This article explores ten of the worlds largest oceans and seas, including the Pacific Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Indian Ocean. [31] The black-fronted piping guan is endangered. There are also some locations that are arid climates with considerable drought in some years. [16] A Protocol of the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region came in effect in 1986 to protect the various endangered marine life of the Caribbean through forbidding human activities that would advance the continued destruction of such marine life in various areas. PC-566 began dropping depth charges on a sonar contact, . For example, guaiac wood (Guaiacum officinale), the flower of which is the national flower of Jamaica and the Bayahibe rose (Pereskia quisqueyana) which is the national flower of the Dominican Republic and the ceiba which is the national tree of both Puerto Rico and Guatemala. Mount Jamanota of 188 m (617 ft) is the highest point. More than 170 species of amphibians are found in the Caribbean including poison dart frogs, tree frogs, etc. Herman Molls' 1732 Map of the Caribbean. See also: Types of Ocean Storms Ways to Save the Ocean Overfishing in the Ocean List of Marine Invertebrates 2. There are more than 7,000 islands including 12 countries and 22 island territories in the Caribbean Sea. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Colombian Basin is separated from the Venezuelan Basin by the Beata Ridge, while the Grenada Basin is separated from the Venezuelan Basin via the Aves Ridge. Caribbean Sea, suboceanic basin of the western Atlantic Ocean, lying between latitudes 9 and 22 N and longitudes 89 and 60 W. It is approximately 1,063,000 square miles (2,753,000 square km) in extent. The ancient sediments overlying the seafloor of the Caribbean, as well as of the Gulf of Mexico, are about a half mile (about one kilometre) in thickness, with the upper strata representing sediments from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras (from about 252 million years ago to the present) and the lower strata presumably representing sediments of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras (from about 541 to 66 million years ago). Omissions? Antigua Yacht Club Marina depth; can accomodate yachts with draft in excess of 25ft. Keep reading to find out! It offers a suitable habitat for over 9,000 species, including dugongs, whales, sea snakes, sharks, and turtles. More than 90 mammalian species are found in the Caribbean including dolphins, humpback whales, sperm whales, manatees, Solenodons, hutias, etc. Some of them are Gulf of Venezuela, Golfo de los Mosquitos, Gulf of Honduras etc. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The youngest stretches from the Lesser Antilles to the Virgin Islands to the north east of Trinidad and Tobago off the coast of Venezuela. Average monthly air temperatures in winter vary from +23 in the north to +27 C on the southern coast of the sea. The Caribbean monk seal which lived in the Caribbean is considered extinct. The sea is warm, calm, and with occasional cyclones. [15], The habitats supported by the reefs are critical to such tourist activities as fishing and diving, and provide an annual economic value to Caribbean nations of US$3.14.6billion. The project results were presented in Vienna in the forum "Water Matters", and the 2011 General Conference of said multilateral organization. This Caribbean bottom water also enters the Venezuelan Basin, thus introducing high-oxygen water at depths of 5,900 to 9,800 feet (1,800 to 3,000 metres). The rainfall varies with the elevation and water current and ranging from less than 12 inches a year on the Bonaire Island to about 350 inches a year in the areas around Dominica. The zone between 40 0 -60 0 latitudes in both the hemispheres records low salinity where it is 31 0 / 00 and 33 0 / 00 in the northern and the southern hemispheres respectively. Upper sedimentary layers relate to the period from the Mesozoic to the Cenozoic (250million years ago to present) and the lower layers from the Paleozoic to the Mesozoic. Continued destruction of the reefs could severely damage the region's economy. The Caribbean Sea has the worlds second largest barrier reef, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. The average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is 12,880 feet (3,926 meters) and the deepest point is the Puerto Rico Trench at -28,231 feet (-8,605 meters). The pressure of the South American Plate to the east of the Caribbean causes the region of the Lesser Antilles to have high volcanic activity. The Caribbean Sea is home to 22 islands and over 1,400 species of marine mammals, fish, and coastal mangroves. The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. The result of the death and dispersal of these tiny plants is called coral bleaching, and can lead to the devastation of large areas of reef. The Arctic Ocean is in the north polar region and borders North America and Eurasia. The climate of the Caribbean is driven by the low latitude and tropical ocean currents that run through it. During this mission, they discovered extremely hot black smokers at the deepest point yet (3.1 miles). The Southern Ocean basin (Antarctic Ocean) encircles Antarctica and extends to parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The average depth of this sea is 2,394 m, with its deepest point in Bougainville measuring 9,140 m below sea level. The average depth of the Caribbean Sea is approximately 7,220 feet below the seas surface. On the western side is the Gulf of Aden, which connects this sea to the Red Sea. Have some feedback for us? [28] Their populations have been greatly reduced since the 17th century the number of green turtles has declined from 91million to 300,000 and hawksbill turtles from 11million to less than 30,000 by 2006.