Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Music Box • Oceanography

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of Earth’s oceans, separating the Americas from Europe and Africa.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean on Earth, separating the Americas from Europe and Africa. It stretches from the Arctic to the Southern Ocean and is divided into the North Atlantic and South Atlantic.

What it is

The Atlantic Ocean lies between the Americas to the west and Europe and Africa to the east. Its basin is elongated and S-shaped, covering about 85 million km² (or 106 million km² including marginal seas). It ranks as the second-largest ocean by surface area.

Key details

Average depth is roughly 3,300 m, with a maximum depth of about 8,380 m in the Puerto Rico Trench. The ocean is commonly split into the North Atlantic and South Atlantic, each with distinct currents and gyres that influence global climate.

Why it matters for Canada

The Atlantic borders Canada’s eastern coastline, including Atlantic Canada and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is vital for shipping, fisheries, marine ecosystems, and regional climate patterns, with the Gulf Stream playing a major role.

In short

  • Second-largest ocean on Earth
  • Separates the Americas from Europe and Africa
  • Average depth about 3,300 m; deepest point in Puerto Rico Trench
  • Divided into North Atlantic and South Atlantic
Canadian angle

The Atlantic Ocean borders Canada’s eastern coastline, including Atlantic Canada and the Gulf of St. Lawrence region, making it important for climate, shipping, fisheries, and marine ecosystems.[12][17]

Quick questions

How deep is the Atlantic Ocean?
Its average depth is about 3,300 m to 3,338 m, and its deepest point is about 8,380 m in the Puerto Rico Trench.
Atlantic Ocean size?
The Atlantic is about 85,133,000 km² excluding marginal seas and about 106,400,000 km² including them.
Where is the Atlantic Ocean located?
It is located between the east coasts of North and South America and the west coasts of Europe and Africa.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean
    Supports: Area, general location, shape, division into North and South Atlantic
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlantic-Ocean
    Supports: Ocean identity, location, and broad geographic description
  3. EBSCO — https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/geography-and-cartography/atlantic-ocean
    Supports: Area, average depth, maximum depth, formation, and hemispheric division
  4. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/summary/Atlantic-Ocean
    Supports: Area including marginal seas, average depth, maximum depth
  5. Central Intelligence Agency — https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/about/archives/2022/oceans/atlantic-ocean/
    Supports: General boundaries of the Atlantic Ocean
  6. UNESCO Ocean Literacy — https://oceanliteracy.unesco.org/atlantic-ocean/
    Supports: Area including and excluding marginal seas, depth, width, and location