USA- a state located in the western hemisphere, on the continent of North America. The USA consists of 48 states bordering each other in the "continental part" and 2 states that do not have a common border with the rest: Alaska, a huge peninsula that occupies the northwestern part of the continent of North America, and the islands of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the United States includes some territories in the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, etc.), the Pacific Ocean (Eastern Samoa, Guam, etc.) and the non-state Federal District of Columbia.

Borders and area

The United States borders Mexico to the south and Canada to the north. The US also has a maritime border with the Russian Federation. From the west, the territory of the United States is washed by the Pacific Ocean, from the east - by the Atlantic, in the southeast of the United States is the Gulf of Mexico, the Alaska Peninsula is washed by the Arctic Ocean from the north. Among the borders of the United States, the most common is the so-called geometric (astronomical) type of border. Most of the US border with Canada (including Canada's border with Alaska) belongs to this type. The eastern part of the US-Mexico border runs along the Rio Grande. The maritime boundaries along the east and west coasts, as well as the border with Canada in the Great Lakes region, are classified as hydrographic. They are carried out along natural (natural) boundaries, taking into account the features of the relief. The western part of the border with Mexico is a straight line connecting two locally defined points, while it crosses the territory regardless of the terrain and, therefore, can be classified as a geometric border. According to various estimates, the total area of ​​​​the United States is from 9,518,900 km to 9,826,630 km, which puts it in 4th place or 3rd place in the list of the largest countries in the world. China has approximately the same area, which varies greatly whether or not the various disputed territories are taken into account. One way or another, in terms of total area, the United States and China lag behind Russia and Canada, but are ahead of Brazil.

Relief

There are several large physiographic regions on the territory of the United States. In the east, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the Appalachian mountain system stretches. To the west and south of it, the surface levels off, forming low-lying areas through which the largest rivers of the United States flow. Further to the west, the area passes into vast plains and prairies, called the Great Plains, which precede the mountainous regions of the Cordillera. Mountain ranges occupy the entire western part of the country and break off quite sharply to the Pacific coast. Most of Alaska is occupied by the northern Cordillera ranges. The Hawaiian archipelago is a series of volcanic islands up to 4,205 m high.

Appalachian system

The Appalachian mountain range stretches for 1,900 km along the Atlantic coast of the United States from northern Maine to central Alabama. According to others, the Appalachian system stretches for almost 3,000 km from central Alabama to Newfoundland in Canada, and its width from east to west ranges from 190 to 600 km. The highest point of the system is Mount Mitchell (2037 m), the prevailing heights are 1300 - 1600 m. These are one of the most ancient mountains on Earth, formed about 400 million years ago, when North America and Europe were part of the single continent Pangea. The Hudson River divides the system into unequal parts - the northern and southern Appalachians. On the territory of New England, the White Mountains, the Green Mountains, as well as the Taconic and Berkshire ranges are distinguished. The southern part includes the Adirondacks, Catskills and the Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge Range is the highest in the system, divided into two parts by the Roanoke River. To the west of the ranges is the Appalachian Plateau, which consists of the Allegheny Mountains and Plateau to the north and the Cumberland Plateau to the south. The plateau has a length of 1000 km and a width of 160 to 320 km and is strongly dissected by the tributaries of the Ohio River. In the southern part of the system is located the range and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To the south of it is the Piedmont Plateau. The height of the plateau is 150-300 m, sometimes there are low ridges and remnants. The most famous granite monolith is Stone Mountain with a relative height of more than 185 m.

low-lying areas

The Atlantic lowland (width from 160 to 320 km, height up to 100 m) is located between the ocean and the Piedmont plateau, from which it is separated by the so-called “line of waterfalls” - a drop in height, due to which numerous rapids and waterfalls form on the rivers. The Atlantic lowland stretches from the Chesapeake Bay to the Florida peninsula. To the west from Florida to the Rio Grande, the entire southern coast of the country is occupied by the Mexican Lowland (up to 150 m high). In many places, the coast is swampy and has a strip of marches. Approximately in the middle of the lowland is the alluvial plain of the Mississippi, 80 to 160 km wide. The territory from the Great Lakes in the north and the Mexican Lowland in the south, as well as from the Appalachians in the east and the Great Prairies in the west, is occupied by the Central Plains (height 200 - 500 m). In the northern part, the plains have a hilly moraine relief, while in the middle and southern parts, the hills are more gentle and corroded by erosion. In the south of Missouri, the Ozark Plateau stands out, consisting of the Springfield and Salem plateaus and the Boston mountains (700 m high). South of the plateau across the Arkansas River valley are the Washita Mountains, up to 885 m high.

great plains

The Great Plains start from 97 - 98 ° west longitude and are in fact the foothills of the Cordillera plateau. The height of the plains rises when moving westward from 500 to 1600 m. The plateau is strongly dissected, in some places the network of valleys is too dense for their economic use. In the north are Badlands - "bad lands", almost devoid of soil cover. To the south - in Nebraska, the Sand Hills. Kansas is home to the low Smoky Hills and Flint Hills, as well as the Red Hills. The southern part of the plains is occupied by the Llano Estacado and the Edwards Plateau.

Cordillera

The North American Cordillera mountain system runs through the western part of the United States, which is a system of parallel ridges elongated from north to southeast and plateaus, depressions and valleys separating them. The longest chain is the Rocky Mountains (the highest point is Mount Elbert, 4,399 m), which includes (from north to south): the Lewis Range, the Absaroka Range and the Bighorn Mountains, the Laramie Mountains, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the San Mountains -Juan, as well as the Sacramento mountains, which, to the south, already in Mexico, pass into the Eastern Sierra Madre range. To the west of the northern Rocky Mountains are the Cabinet and Bitterroot Ranges, which merge into the Clearwater Mountains and the Salmon River Range. The Salmon River is bounded to the south by the volcanic Columbia Plateau and the Snake River Plain, and to the west of it through the Heales Canyon are the Blue Mountains. Further south is the territory of the endorheic Great Basin, on which the Independence Mountains are distinguished, and the upper part of the Colorado River basin, separated from the endorheic region by the Wasatch Range and the Uinta Mountains. To the south is the vast Colorado Plateau, where rivers have cut through many beautiful canyons, which is why this region is home to a large number of national parks, such as the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Arches and Canyonlands. Along the Pacific coast of the United States stretches a series of mountain ranges (altitude up to 2400 m), which include the Alaska Range, the ranges in Canada, the Cascade Mountains, the Sierra Nevada and the Western Sierra Madre Range in Mexico. Between the Coast Ranges and the Cascade Mountains lies the fertile Willamette Valley. In the Sierra Nevada ridge is the highest point in the continental United States - Mount Whitney (4421 m). Between this range and the Coast Ranges lies the California Valley, which consists of the valleys of the San Joaquin River to the north and the Sacramento River to the south. East of the Sierra Nevada, there is a small ridge of the White Mountains and behind it is Death Valley. In southern California, the Santa Rosa Mountains fence off the Imperial Valley, bounded on the east by the Sonoran Desert.

Alaska

Most of the territory of the state of Alaska is occupied by mountain ranges stretched from west to east. The northern part of the state is occupied by the flat Arctic Lowland, framed on the south by the Brooks Range, which includes the De Long, Endicott, Philip Smith and British Mountains. In the central part of the state, the Yukon Plateau is located, along which the river of the same name flows. The Aleutian Range arcs around the Susitna River Valley and continues as the Alaska Range, forming the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. On the Alaska Range is the highest peak in the United States - Mount McKinley (6193 m). The Chugach Ridge, the St. Elias Ridge, and the Wrangel Mountains stretch along the US-owned coast of the Gulf of Alaska.

Hydrography

The flow of rivers from the territory of the United States is carried out into the basins of three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic. The main watershed (between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans) runs along the eastern part of the Cordillera, and only a small part of the territory of the northern states and Alaska belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin. The meeting point of the three watersheds is located on Triple Divide Peak. According to TSB data, the average annual runoff layer from the surface of the main part of the US territory is 27 cm, the total volume is 1600 km, and the regime of most of the rivers is irregular, especially in continental regions. The availability of water resources in different parts of the country is uneven - the height of the annual runoff layer in the states of Washington and Oregon is 60 - 120 cm, in the east (in the Appalachian region) 40 - 100 cm, in the Central Plains 20 - 40 cm, in the Great Plains 10 - 20 cm , and on the internal plateaus and plateaus up to 10 cm.