[29]. This arc was formed by the collision of the South American Plate with the Caribbean Plate and includes active and extinct volcanoes such as Mount Pelee, the Quill (volcano) on Sint Eustatius in the Caribbean Netherlands and Morne Trois Pitons on Dominica. The eastern trade winds blow across the region leading to the creation of semi-arid and rainforest climates in the area. Surface water temperatures in the Pacific vary from 1.4 C in the poleward areas to about 30 C near the equator. Join us onFacebook,Twitter, Instagramand our othersocial media channels. Interesting facts about the American black bear, Interesting facts about Peter Paul Rubens. It is bordered by Venezuela, Colombia and Panama to the south, Central American countries (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize) on the west; with the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico) on the north and the Lesser Antilles on the east. The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian Basin is partly separated from the Venezuelan Basin by the Beata Ridge. km, the Caribbean Sea is bordered by the countries of Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela in the south; by Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula in the west; by the Greater Antilles islands in the north; and by the Lesser Antilles islands in the east. It is observed that the lowland areas between Belize and Costa Rica experience a tropical rainforest climate, while the Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, and Venezuela experience dry tropical savanna climates. Many James Bond adventures were set there. As the planets 4th largest ocean, the Southern Ocean has an average depth of 3,270 m. Its deepest point is the Factorian Deep which stretches to 7,434 m below sea level. The American yellow warbler is found in many areas, as is the green heron. The existing sediment cover of the seabed consists of red clay in the deep basins and trenches, globigerina ooze (a calcareous marine deposit) on the rises, and pteropod ooze on the ridges and continental slopes. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles starting with Cuba, to the east by the Lesser Antilles, and to the south by the northern coast of South America. The highly indented Caribbean coastline features many bays and gulfs including the Gulf of Venezuela, Gulf of Honduras, Gulf of Darin, Gulf of Paria, etc. Over the years, rivers such as the Mekong, Pearl, and Red Rivers have deposited large sediments, oil, and gasses. This sea began forming around 45 to 17 million years ago, leaving a V-shaped basin. The Caribbean Sea is home to about 9% of the worlds coral reefs covering about 50,000 square kilometers (19,000 square miles), most of which are located off the Caribbean Islands and the Central American coast. Dunbar. In order to understand and sustainably manage the oceans resources, we first have to survey what resources exist.. The tropical rainforest climates include lowland areas near the Caribbean Sea from Costa Rica north to Belize, as well as the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, while the more seasonal dry tropical savanna climates are found in Cuba, northern Venezuela, and southern Yucatn, Mexico. There's a pesky problem in a wide stretch of the Atlantic Ocean that's likely to wash up on some beaches later this year: Seaweed. [10] Most recently, a 7.1 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. The Pan American Health Organization estimated in 1993 that only about 10% of the sewage from the Central American and Caribbean Island countries is properly treated before being released into the sea. The name Caribbean has been derived from Caribs, a Native American group of indigenous people that lived in the region during the late 15th century. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In the deep Caribbean Sea are multiple animals with limited vision and glow-in-the-dark scales. Tourism based upon scuba diving and snorkeling on coral reefs of many Caribbean islands makes a major contribution to their economies.[34]. The Coral Sea is located southwest of the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, and New Hebrides. That makes this point one of the lowest points on the surface of the Earth, and the Caribbean Sea is the deepest sea (excluding oceans) in the world. The Caribbean Sea is an oceanic sea largely situated on the Caribbean Plate. The shallow sill depths of the Antillean arc block the entry of Antarctic bottom water, so that the bottom temperature of the Caribbean Sea is close to 39 F (4 C), as compared with the Atlantic bottom temperature of less than 36 F (2 C). Sea of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by North, Central and South America. Deepest Point: Sunda Trench (23,920 feet). area volume average depth. American Oceans, Stingray vs Manta Ray: Their Differences Explained. It runs 1,000km (620mi) along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.[3]. The sea vents in the Cayman Trough reach up to 400 Celsius (752 Fahrenheit). Pernetta, John. Official websites use .gov Currently this protocol has been ratified by 15 countries. From the 16th century, Europeans visiting the Caribbean region distinguished the "South Sea" (the Pacific Ocean south of the isthmus of Panama) from the "North Sea" (the Caribbean Sea north of the same isthmus).