Arctic Ocean: Location, Connections & Size

The Arctic Ocean sits at the northernmost point of Earth, centered on the North Pole. It’s bordered by:

• North America (Alaska, Canada)
• Europe (Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia)
• Asia (Russia)

Connections:

• Pacific via the Bering Strait (82 km wide).
• Atlantic via the Greenland Sea and Norwegian Sea.

Area: ~14 M km² (5.4 M sq mi)—the smallest and shallowest of the world’s five oceans. Seasonal sea‑ice cover defines its ecology and climate role.