What Bodies of Water Surround Latin America? (Corrected)

What Bodies of Water Surround Latin America? (Corrected)

The original answer incorrectly listed the Arctic Ocean. Latin America (Mexico, Central America, South America, Caribbean) is bordered by:

1. Pacific Ocean — Western coast from Baja California to Cape Horn.
2. Atlantic Ocean — Eastern coast of South America (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay).
3. Caribbean Sea — North of South America, east of Central America, surrounding the Greater & Lesser Antilles.
4. Gulf of Mexico — Northeast of Mexico, southeast of US; connects to Caribbean via Yucatán Channel.

Why Not Arctic / Southern Oceans?

• Arctic Ocean borders northern North America (Canada, Alaska, Greenland)—far from Latin America.
• Southern Ocean surrounds Antarctica—separated by Drake Passage (1,000 km south of Cape Horn).

Key Distinction

The Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico are marginal seas of the Atlantic, but they are the *defining* maritime boundaries for the region's geography, climate, history, and economy—far more relevant than the open Atlantic itself.