Geography Atlas

Where Everything Happened
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Bodies of Water

The Indian Ocean

Oceans

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceans, bounded by Africa to the west, Asia to the north, Australia to the east and the Southern Ocean to the south. It is the only ocean named for a single country rather than a continent or a direction, and its seasonal reversal of surface winds and currents drives the South and Southeast Asian monsoon, the single most consequential monsoon system in the world for the food and water security of the billions who live around its rim.

Facts
Area (sq km)
70,560,000 1
Maximum Depth (m)
7290 1
Java Trench (Sunda Trench), the ocean's deepest known point.
Length (km)
9600 2
Greatest north-south extent, Antarctica to the Bay of Bengal.
Latitude
20 degrees south 2
Longitude
80 degrees east 2
Connections

Associated With

Africa, Continents
Source Africa (Wikipedia)
Asia, Continents
Source Asia (Wikipedia)
Australia, Continents

This source names both oceans directly: Australia lies between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Source Geography of Australia (Wikipedia)
Seychelles, Countries
Source Seychelles (Wikipedia)
Source Horn of Africa (Wikipedia)

Borders

Maldives, Countries
Source Maldives (Wikipedia)

Demonstrates

In the Other Atlases

Is Discussed By

Also in Nature Atlas: which discusses this subject.

Found There

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Source Christmas Island red crab, WikipediaDistribution: Indian Ocean
Quote, Distribution: Indian Ocean
The Christmas Island red crab (Gecarcoidea natalis) is a species of land crab that is endemic to Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Source Amphioctopus marginatus (Wikipedia)Distribution: Indian Ocean
Quote, Distribution: Indian Ocean
Amphioctopus marginatus, also known as the coconut octopus and veined octopus, is a medium-sized cephalopod found in the tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Source Wikipedia: Fire coralDistribution: Indian Oceantier 2
Quote, Distribution: Indian Ocean
Fire corals are found on reefs in tropical and subtropical waters, such as the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Source Animal Diversity Web: HydrozoaGeographic Range: "Hydrozoans are found in all the oceans, at all l"
Quote, Geographic Range: "Hydrozoans are found in all the oceans, at all l"
Hydrozoans are found in all the oceans, at all latitudes.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Source Psednos microps (Wikipedia)Distribution: Indian Ocean
Quote, Distribution: Indian Ocean
Psednos microps, the smalleye dwarf snailfish, is a species of snailfish found in the western Indian Ocean.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Source Animal Diversity Web: SireniaGeographic Range: "Dugongs are found off of coastal eastern Africa,"
Quote, Geographic Range: "Dugongs are found off of coastal eastern Africa,"
Dugongs are found off of coastal eastern Africa, along the shores of the Indian Ocean, and on the northern coast of Australia.
Sources
1. The World Factbook
Central Intelligence AgencyView the Source
2. Indian Ocean (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Infobox, Max. length field
    9,600 km (6,000 mi) (Antarctica to Bay of Bengal)
  • Infobox, Coordinates field
    20S 80E
View the Source
Wikidata: The Indian Ocean
Wikidata Q1239, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Africa (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Africa, Geography section, bordering waters
Quote, Associated With: Africa, Geography section, bordering waters
The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Arabian plate and the Gulf of Aqaba to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
View the Source
Asia (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Asia, Opening section, bordering oceans
Quote, Associated With: Asia, Opening section, bordering oceans
It is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Indian Ocean, and on the north by the Arctic Ocean.
View the Source
Geography of Australia (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Australia, Lead section
Quote, Associated With: Australia, Lead section
Located in the Southern Hemisphere between the Indian and Pacific oceans, Australia's jurisdiction spreads across thousands of kilometres beyond the main landmass
View the Source
Maldives (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationBorders: Maldives, Lead sentence
Quote, Borders: Maldives, Lead sentence
is an archipelagic country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean
View the Source
Horn of Africa (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: The Horn of Africa, Lead section
Quote, Associated With: The Horn of Africa, Lead section
extending hundreds of kilometers into the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel, and Indian Ocean
View the Source

Take a Related Quiz

Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.