[4]. Located in the northern part of the Caribbean Sea is the Greater Antilles Island group. Panel Chairman in Marine Biology, Gulf University Research Corporation. The region has several types of sea turtle (loggerhead, green turtle, hawksbill, leatherback turtle, Atlantic ridley and olive ridley). ADDITIONAL FACTS. The name Coral came from the numerous coral reefs, including the worlds largest known as the Great Barrier Reef. The Caribbean Sea is separated from the ocean by several island arcs of various ages. [18], In connection with the foregoing, the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, conducted a regional study, funded by the Department of Technical Cooperation of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in which specialists from 11 Latin American countries (Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic, Venezuela) plus Jamaica participated. Oceans are divided into three zones based on depth and light level. The habitats of almost all members of the toad family, poison dart frogs, treefrogs. At that time the Americas in general were unknown to most Europeans, although they had been visited in the 10th century by the Vikings. During dives that are expected to go as deep as 3.7 miles, a sophisticated unmanned submarine, called a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, will broadcast live video from the seafloor, allowing anyone with Internet access to watch the expedition as it unfolds. Thats precisely why we explore.. As many as 40 scientists ashore are expected to participate remotely in the expedition. The Arabian Sea is part of the northern Indian Ocean and sits between the Arabian Peninsula, India, the Gulf of Oman, Pakistan, and Iran. The Yucatan Basin is partially separated from the Cayman Basin by the Cayman Ridge, which rises above to form the Cayman Islands. Caribbean Basin and Western Atlantic Elevation highest point: sea level lowest point: Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m mean depth: -3,646 m ocean zones: Composed of water and in a fluid state, the oceans are delimited differently than the solid continents. Guide to the Oceans. Surface currents, bearing both high- and low-salinity water depending on the source, enter the Caribbean mainly through the channels and passages of the southern Antilles. https://www.britannica.com/place/Caribbean-Sea, Florida Museum - Indigenous communities used the Caribbean Sea as an aquatic highway, Caribbean Sea - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Caribbean Sea - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), A 5,000-mile seaweed belt is headed toward Florida. About 600 avian species such as the American yellow warbler, Fernandinas flicker, palmchat, black-fronted piping guan, etc have also been recorded here. The geological age of the Caribbean Sea is estimated to be between 160 and 180million years and was formed by a horizontal fracture that split the supercontinent called Pangea in the Mesozoic Era. Please select which sections you would like to print: Alternate titles: Antillean-Caribbean Sea. These submarine basins are the Colombian Basin, Cayman Basin, Grenada Basin, Venezuela Basin, and Yucatan Basin. Below is a list of how weve ranked the worlds most extensive oceans and seas, including their area, average depth, and deepest point. The Arabian Sea has an average depth of 2,734 m, with its deepest point in Wheatley Deep descending to about 5,800 m. The formation of this sea took place roughly 50 million years ago. Subantarctic intermediate water (i.e., water differing in several characteristics from the surface and bottom layers of water that it separates) enters the Caribbean below the Anegada Passage at depths of 1,600 to 3,300 feet (500 to 1,000 metres). Live video from a 2013 expedition to deep-sea canyons off the northeast Atlantic coast of the U.S. garnered more than 875,000 views, he said. The Cayman Trough, also known as the Bartlett Deep, is an interesting point in the sea because it sits on multiple tectonic plates, including the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. Cuba, with an area of 109,884 square kilometers (42,426 square miles), is the largest island in the It runs along the Caribbean coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. they had been visited in the 10th century, List of Caribbean countries by population, "Tsunamis in the Caribbean? Clay minerals appear to have been washed down by the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, as well as by the Magdalena River in Colombia. Two years later, they revisited the research and found a new shrimp species. But with each expedition we reach new audiences who are fascinated by what we are seeing in the deep ocean. When tropical waters become unusually warm for extended periods of time, microscopic plants called zooxanthellae, which are symbiotic partners living within the coral polyp tissues, die off. 100 354. This sea was an important trade route for merchants in ancient times. Tropical storms reaching a hurricane velocity of more than 75 miles (120 km) per hour are seasonally common in the northern Caribbean as well as in the Gulf of Mexico; they are almost nonexistent in the far south. In the shallow waters mainly turtle grass, manatee grass, and shoal grasses are found. Public can watch seafloor discoveries live online from April 10 to 30, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Caribbean Sea has a tropical climate influenced by trade winds. The Caribbean coastline has many gulfs and bays: the Gulf of Gonve, Gulf of Venezuela, Gulf of Darin, Golfo de los Mosquitos, Gulf of Paria and Gulf of Honduras. Sea surface temperature monitoring tells us how the ocean and atmosphere interact, as well as providing fundamental data on the global climate system . The Cayman Basin is in turn separated from the Colombian Basin by the Nicaraguan Rise. The NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is the only federally funded US ship assigned to systematically explore our largely unknown ocean for the purpose of discovery and the advancement of knowledge. Analysis of toxic metals and hydrocarbons is based on the investigation of coastal sediments that have accumulated less than 50 meters deep during the last hundred and fifty years. 