The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering 70,560,000 km (27,240,000 sq mi) or approx. 20% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and See more

Extent and data
The borders of the Indian Ocean, as delineated by the International Hydrographic … See more

Several features make the Indian Ocean unique. It constitutes the core of the large-scale Tropical Warm Pool which, when interacting with the atmosphere, affects the climate both … See more

Among the tropical oceans, the western Indian Ocean hosts one of the largest concentrations of phytoplankton blooms in summer, due to the strong monsoon winds. The monsoonal wind forcing leads to a strong coastal and open ocean upwelling, … See more

The Indian Ocean has been known by its present name since at least 1515, when the Latin form Oceanus Orientalis Indicus (lit. 'Indian Eastern … See more

Forty percent of the sediment of the Indian Ocean is found in the Indus and Ganges fans. The oceanic basins adjacent to the continental slopes … See more

Of Earth's 36 biodiversity hotspots nine (or 25%) are located on the margins of the Indian Ocean.
• Madagascar … See more