from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
pacific \pa*cif"ic\, a. [L. pacificus: cf. F. pacifique. See
{Pacify}.]
Of or pertaining to peace; of a peaceful character; not
warlike; not quarrelsome; as, a pacific nature or condition.
[WordNet sense 3]
Syn: peaceable.
[1913 Webster]
2. Promoting peace; suited to make or restore peace;
conciliatory; as, pacific words or acts. [WordNet sense 1]
Syn: irenic.
[WordNet 1.5]
3. of or pertaining to the {Pacific Ocean}; as, Pacific
islands.
[WordNet 1.5]
{Pacific Ocean}, the ocean between America and Asia, so
called by Magellan, its first European navigator, on
account of the exemption from violent tempests which he
enjoyed while sailing over it; -- called also, simply, the
{Pacific}, and, formerly, the {South sea}.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Peacemaking; appeasing; conciliatory; tranquil; calm;
quiet; peaceful; reconciling; mild; gentle.
[1913 Webster]
from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Pacific Ocean
Introduction
Background: The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five
oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean,
Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically
important access waterways include the La Perouse,
Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres
Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic
Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth
ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the
Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.
Geography
Location: body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia,
Australia, and the Western Hemisphere
Geographic 0 00 N, 160 00 W
coordinates:
Map Political Map of the World
references:
Area: total: 155.557 million sq km
note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait,
Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of
Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk,
South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water
bodies
Area - about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of
comparative: the global surface; larger than the total land area of
the world
Coastline: 135,663 km
Climate: planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind
patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and
east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed
patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical
cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from
June to October and affect Mexico and Central America;
continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be
much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions
at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the
western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs
during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds
blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season
during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the
Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones
(typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May
to December
Terrain: surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated
by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system
of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a
counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern
Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice
from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in
October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is
dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western
Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the
Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest
Elevation lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench
extremes: -10,924 m
highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and
resources: gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish
Natural surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake
hazards: activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of
Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in
southeast and east Asia from May to December (most
frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones
(hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike
Central America and Mexico from June to October (most
common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La
Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific,
influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the
western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing
in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in
the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June
to December
Environment - endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion,
current sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in
issues: Philippine Sea and South China Sea
Geography - the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama
note: Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the
Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North
Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with
low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the
southwestern Pacific Ocean
Economy
Economy - The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world
overview: economy and particularly to those nations its waters
directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation
between East and West, extensive fishing grounds,
offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and
gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60%
of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean.
Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is
playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies
of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high
cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with
the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has
led to fluctuations in new drillings.
Transportation
Ports and Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Kao-hsiung
terminals: (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan
(South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US),
Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia),
Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)
Transportation Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast
- note: Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
international: