean in 2000.

Specifications & Metrics

area

~20 million km²

Core Principles & Analysis

• Its Antarctic Circumpolar Current is the strongest current on Earth, moving more water than every river combined by a thousandfold.
• It connects the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans into one continuous cold loop.
• The International Hydrographic Organization set its northern boundary at 60° south in 2000.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Southern Ocean