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1998-01-23
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{bigtext=26,120,"Atlantic Ocean"}{4}
{1}Geography{4}
{2}Location:{4} body of water between Africa, Europe, Antarctica, and the Western Hemisphere
{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 82.217 million sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} slightly less than nine times the size of the US; second-largest of the world's
four oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than Indian Ocean or Arctic Ocean)
{3}note:{4} includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, Drake
Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Scotia Sea, Weddell
Sea, and other tributary water bodies
{2}Coastline:{4} 111,866 km
{2}International disputes:{4} some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
{2}Climate:{4} tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde and move
westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most
frequent from August to November
{2}Terrain:{4} surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea
from October to June; clockwise warm water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the
northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is
dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin
{3}lowest point:{4} Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m
{3}highest point:{4} sea level 0 m
{2}Natural resources:{4} oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel
aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones
{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and
whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of fish stocks and contributing to international
disputes; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil
pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea;
industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea
{2}natural hazards:{4} icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic
Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira
Islands; icebergs from Antarctica occur in the extreme southern Atlantic Ocean; ships subject to
superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May and extreme southern
Atlantic from May to October; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September
{2}international agreements:{4} NA
{2}Geographic note:{4} major choke points include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the
Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona
Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean
into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean
{1}Government{4}
the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes appendix
{1}Economy{4}
{2}Economic overview:{4} The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily trafficked sea
routes, between and within the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity
includes the exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, the dredging of aragonite sands (The
Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North
Sea).
{1}Transportation{4}
{2}Ports:{4} Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires
(Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal),
Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain),
Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay),
Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo
(Norway), Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg
(Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)
Transportation note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways
{1}Communications{4}
{2}Telephone system:{4}
{3}international:{4} numerous submarine cables with most between continental Europe and the UK,
between North America and the UK, and in the Mediterranean; numerous direct links across
Atlantic via satellite networks