# Library

# Main Content

Oceans :: Indian Ocean Print
Page last updated on December 18, 2018
The World Factbook Country/Location Photo Gallery Modal
Oceans :: Indian Ocean
1 / 7
Caption
This "blue marble" image of the globe merges data from multiple satellite missions (not all collected at the same time). The focus in this view is the Indian Ocean and its surrounding land masses. Notice the city lights on the night side of the globe, in Japan in the north and in eastern Australia in the south. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
725x720
75.8 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
2 / 7
Caption
The blue-colored swirl at the bottom right of this satellite image is an ocean eddy - a huge mass of water spinning in a whirlpool pattern. Eddies often spin off of major ocean current systems. The blue tint is a result of microscopic plant-like organisms called plankton, which grow as a result of the eddy stirring up nutrients from the deep to the surface. This image is from 26 December 2011 around 800 km (500 mi) south of South Africa. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
600x405
35.8 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
3 / 7
Caption
Much of the sediment clouding the water in this image of the Persian Gulf is from the Shatt al Arab River, which enters the Gulf in the north along the Iran-Iraq border. The river drains the combined waters of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers of Iraq, and the Karun River of Iran. Though other rivers empty into the Persian Gulf, most of its fresh water comes from the Shatt al Arab. On the right edge of the image is the narrow Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, part of the northern Indian Ocean. The Persian Gulf is flanked to the west by wedge-shaped Kuwait and by Saudi Arabia with its vast tan-, pink-, and white-sand deserts; to the south by Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman; and to the east by the dry mountains of Iran. The wetlands and rivers of Mesopotamia border the Gulf on the north. The red dots mark gas flares in oil fields of Iran and Iraq. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
1153x1500
280 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
4 / 7
Caption
A view over the Indian Ocean as seen from the space shuttle. The bottom portion of the photo shows the complete chain of the atolls that form the Maldive Islands. Off to the left are the southern portion of India, the Palk Strait, and the island of Sri Lanka. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
40.4 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
5 / 7
Caption
The artificial peninsula and islands that make up Palm Jumeirah in Dubai as seen from the International Space Station. This massive earthwork is reclaimed from Dubai's Persian Gulf coast. Advertised as "being visible from the Moon," the palm-shaped structure displays 17 huge fronds framed by an 11-km (7 mi) protective barrier. It is the first of three residential and commercial palm-shaped projects being undertaken in Dubai. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
639x423
44.3 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
6 / 7
Caption
This oblique, north-looking view shows the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf of Oman (on the right) with the Persian Gulf (on the left). The Zagros Mountains and Qeshm Island of Iran are in the background and areas of Oman, Muscat, and the United Arab Emirates may be seen in the foreground. The oil tanker terminals of Abu Dhabi along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf can also be clearly seen along the northern United Arab Emirate coastline (lower left). Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
640x480
39.7 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
7 / 7
Caption
Mac Murdo and Howe Islands are two of the 300 islands of the remote Kerguelen Archipelago, located in the southern Indian Ocean. The coastlines of many of these islands are occupied by giant kelp beds. The surface wave pattern that travels southeastward along the gray-blue ocean surface and through the kelp beds is visible due to sunglint, the mirror-like reflection of sunlight off the water. The sunglint also improves the identification of the kelp beds by creating a different water texture between the dark vegetation and the reflective ocean surface. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
540x417
39.8 KB
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
Previous Next

- Introduction :: Indian Ocean
- Background: This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.
  The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia).The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.
- Geography :: Indian Ocean
- Location: This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
  body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia
  Geographic coordinates: This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the centroid or center point of a country expressed in degrees and minutes; it is based on the locations provided in the Geographic Names Server (GNS), maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on behalf of the US Board on Geographic Names.
  20 00 S, 80 00 E
  Map references: This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. Note that boundary representations on these maps are not necessarily authoritative. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.
  Political Map of the World
  Area: This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines.
  total: 68.556 million sq km

  note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

  Area - comparative: This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
  almost 7 times the size of the US
  Coastline: This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.
  66,526 km
  Climate: This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.
  northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean
  Terrain: This entry contains a brief description of the topography.

  surface dominated by a major gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean and a unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

  major surface currents: the counterclockwise Indian Ocean Gyre comprised of the warm Agulhas and East Madagascar Currents in the west, the South Indian Current in the south, the cold West Australian Current in the east, and the South Equatorial Current in the north; a distinctive annual reversal of surface currents occurs in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and clockwise currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and counterclockwise currents

  Elevation: This entry includes both the mean elevation and the elevation extremes.
  elevation extremes: -7,258 m lowest point: Java Trench
  mean depth: -3,741 m
  0 highest point: sea level
  Natural resources: This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance, such as rare earth elements (REEs). In general, products appear only if they make a significant contribution to the economy, or are likely to do so in the future.
  oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules
  Natural hazards: This entry lists potential natural disasters. For countries where volcanic activity is common, a volcanism subfield highlights historically active volcanoes.
  occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches
  Environment - current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain). Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxi . . . more
  marine pollution caused by ocean dumping, waste disposal, and oil spills; deep sea mining; oil pollution in Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea; coral reefs threatened due climate change, direct human pressures, and inadequate governance, awareness, and political will; loss of biodiversity; endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales
  Geography - note: This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere.
  major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait
- Government :: Indian Ocean
- Country name: This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  etymology: named for the country of India, which makes up much of its northern border
- Economy :: Indian Ocean
- Economy - overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.
  The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
- Transportation :: Indian Ocean
- Ports and terminals: This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers handled or ship visits were also considered. Most ports service multiple classes of vessels including bulk carriers (dry and liquid), break bulk cargoes (goods loaded individually in bags, boxes, crates, or drums; sometimes palletized), containers, roll-on/roll-off, and passenger ships. The listing le . . . more
  major seaport(s): Chennai (Madras, India); Colombo (Sri Lanka); Durban (South Africa); Jakarta (Indonesia); Kolkata (Calcutta, India); Melbourne (Australia); Mumbai (Bombay, India); Richards Bay (South Africa)
- Military and Security :: Indian Ocean
- Maritime threats: This entry describes the threat of piracy, as defined in Article 101, UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), or armed robbery against ships, as defined in Resolution A. 1025 (26) adopted on 2 December 2009 at the 26th Assembly Session of the International Maritime Organization. The entry includes the number of ships on the high seas or in territorial waters that were boarded or attacked by pirates, and the number of crewmen abducted or killed, as compiled by the International Mariti . . . more
  the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, along the east coast of Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and the Strait of Malacca; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, have reduced incidents of piracy; in response, Somali-based pirates, using hijacked fishing trawlers as "mother ships" to extend their range, shifted operations as far south as the Mozambique Channel, eastward to the vicinity of the Maldives, and northeastward to the Strait of Hormuz; 2017 saw an increase in attacks over 2016, with three incidents in the Gulf of Aden, one in the Red Sea, and five off the coast of Somalia;Operation Ocean Shield, the NATO naval task force established in 2009 to combat Somali piracy, concluded its operations in December 2016 as a result of the drop in reported incidents over the last few years; the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2020; naval units from Japan, India, and China also operate in conjuction with EU forces; China has established a logistical base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa
- Transnational Issues :: Indian Ocean
- Disputes - international: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute . . . more
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

GO TOP