Axion 3D Atlas/ATLAS.iso/stats/271.txt

Text File | 1998-01-23 | 5KB | 97 lines

{bigtext=26,120,"Pacific Ocean"}{4}


{1}Geography{4}

{2}Location:{4} body of water between Antarctica, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere

{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 165.384 million sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} about 18 times the size of the US; the largest ocean (followed by the Atlantic
Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean); covers about one-third of the global surface;
larger than the total land area of the world
{3}note:{4} includes Bali Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China
Sea, Flores Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Java Sea, Philippine Sea, Ross Sea, Savu Sea,
Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, Timor Sea, and other tributary
water bodies

{2}Coastline:{4} 135,663 km

{2}International disputes:{4} some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

{2}Climate:{4} 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 land mass back to the ocean; tropical
cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and East Asia from May to December

{2}Terrain:{4} 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 Marianas Trench, which is the world's deepest
{3}lowest point:{4} Marianas Trench -10,924 m
{3}highest point:{4} sea level 0 m

{2}Natural resources:{4} oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer
deposits, fish

{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles,
and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea

{2}natural hazards:{4} surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake 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); southern shipping lanes subject to icebergs
from Antarctica; occasional El Nino phenomenon occurs off the coast of Peru, when the trade
winds slacken and the warm Equatorial Countercurrent moves south, killing the plankton that is
the primary food source for anchovies; consequently, the anchovies move to better feeding
grounds, causing resident marine birds to starve by the thousands because of the loss of their
food source; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May and in
extreme south from May to October; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime
hazard from June to December

{2}international agreements:{4} NA

{2}Geographic note:{4} the major choke points are the Bering Strait, Panama 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


{1}Government{4}
the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Codes appendix


{1}Economy{4}

{2}Economic overview:{4} The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world 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 1985 over half (54%) of the world's fish catch came
from the Pacific Ocean, which is the only ocean where the fish catch has increased every year
since 1978. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the
energy supplies of Australia, NZ, China, US, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil
and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has slowed but not
stopped new drillings.


{1}Transportation{4}

{2}Ports:{4} Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (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)


{1}Communications{4}

{2}Telephone system:{4}
{3}international:{4} several submarine cables with network nodal points on Guam and Hawaii