Large lakes are located in the north of the country - the Great Lakes. Smaller endorheic salt lakes are found in the depressions of the Great Basin. Inland water resources are widely used in industrial and municipal water supply, irrigation, hydropower and shipping.

Atlantic Ocean basin

The largest system of freshwater lakes in North America, in the United States and Canada, connected by rivers and canals. The area is about 245.2 thousand km, the volume of water is 22.7 thousand km. The five largest lakes are actually great lakes: Upper, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario. Among the smaller ones: St. Mary's, St. Clair, Nipigon. The lakes are drained by the St. Lawrence River. Many rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean from the east coast of the United States, the longest of which originate in the Appalachians and are several hundred kilometers long. The Hudson, Potomac, James, Roanoke, Great Pee Dee, Savannah, Oltamaho and others flow along the Atlantic Lowland. The southern part of the lowlands is located in Florida - there are the famous Everglades, the Big Cypress swamp, and many karst and lagoon lakes, the largest of which is Okeechobee.

Gulf of Mexico basin

Most of the US river flow belongs to the Gulf of Mexico basin of the Atlantic Ocean. This drainage basin extends west to east from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians and from the Canadian border to the north. The largest river system is formed by the Mississippi River (length 3,757 km, annual flow 180 km) and its countless tributaries, the largest of which are the Missouri (length 4,127 km), Arkansas (2,364 km) and Ohio (1,579 km). The Mississippi Delta is located in the center of the Mexican Lowland and protrudes into the bay for more than 100 km. Such rivers as, for example, the Rio Grande, along which the eastern part of the border between the United States and Mexico runs, as well as the Colorado, Brazos, Trinity, and others flow directly into the Gulf of Mexico.

Endorheic regions

There are several drainless regions in the United States, the largest of which is the Great Basin. On its territory are the Great Salt Lake, Utah and Sevier in the east, as well as a number of small lakes in the west: Honey, Pyramid, Winnemucca, Tahoe, Walker, Monet and Owens. The undrained Humboldt River also flows in this basin. The Great Divide Basin and the Harney Basin, in which Lake Malur lies, also stand out.

Pacific Basin

The Columbia River (2250 km long) with its tributary the Snake (1674 km) forms the largest basin in the northwestern United States. Colombia has an annual flow of 60 km and has the largest hydroelectric potential. The Franklin Roosevelt Reservoir is located on the river near the border with Canada. The southern tributary of Columbia, the Willamette River flows through the valley, which is called the northern analogue of California. The San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers flow through the California Valley itself, which together empty into the San Francisco Bay. Another large basin in the western part of the country is formed by the Colorado River (2330 km), which flows on its way through the world's largest Grand Canyon. Above this canyon is the large Powell Reservoir, below is the Mead Reservoir. The Colorado flows into the Gulf of California in Mexico. The largest river in Alaska, the Yukon (3700 km), as well as the Kuskokuim River, flow into the bay of the same name in the Bering Sea.

Arctic Ocean Basin

Only a small part of the US territory belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin. The northern regions of the states of Minnesota and North Dakota are dendrited by rivers, the flow of which is directed through Lake Winnipeg and the Nelson River into Hudson Bay. In addition, the rivers of northern Alaska such as the Noatak and Colville also carry their waters to the northernmost ocean of the planet.

USA climate

Because of the country's large size, stretch, and wide variety of geographic features, the United States can be found in areas with virtually any climate pattern. Most of the United States (states located north of 40 degrees N. Lat.) is located in the temperate climate zone, subtropical climate prevails to the south, Hawaii and southern Florida lie in the tropics, and northern Alaska belongs to the polar regions. The Great Plains west of the 100th meridian are referred to as semi-deserts, the Great Basin and the areas around it have an arid climate, and the coastal regions of California have a Mediterranean climate. The type of climate within the boundaries of one belt can vary significantly depending on the relief, the proximity of the ocean, and other factors. The favorable climate had a significant impact on the settlement of the mainland by Europeans and in many ways contributed to the US taking a leading position in the world.

