# Travel >> Destinations >> South Pacific

The World's Four Largest Oceans by Area

Earth's oceans cover 71% of the planet. Ranked by surface area:

Rank	Ocean	Area (sq km)	Area (sq mi)	% of Earth Surface
1	Pacific Ocean	165,250,000	63,800,000	32.1%
2	Atlantic Ocean	106,400,000	41,100,000	20.8%
3	Indian Ocean	73,440,000	28,360,000	14.4%
4	Southern (Antarctic) Ocean*	20,330,000	7,850,000	4.0%
5	Arctic Ocean	14,060,000	5,430,000	2.8%

*The Southern Ocean (defined by the Antarctic Convergence / 60°S) is recognized by IHO (2000) and NOAA, but some systems still list only 4 oceans, placing Arctic as 4th.

Key Distinctions

Pacific: Largest, deepest (Mariana Trench 10,935 m), most islands (25,000+), Ring of Fire.
Atlantic: Saltiest, busiest trade routes, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Gulf Stream.
Indian: Warmest, monsoon-driven, youngest ocean geologically.
Southern: Only ocean encircling globe uninterrupted by land; ACC (Antarctic Circumpolar Current) connects all basins.
Arctic: Smallest, shallowest, sea-ice covered (declining rapidly), bordered by 5 nations.

Together, they form one interconnected World Ocean—currents, life, and climate know no boundaries.

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South Pacific