Where Is the Southern Ocean?

The Southern Ocean encircles Antarctica, extending north to the Antarctic Convergence—a dynamic boundary between cold Antarctic waters and warmer subantarctic waters. It includes portions of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans south of this convergence. Key marginal seas: Weddell Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, Ross Sea, Amundsen Sea. Its northern limits reach the southern coasts of South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Note: Not all international bodies formally recognize it; boundaries vary by definition.