The main component of the US climate is the high-altitude jet stream - powerful air currents that bring moisture from the north of the Pacific region. Moisture-saturated winds from the Pacific Ocean actively irrigate the western coast of the United States. In the northwest, rain is not uncommon throughout the year, and more snow falls in winter than anywhere else in the world. To the south, California receives most of its rainfall in autumn and winter, but is rather dry and hot in summer, which forms its Mediterranean climate. The Cascade Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and the Rocky Mountains take up most of the moisture, leaving a rain shadow to their east, forming a semi-desert climate in the western Great Plains. Death Valley and the Great Basin Desert also formed due to the presence of this shadow. The dry winds of the high-altitude jet stream, falling on the completely flat Great Plains, do not encounter any more obstacles and again gain moisture. Encounters with saturated flows from the Gulf of Mexico often lead to severe storms and thunderstorms. In winter, they are the cause of intense snowfall on the northeast coast of the United States. Often, the vast flat plains of the United States are the cause of extremely rapid, sometimes catastrophic, weather changes. The temperature can rapidly rise and also fall rapidly, depending on which air masses are "captured" by the high-altitude current - from cold arctic ones in the north to warm tropical ones over the Gulf of Mexico.

Natural disasters

A relatively large number of various natural disasters occur annually in the United States. On the one hand, droughts in the United States are rare, on the other hand, when they do, they have serious, sometimes catastrophic consequences. As an example, we can recall the terrible drought of 1931 - 1940, also known as the Dust Bowl, which also fell on the period of the most severe economic crisis - the Great Depression. Farms in the Great Plains virtually ceased to function, the region became depopulated (up to 2.5 million people left the plains by 1940), numerous dust storms destroyed the top fertile soil layer. In 1999 - 2004 in America, another drought was observed, comparable in consequences to the one described above.

Frequent tornadoes are a well-known feature of the North American climate, in fact, the US is far ahead of any other country in the number of tornadoes. The collision of air masses with very different temperatures is the main cause of frequent thunderstorms and tornadoes in the central regions of the United States in spring and summer. Although tornadoes in America are found in various regions - both in the flat regions of Canada, and on the east coast of the United States and on the Florida peninsula, the most frequent and strongest tornadoes occur in the so-called Tornado Alley, the conditional boundaries of which capture north Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas , part of Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee. In the cities of these states there are special sirens warning of the appearance of a tornado, and houses are equipped with anti-tornado shelters even during construction.

Another natural disaster that often occurs in the United States is hurricanes. The east coast, the islands of Hawaii, and especially the southern states of the United States bordering the Gulf of Mexico are the most affected by this element. The US hurricane season begins in June and ends by early December, peaking from August to October. The most devastating hurricanes include the Galveston hurricane of 1900, Hurricane Andrew of 1992, and the terrible Hurricane Katrina that swept across the southern United States in 2005. On the West Coast of the United States, echoes of Pacific typhoons are sometimes observed, most often in the form of heavy prolonged downpours. Floods, like droughts, are not common in the United States. However, it is worth noting the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and the Great Flood of 1993 - extremely long and severe floods that claimed many lives and cost the American economy dearly. Many floods are also direct consequences of hurricanes. Of particular note are floods that develop extremely rapidly due to the relief of some regions of the United States. A sudden thunderstorm can instantly fill the canyon, raising the water level by several meters at once. In the state of California, due to heavy rains, landslides also systematically occur. The western coast of North America is included in the so-called Pacific volcanic ring of fire - the source of 90% of all earthquakes on earth. The entire mountainous region from the Alaska Peninsula to southern California is a zone of increased volcanic activity. The concentration of volcanoes is especially high in the Cascade Mountains in the northwestern United States. The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 was one of the most destructive in the United States. The islands of Hawaii are also famous for their volcanoes, for example, the Kilauea volcano has been erupting continuously since 1983. However, Hawaiian volcanoes do not pose a particular danger to the residents of the state. The states of Alaska and California, due to their location on the edge of the Ring of Fire, are prone to particularly strong earthquakes. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the 1964 Alaska earthquake were among the strongest in history. In addition to large destructive earthquakes, these states experience weaker impacts quite regularly, so all buildings have to be built earthquake resistant. The direct consequences of earthquakes are also tsunamis, which often hit the western coast of the United States. Recently, due to dry summer periods, the state of California suffers from wildfires every year.