40m. Its average depth is 1,038 m, with Molloy Deep (its deepest point) descending to about 5,550 m. The Arctic Ocean formed during the Cretaceous Period, about 145-65 million years ago. The Cayman Basin, to the south, is partially separated from the Yucatn Basin by Cayman Ridge, an incomplete fingerlike ridge that extends from the southern part of Cuba toward Guatemala, rising above the surface at one point to form the Cayman Islands. Turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) is common in the Caribbean as is manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) which can grow together as well as in fields of single species at depths up to 20m (66ft). Powerful rifting led to the formation of narrow troughs, stretching from modern Newfoundland to the west coast of the Gulf of Mexico which formed siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. There are many bays and gulfs along the sea's coastline. Silverstein, Alvin (1998) Weather And Climate (Science Concepts); page 17. As part of the expedition, Kennedy and the two lead scientists aboard the ship will be leading a Reddit Ask Us Anything, or AUA, session on April 16, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm EDT. Which is the largest, how deep are they, and how critical are they to the planets sustainability? The island has a total area of 193 km 2 (75 sq mi) and a coast line of 68.5 km (42.6 mi). Papahnaumokukea Marine National Monument, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Scientists discover hydrothermal vent activity in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Watch live April 15-26: NOAA expedition to the deep ocean off the U.S. West Coast. It's Possible", Status of coral reefs in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean, Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (SPAW), Analysis of Contaminants in the Caribbean Sea over the last 150 years, "Pollution in the Mediterranean | UNEPMAP", "Over 200,000 tonnes of plastic leaking into the Mediterranean each year IUCN report", "Marine Pollution Threatens the Caribbean Sea", "NASA NASA Satellites Record a Month for the Hurricane History Books", "Caribbean Sea Turtles Close to Extinction", Historic Caribbean Sea Turtle Population falls 99%. But, he added, scientists do know a few things about the area: They know that it is tectonically active, with some seismic hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis. Atlantic deep water is thought to spill into the Caribbean and contribute to the general deep water of its sea. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. After Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas in 1492, the Spanish term Antillas applied to the lands; stemming from this, Sea of the Antilles became a common alternative name for "Caribbean Sea" in various European languages. The Indian Ocean is home to several islands, including Madagascar (4th largest island globally). It has over 17,500 species, including sharks, manatees, sea turtles, and humpback whales. The sea is one of the largest oil production areas in the world, producing approximately 170million tons[clarification needed] per year. Some of these notable endemic floral species include guaiac wood, Bayahibe rose, and ceiba. Bodies of water all over North America are drying up due to drought. Piracy in the Caribbean was widespread during the early colonial era, especially between 1640 and 1680. Tropical cyclones are a threat to the nations that rim the Caribbean Sea. It is estimated that 13 thousand species of plants grow in the Caribbean of which 6.5 thousand are endemic. It is estimated that 13,000 species of plants grow in the Caribbean of which 6,500 are endemic. From there it divides to fill the Yucatn, Cayman, and Colombian basins at depths near 6,500 feet (2,000 metres). These are the Yucatn, Cayman, Colombian, Venezuelan, and Grenada basins. Solenodons and hutias are mammals found only in the Caribbean; only one extant species is not endangered. They are also fairly certain the area contains deepwater snapper populations, deepwater corals and geological features such as seamounts and mud volcanoes. The most-recent estimate of the average ocean depth of 3,682 meters (12,080 feet) was calculated in 2010 by scientists from NOAA and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution using satellite measurements. Parrots and bananaquits are found in forests. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Its home to over 1,769 species, including whales, sharks, sardines, tuna, sea turtles, and wahoo. Virtually all temperature extremes were associated with the phenomena of El Nio and La Nia. Rainfall varies with elevation, size, and water currents (cool upwelling keep the ABC islands arid). The average depth of the Caribbean Sea is approximately 7,220 feet. What is The Average Depth of the Caribbean Sea? As of 2015[update] the area is home to 22 island territories and borders 12 continental countries. 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