The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about 85,133,000 km (32,870,000 sq mi). It covers approximately 17% of See more

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defined the limits of the oceans and seas in 1953, but some of these definitions … See more

Top large seas:
1. Sargasso Sea – 3.5 million km
2. Caribbean Sea – 2.754 million km
3. Mediterranean Sea – 2.510 million km See more

Climate is influenced by the temperatures of the surface waters and water currents as well as winds. Because of the ocean's great capacity to store and release heat, maritime climates … See more

The oldest known mentions of an "Atlantic" sea come from Stesichorus around mid-sixth century BC (Sch. A. R. 1. 211): Atlantikôi pelágei (Ancient Greek: Ἀτλαντικῷ πελάγει, … See more

Surface water temperatures, which vary with latitude, current systems, and season and reflect the latitudinal distribution of solar energy, range from below −2 °C (28 °F) to over 30 °C (86 °F). Maximum temperatures occur north of the equator, and minimum … See more

The Atlantic Ocean is underlain mostly by dense mafic oceanic crust made up of basalt and gabbro and overlain by fine clay, silt and … See more