🌊 The Southern Ocean
Encircling Antarctica, the world's fifth and youngest ocean
📌 Fast Facts
- Encircles Antarctica northward to 60° south latitude—the only ocean completely surrounding a continent
- Home to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), the strongest ocean current on Earth
- Recognized as the fifth world ocean and the youngest of the five
- Critical to global climate regulation through heat and carbon dioxide absorption
The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, is a vast and dynamic marine system that encircles the Antarctic continent. It is the only ocean on Earth to completely surround a landmass, and its waters extend northward to approximately 60 degrees south latitude. Designated as the fifth world ocean and the youngest in geological terms, the Southern Ocean plays a disproportionately large role in regulating Earth's climate and supporting one of the planet's most productive ecosystems ...