The World’s Fifth Ocean

On World Ocean Day (June 8), National Geographic officially recognized the Southern Ocean as the world’s fifth ocean.

Until now, there had only been four oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic Oceans. After years of debating and cotroversy, the world finally came to an agreement that the Southern Ocean deserved its own recognition. This ocean is the body of water that surrounds Antarctica. It was originally thought to be an extension of the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans because it didn’t have many known features that could distinguish it from these three oceans. But research has revealed that the Southern Ocean has its own currents, its own temperatures, and its own traits that can differentiate it from the others.

Many scientists and explorers had already considered this to be an ocean and long believed that the Southern Ocean deserves to be recognized because as they studied it they saw the unique landscapes and climates of the ocean. Enric Sala, National Geographic resident explorer describes the fifth ocean as “a distinct water body characterized by the powerful Antarctic Circumpolar Current that flows eastward, perpetually chasing itself around Antarctica.” Unfortunately, some members of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) did not agree with this, which is why it took so long for the ocean to be officially declared an ocean.

With the IHO finally agreeing, National Geographic did not hesitate to name the world’s fifth ocean on World Ocean Day 2021. The biggest hope is that more attention will be drawn to the Southern Ocean now that it is officially named, and conservation efforts will be put in place to save the landscapes, the species, and the environments that make up this stunning ocean.