Oceans

The water of the world is divided into oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and clouds. There are four oceans in the world: The Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, The Indian Ocean and the Arctic Ocean. But recently scientists raised the problem of the fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean. And in 2000 the International Hydrographical Organization accepted the existence of this Ocean. But scientists disagree till nowadays on existence of this Ocean, saying it is the part of the South Atlantic Ocean, the South Pacific, and the South Indian Ocean. But the existence of different from these oceans flora and fauna allow saying that this is a separate ocean.

Oceans are separated from each other by archipelagos and continents. The first explorers of oceans were sailors. Thanks to them all oceans were discovered. Thanks to them the first maps were created. But there was no possibility to study the ocean floor and the ocean's flora and fauna.

The deepest point of oceans is considered to be the Mariana Trench situated in the Pacific Ocean. Its depth is 10924 meters. In 19521 it was explored by British submarine "Challenger II", that is why the deepest part of the trench was named "the challenger depth".

More than 96 % of the earth's water is gathered in these five oceans. Oceans play an important role on our planet. It influences the climate of many countries making it milder or colder. Ocean currents carry cold and warm water that influence the climate. Its temperature changes not so quickly as the temperature of land and air. Land zones situated close to the oceans have frequent changes in temperature.

Nobody knows exactly where the world's oceans came from. Till nowadays people discuss this problem. But according to common theory the world ocean was created thanks to chemical reactions in prehistoric times.

Oceans are very important for transporting of goods. Thanks to the oceans people may eat different kinds of fishes that live only in oceans. The same is with flora. It is necessary to mention that the ocean floor is not studied well enough. Till nowadays it conserves a great number of mysteries.