- Ocean Name: Southern Ocean
- Location: Surrounds Antarctica
- Average Depth: 10,872 feet
- Total Surface Area: 8.4 million mi2
- Total Coastline: 11,164 miles
- Total Volume of Water: 17.2 million mi3
20 Southern Ocean Facts for Kids
- The Southern Ocean is one of the world’s five oceans.
- The Southern Ocean surrounds the Antarctica.
- The total volume of the Southern Ocean is 17.2 million mi3 of water.
- The Southern Ocean contains 5.4% of all the world’s ocean water.
- The Southern Ocean is the second smallest of all five oceans.
- The total surface area of the Southern Ocean is 8.4 million mi2.
- The average depth of the Southern Ocean is 10,872 feet.
- The deepest part of the Southern Ocean is 24,390 feet in the Factorian Deep (proposed name).
- The Southern Ocean is the second deepest ocean in the world.
- The total coastline of the Southern Ocean is 11,164 miles.
- The Southern Ocean has least amount of coastline of all the five major oceans.
- The Southern Ocean is the only ocean that stretches around the entire planet.
- Ice sheets and icebergs cover the Southern Ocean during the winter months.
- Antarctica and the Southern Ocean contain around 90% of the ice found on Earth.
- The temperature of the seawater in the Southern Ocean fluctuates between 28 and 50 °F.
- The Southern Ocean has some of the strongest winds on Earth.
- It’s estimated the Southern Ocean could contain massive deposits of oil and gas.
- The Southern Ocean is home to many different marine mammals, like orcas and blue whales.
- The Southern Ocean is home to several marine birds, like penguins and gulls.
- The Southern Ocean is home only to a few marine fish, like the cod icefish and snailfish.
Pictures of the Southern Ocean
A picture of ice sheets and icebergs in the Southern Ocean.
A picture of dark, stormy clouds over the Southern Ocean.
A picture of a boat sailing through the Southern Ocean.
Additional Resources on the Southern Ocean
- About the Southern Ocean – Discover more about the Southern Ocean in this article by Wilbert Weijer.
- Southern Ocean – The World Factbook – Find more facts about the Southern Ocean on the CIA World Factbook website.
- Map of the Southern Ocean – View a map of the Southern Ocean on Google Maps.
- Southern Ocean – Britannica – Explore the Britannica website to learn more about the Southern Ocean.