The Deepest Oceans in The World

Although the Earth has a total surface area of about 510.1 million km2, drainage features such as oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, streams, gulfs, and other water reservoirs cover approximately 70.9% of it. Oceans and their surrounding seas are the world’s largest and deepest bodies of water. The Pacific Ocean contains the world’s deepest point, the Challenger Deep. Subduction is the process by which one of two colliding tectonic plates descends into the Earth’s mantle, resulting in the extreme depths of the oceans and seas. 

Oceans alone cover approximately 335.3 million km2, or 65% of the total area of the Earth, and have an average depth of 3,688 m. They hold 97% of the world’s water or approximately 1.35 billion cubic kilometers. However, the depths of the five oceans are not the same. The following are the deepest oceans and seas.

Deepest Oceans

With an average depth of 4,280 meters and a maximum depth of 10,911 meters, the Pacific Ocean is the world’s deepest ocean and water body. It contains the Earth’s deepest point (Challenger Deep, at 10,928 m) as well as the deepest point in the Southern Hemisphere (Horizon Deep, at 10,823 m).

The Indian Ocean is the second-deepest ocean in terms of average depth, with a depth of 3,741 m. The ocean, on the other hand, is 7,258 meters deep at its deepest point, making it the third deepest ocean and water body. The Java Trench, near Sumatra Island, is the deepest point in the Indian Ocean.

The Atlantic Ocean is the third-deepest ocean in terms of average depth, with a maximum depth of 8,376 meters below sea level. The Puerto Rico Trench, near the Caribbean Sea, is the deepest point in the Atlantic.

With an average depth of 3,270 meters, the Southern Ocean is the world’s fourth-deepest ocean and water body. It has a maximum depth of 7,236 meters. The South Sandwich Trench is the deepest point in the ocean. With an average depth of 1,204 meters and a maximum depth of 5,450 meters.

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest ocean. The Molloy Hole, located in the Fram Strait, is the deepest point in the ocean.