Atlantic Ocean

Covering approximately one-fifth of Earth’s surface, the area of the Atlantic Ocean without its dependent seas is approximately 31,568,000 square miles (81,760,000 square km) and with them is about 32,870,000 square miles (85,133,000 square km).

The Atlantic Ocean has an average depth (with its seas) of 11,962 feet (3,646 meters) and a maximum depth of 27,493 feet (8,380 meters) in the Puerto Rico Trench, north of the island of Puerto Rico.

The outstanding feature of the floor of the Atlantic Ocean is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an immense median mountain range extending throughout the length of the Atlantic, claiming the center third of the ocean bed and reaching roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 km) in breadth. In some places the Mid-Atlantic Ridge reaches above sea level to form islands.

The surface waters of the North Atlantic have a higher salinity than those of any other ocean, reaching values exceeding 37 parts per thousand in latitudes 20° to 30° N. The basic salinity value of the Atlantic Ocean is highest in the North Atlantic, at 35.5 parts per thousand, and lowest in the South Atlantic, at 34.5 parts per thousand.

The Atlantic Ocean provides millions of tons of fish and other seafood annually for human consumption, including lobster, haddock, cod, mackerel, herring, menhaden, sea scallops, shrimp, surf clams, ocean quahogs, and blue mussels.