from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Indian Ocean
Introduction
Background: The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's
five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic
Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic
Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are
the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen),
Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca
(Indonesia-Malaysia). 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 Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south
latitude.
Geography
Location: body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia,
and Australia
Geographic 20 00 S, 80 00 E
coordinates:
Map Political Map of the World
references:
Area: total: 68.556 million sq km
note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal,
Flores Sea, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf
of Oman, Java Sea, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf,
Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and
other tributary water bodies
Area - about 5.5 times the size of the US
comparative:
Coastline: 66,526 km
Climate: northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest
monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur
during May/June and October/November in the northern
Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern
Indian Ocean
Terrain: surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad,
circular system of currents) in the southern Indian
Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the
northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over
southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in
the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds
and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia
from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast
monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents;
ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge
and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge,
Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge
Elevation lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
extremes: highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel
resources: aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules
Natural occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in
hazards: southern reaches
Environment - endangered marine species include the dugong, seals,
current turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea,
issues: Persian Gulf, and Red Sea
Geography - major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of
note: Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez
Canal, and the Lombok Strait
Economy
Economy - The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting
overview: the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and
the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic
of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields
of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of
great and growing importance to the bordering countries
for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets
from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also
exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna.
Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the
offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and
western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's
offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean.
Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer
deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries,
particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
and Thailand.
Transportation
Ports and Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban
terminals: (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta;
India) Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India),
Richards Bay (South Africa)
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
international: