This post was inspired by an episode of the TV show JEOPARDY! Specifically, April 4, 2011 final. The category was WORLD GEOGRAPHY: “These 3 nations each border the world’s largest & smallest oceans.”
I must admit that I sussed out the answer immediately. From the responses, however, it was clear that none of the contestants knew a key element of the clue. One response was India and Sri Lanka; another Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Borneo; and the third, Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
So, what ARE the largest and smallest oceans in the world?
The largest, by a considerable margin, is the Pacific Ocean, with 64,186,000 square miles (166.241 million sq km). But you all knew that, didn’t you?
The second-largest, of course, is the Atlantic Ocean, with 33,420,000 square miles (86.557 million sq km); I wasn’t aware of such a disparity of size between the Pacific and Atlantic.
The third-largest is the Indian Ocean, at 28,350,000 square miles (73.426 million sq km). This, clearly, is the ocean that the contestants thought was the smallest; not so.
The fourth-largest is the Southern Ocean at 7,848,300 square miles (20.327 million sq km). WHAT? I never heard of it! It wasn’t in my fourth-grade geography book. “Until the year 2000, there were four recognized oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic. In the Spring of 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization delimited a new ocean, the Southern Ocean (it surrounds Antarctica and extends to 60 degrees latitude).”
The smallest ocean, then, has to be the Arctic Ocean at 5,106,000 square miles (13.224 million sq km).
So, if the largest ocean is the Pacific, and the smallest the Arctic, what three countries border both?
While you think about it, a bit about oceans: The ocean covers 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and contains 97 percent of the planet’s water, yet more than 95 percent of the underwater world remains unexplored.
Obviously, the bordering nations have to be large, northern countries. Two immediately came to mind: Russia and Canada. What’s the third? The United States! Specifically Alaska. (The Pacific is at the top of this map, with North America to the left and Asia to the right.)
Interestingly, the first contestant started writing the US, Canada and Mexico, bailed and went with the answer shown. Even though I knew the answer to the question, I learned something too from this exercise!
ABC Wednesday – Round 9
I got there eventually, although my first thought was the opposite pole!
Great choice for the letter O.
Good geography lesson! Sounds trickier than it really is.
We form a peninsula and different kind of water bodies surround us on three sides!! A lot of water all around, and yet we have to suffer drought conditions in some regions!!
Brilliant choice for letter O. When I think about the ocean, it always reminds me of the tidal wave that hit us over years ago that left us nothing but our clothes in our body.
Geography as fun. Good.
You took me back to a school geography lesson Roger – loved it.
Denise
For all that there’s really only one Really Big Ocean, everything else seems arbitrary, except for lakes of course. š My ABC Wednesday is O is for Oracle.
Roy- You’re right, of course.
Whew, you always make me think and today that’s hurts my brain…(:0)
Interesting O post. I didn’t know a new ocean name was added in 2000.
Ditto-I didn’t know an ocean was added in 2000! Always learning a BUNCH of stuff here at Roger’s!
I didn’t know either that there was a new ocean added to the ones we had. That is very interesting! We learn a lot from your posts, Roger!
Thanks for your visit and comment. Do you still join a choir?
Wil- Yes, I’m still in choir. we’re doing the Mozart Coronation Mass next month with another choir.
Wow – a lot of information in your blog – thankyou – I love to walk the coastal paths and to gaze out to sea and imagine the other lives beyond.
And Roger, did you know that all these oceans are actually ONE OCEAN because they all touch each other! I learned that when I had to teach a unit on Oceanography to my fourth graders. š
Leslie
abcw team
We are mostly water as well. I really think we evolved from water-based creatures… and if we don’t stop the hydrofracturing industry and global warming, we’ll be crispy critters indeed!
Roger, you are so smart. I love how your mind works. But I’d hate to face you in a Jeopardy match; you’re like my best friend John, MENSA smart and still too funny for words!! Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/1030/
I was never any good at Jeopardy, and I’m still not! But I really ace Wheel of Fortune.
Seriously, Roger, although I knew the Pacific was largest, then the Atlantic, I wouldn’t have thought of the polar oceans.
Thanks for an interesting post, even if it serves to prove I’m dumb as a post. :o)
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittieās Guide to Adventurous Travel
Very informative. Never knew about this fourth ocean.
I think we all learned some new facts here today! Since I love the ocean, I love this post!
We’re separated by the oceans but internet has made us very close to one another!
Such a broad swath of knowledge you have. There’s no doubt that you should apply to be on Jeopardy. You’d wipe the floor with the other contestants.
I too had not heard of the Southern Ocean (a rather Odd shape, I’d say). AND I did not know the Pacific was so much larger than the Atlantic. When you revealed the answer for the smallest ocean (Artic), then I knew the countries (US, Russia, Canada) bordering the largest (Pacific) and smallest (Arctic). Outstanding trivia, Roger! PS. I would suck at Jeopardy… my brain works too slowly in retrieving the info files… or stated another way: I have bad recall, yet pretty good recognition. š
Actually, I once WAS on JEOPARDY! – http://www.j-archive.com/showplayer.php?player_id=1781
I went with Shooting Parrots to the wrong pole! GOOD GeO lesson, Rog.
Fascinating! And even though I know Alaska is a U/S. state I probab;y would have totally forgotten that it borders on the Arctic Ocean.
Nice bit of trivia. Just the thing to start spinning a (imaginary) globe.
Great post. I love geography — also Jeopardy. I wish I could have seen you compete. I would never compete on Jeopardy, I know next to nothing about sports and very little about American history, I’m ashamed to say.
Always so much to learn, so little time! Excellent post, as always. Wish I could remember it all. š
Hi Roger,
I am one who remembers your outstanding skills from Jeopardy! This is one answer I would have been able to answer the question for. There’s a vast “ocean” of knowledge I would have sunk in shame. Swimmingly refreshing post for ABC wed.
OOOOOOOOPs (notice all the O’s)That’s what happens when I speed read carelessly.
Nope, I would have gotten the answer wrong. I, too, thought the Indian Ocean was the smallest and never heard of the Southern.
Bang me on the head. Above I meant Arctic. Wouldn’t have known the countries. Today I obviously should not be typing comments until I edit them!
Thanks for the back to school lesson, lol !
I live on an island surrounded by water!