Statistics

Arctic conditions prevail in the tundra of northern Alaska, the minimum temperature recorded in these parts was 62 ° C. The highest temperatures in the United States were recorded in Death Valley in California, the thermometer there rose to 56.7 ° C, this is just a degree less than the world record recorded 9 years later in the Sahara. The western states of the USA are known for their snowfalls, on average they get much more snow than anywhere else on earth. Winter 1998-99 At one of the ski resorts in Washington State, about 29 meters of snow fell. The rainiest place in the United States is Hawaii, with 11,684 mm of precipitation annually on the island of Kauai. In contrast, the Mojave Desert has extremely low rainfall, averaging 66.8 mm per year. US lowest point- Death Valley, Inyo County, California (-86 m).

In preparing the material, articles from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, were used.

The USA is located on the continent of North America. The territory of the country is conditionally divided into three parts: continental - located in the center of the continent, the Alaska Peninsula and the Hawaiian Islands. The geographical position of the United States: the east is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, from the south - by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, more precisely, by the waters of its Gulf of Mexico. The coast of the country is washed by the Pacific Ocean in the west and southwest. The Arctic Ocean washes the Alaska Peninsula from the north and northwest. The Hawaiian Islands are located at a distance of about 4000 km from the mainland in the Pacific Ocean. The Hawaiian attols are home to the world's highest active volcanoes.

Geographic location of the USA quite profitable: the natural conditions are diverse and mostly favorable for life, natural resources are also rich and diverse. There is access to three oceans, which has a positive effect on transport and economic relations with other countries. The western territory of the United States is occupied by the Cordillera mountain system. They are represented by long mountain ranges, separated by plateaus and valleys. The Rocky Mountains are the longest mountain range. The highest point of this chain is Mount Elbert, its height is 4.399 km. And the highest point of the continental territory is Mount Whitney (4.421 km). The highest point of the whole country is located in Alaska. This is Mount McKinley, its height is 6.193 km. In the south of the Cordillera there is a wide Colorado Plateau, with many beautiful canyons. In this place is the famous Grand Canyon National Park, or the Grand Canyon, as well as the Yellowstone Canyon, where the famous valley of geysers is located.

The Appalachian Mountains are located in the east of the country and stretch along the Atlantic coast. Mount Mitchell is the highest point in this mountain system, its height is 2.037 km. The Appalachians are divided by the Hudson River into northern and southern parts. Southwest of the Appalachians are the Atlantic, Mexican, and Mississippi lowlands. The Atlantic lowlands are separated from the mountains by the “Line of Waterfalls”.

West of the Appalachians are the central plains, in the center of which are the Great Lakes. It is the largest freshwater lake system on the North American continent and throughout the world. It applies not only to the US, but also to Canada. The total area of ​​the great lakes is 245.2 thousand km2. The largest lakes of this system are Michigan, Superior, Huron, Ontario and Erie. The Niagara River flows out of Lake Erie and flows into Lake Ontario. Not far from the crash site is the most powerful waterfall in North America - Niagara Falls. It consists of three waterfalls, which are called - "Horseshoe", "Veil" and American Falls. The height of the waterfalls is about 50 meters, and the total width is more than a kilometer. The largest river in the country is the Mississippi. Its main tributaries are the Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri, and Arkansas. The Mississippi River is 3950 km long. The rivers are of great transport importance, they are used for irrigation and hydropower. Geographic location of the USA influences the relief of the country, which has a meridional character. The western part, in which the Cordillera mountains are located, is arid. This territory is characterized by water deficit, because. groundwater resources are severely depleted. In the Great Basin, on the Columbian Plateau and the Colorado Plateau, there are steppes, semi-deserts and deserts.

The eastern territory is flat and humid, with 500 to 2000 mm of annual precipitation. The entire central part is flat, with a temperate and subtropical climate. The Hawaiian Islands and southern Florida have a tropical climate, while Alaska has a subarctic and temperate climate.

