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The Southern Ocean defined
Southern Ocean
The expression Southern Ocean has been in common use for many years and has been widely understood by oceanographers and others working in the southern parts of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Originally the International Hydrographic Organization declined to define the Southern Ocean but, at a meeting in 2000, it was agreed that the Southern Ocean should be formally recognized. The definition of the Southern Ocean is given in the following paragraph and further information can be found via the URL link after the definition.
Background:
A spring 2000 decision by the International Hydrographic Organization delimited a fifth world ocean from the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The new ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean is now the fourth-largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean but larger than the Arctic Ocean).
For further information please follow this link: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/oo.html
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