Geographic location of the USA affects the soil and vegetation zones, they, like the relief and climate, are replaced in the meridional direction. The northeast is occupied by mixed forests located on soddy-podzolic soils. The area of ​​broad-leaved forests on red and yellow soils is located to the south. And the southeast is an area of ​​subtropical pine forest. Southern Florida is characterized by rainforest and mangroves. The central and great plains are located on fertile soils. These territories are mainly used for arable land and pastures. The Cordillera, like all high mountains, is characterized by a pronounced vertical zonality. Coniferous mountain forests are gradually replaced by alpine meadows. Sometimes sequoia is found in these forests. In Alaska, tundra and forest-tundra prevail, in the southern territory - taiga. The country has a huge number of picturesque places, many parks and reserves have been created. Wild fauna is preserved in Alaska and the Cordillera. However, most of the country's forests are artificial. These forests are mostly planted in the second, or even the third round, in place of those previously cut down by predators. Total forests make up about 30% of the entire territory of the country.

South America is the fourth largest continent connected to North America by the Isthmus of Panama. Due to its relatively small size, most countries of the continent have access to ocean waters. The seas and oceans surrounding South America include the Pacific Ocean in the west, the Atlantic Ocean in the east, and the Caribbean Sea in the north.

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest and oldest on the globe, its area is 178 million square meters. km. It occupies such an impressive territory that all the continents put together could easily fit on it.

The boundless Pacific Ocean owes its name to the great navigator Feranan Magellan, who was lucky to travel in calm and calm weather. However, this does not mean at all that the Pacific Ocean is distinguished by a meek disposition - in it, like other oceans, strong storms and storms are not uncommon.

Despite the fact that the first studies of the Pacific coast of South America were undertaken several centuries ago, this issue was taken seriously only in the 19th century, and continues to be dealt with to this day.

The weather off the coast of South America is most often calm, stable, with a slight breeze. Periodically, it gives way to strong warm showers.

Rice. 1. Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean plays a big role in the economy of South American countries. Most of them have been engaged in catching commercial fish, catching crabs, mollusks, and edible species of algae for many years.

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Atlantic Ocean

If you look at the map, you can see that the eastern coast of South America is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. In terms of area, it is almost half the size of the Pacific Ocean and occupies 92 million square meters. km. Its distinctive feature is that it unites the polar zones of the planet.

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge runs along the very center of the ocean. Its highest peaks are visible on the surface of the water: various islands of volcanic nature, among which the most famous is Iceland.

Off the coast of South America is the deepest point of the Atlantic Ocean - the famous Puerto Rico depression, whose depth reaches 8742 m.

Rice. 2 Puerto Rico Trench

In the place where the waters of the Atlantic and the Amazon River merge, the water is characterized by low salinity and turbidity. For this reason, corals do not grow in this area of ​​the ocean, but there are a lot of other representatives of oceanic flora and fauna.

It is noteworthy that at the time of the great geographical discoveries, the Atlantic Ocean was the most important waterway to the shores of South America.

caribbean sea

The Caribbean Sea is of great value for the socio-economic development of many countries in South America. Its area is 2 million square meters. km, and on its seabed are rich oil deposits.

The Caribbean coast is also of interest as one of the most luxurious resort areas in the world. Washing the shores of Colombia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and many other countries, the Caribbean Sea is a popular destination for lovers of sea cruises. Local beaches are very picturesque and attract tourists from all over the world.

The underwater world is incredibly rich and diverse. There are many beautiful coral reefs, among which bright tropical fish and amazing marine animals scurry about. The coastal zone of the Caribbean Sea is very popular among divers.

Asking search engines on the Internet the question of which ocean in the east of America is one of the largest in the world, you will definitely receive a unanimous answer: the Atlantic. The very name of this ocean suggests that its scale is very large. This giant ocean is part of the World Ocean, and its waters make up 25% of all water resources on the planet. The Atlantic Ocean is the largest, and the next largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean. Such an indicator as the salinity of the waters is equal to 35% in the Atlantic Ocean. In the Atlantic Ocean 329.7 million km? water, and its average depth is 3,600 meters, although quite recently, having made the last measurements, scientists received new, most accurate data, thanks to which they found that the average depth of this ocean is much greater and is 4022 meters.

Why is the ocean called the Atlantic?

There are several versions of this etymology.

The climatic conditions of each of these numerous marine regions of the planet are directly dependent on the Atlantic Ocean itself, which is connected to them with its waters and makes their diverse fauna and flora differ from each other, creating the uniqueness of each of these places on Earth and forcing tourists from all over the world to travel more and more often. getting to know different parts of the world.

How are all these seas and bays interconnected?

The inhabitants of Asia, Europe and America can boast of their common Mediterranean Sea, whose area is 2,500 thousand km, and the volume is 3,839 thousand km?, and which is connected in the northeast to the Sea of ​​Marmara through the Dardanelles, and to the Black Sea through the Bosphorus. It is also connected to the Red Sea, and this connection is carried out by the Suez Canal, located in the southeast of this body of water.

The Baltic Sea also interacts with the Atlantic Ocean and does so through the North Sea, while the Black Sea is connected to the ocean through the Seas of Marmara and the Mediterranean. The Baltic Sea is inland and has an area of ​​385 thousand km, an average depth of 86 meters and a water volume of 21,700 km3. The Black inland sea, whose area is 413.5 thousand km, the average depth is 1000 m (the maximum depth is 2245 m), and the volume of water is almost 537 thousand km. cubic, is also part of the Atlantic Ocean, because in the south-west it is connected with the Sea of ​​Marmara by the Bosphorus Strait. As you can see, the Atlantic Ocean is the most, the most ocean in the world! The biggest and most beautiful.

Gulfstream

The Gulf Stream is an important life-supporting phenomenon that has been formed over many centuries. Originating in the southeast of North America, it is the course of the Atlantic Ocean with a width of 75 km and a speed of 6-30 km/h. It is characterized, first of all, by a warm upper layer of water and a comfortable temperature of 26 degrees, and its flow speed is 6-30 km/h. Thanks to such warm currents of the Atlantic Ocean, residents of European states located on its shores can enjoy a favorable and very mild climate in which it is pleasant to be, and especially to visit the beaches in the hot summer and swim in the warm sea waves. The Gulf Stream generates an amount of heat equal to that which can be obtained artificially from 1 million nuclear power plants.

America is one of the sides of the world, which consists of two continents: South and North America. These two continents are connected by the Isthmus of Panama. The peculiarity of America is that it is washed by oceans and seas from all sides. So, what ocean surrounds america?
Pacific Ocean
If you start listing the oceans that wash America, then, first of all, you should pay attention to the Pacific Ocean. After all, it has the largest area and rich history. The area of ​​the ocean is close to 178 million square kilometers. This area is almost equal to the area of ​​all the continents on the planet. Such an ocean was first discovered by the famous traveler Ferdinand Magellan. It was he who named this ocean the Pacific. But, in fact, it is not as quiet as its name suggests. The waters of the Pacific Ocean were first studied in the 19th century.

Given that this ocean washes a fairly large part of the mainland, many states are engaged in fishing. For some, this occupation is the only way to survive in such difficult conditions. For fishing, not only fish is used, but also various algae, which are used to prepare various dishes and treat diseases.
Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean on earth after the Pacific Ocean.

As already mentioned, America is washed by several oceans. In second place, you can put the Atlantic material. What ocean separates Africa and America, you ask. It's the Atlantic. The area of ​​the ocean is about 92 million square kilometers. The average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is 3736 meters. Near the coast of America is located the deepest depression of the ocean - Puerto Rico. The depth of this depression is more than 8742 meters.
In the waters of the Atlantic Ocean there are quite a lot of fish and algae that can be used in fishing. Anchovies, tuna, sardines and much more are widely used for fishing. Now, knowing such information, when you are asked which ocean washes America and Africa, you will definitely say - the Atlantic.
The Arctic Ocean

In addition, the coast of America is washed by the Arctic Ocean. In this case, we are not talking about the whole of America, but only about countries such as Canada and the United States. The area of ​​such an ocean is almost 15 million square meters. The average depth is 1225 meters, but the deepest point is in the Greenland Sea. Its depth is more than 5527 meters.
The Arctic Ocean is notable for its poor fauna and flora. This is due to the harsh climatic conditions. Of course, in some places, such as the Barents Sea, there are quite a variety of fish and algae that can be used for industrial purposes. In such an ocean you can find the largest mussels, jellyfish and corals. Recently, a rapid increase in the number of cod fish has been noted. This phenomenon is explained by the increase in temperature in some regions. This will positively affect the economies of many countries that adjoin this ocean.