There is a common misconception that there are 7 oceans. Names like North Atlantic Ocean and Southern Pacific Ocean are often bandied about but in fact there are only 5 officially recognized oceans. The misconception most likely arises from the archaic term "the seven seas," which referred to the Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Persian
. Gulf and the Red Sea.The oceans as they currently are known are all connected but divided into five distinct regions by the landmasses and tectonic plates on which they rest. The names are: Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean (formerly known as the Antarctic Ocean). While oceans cover 70% of the earth and make up 97% of our water supply, they are salt water and don't contribute to drinking water without desalination.Scientists believe there could be up to 2.3 million individual species in the vast expanse of the world's oceans, only 10 percent of which are known today. Oceans have a tremendous effect on weather patterns and changes of less than half a degree Fahrenheit can be the difference between a major hurricane and a mild tropical storm.The origin of the oceans' names is just as varied as the myths about them. The Atlantic was first mentioned by Herodotus in 450 BC, while the Pacific was named by Ferdinand Magellan on his circumnavigation of the globe in 1521. The other three oceans are named for their locations on the globe.In order of size, the Pacific is the largest at 64,100,000 square miles. The Atlantic is second at 41,100,000 sq. miles.The Indian is third at 28,350,000 sq. miles. The Southern is fourth at 7,200,000 sq. miles and the Arctic is the smallest, although accurate measurements have not yet been made.More reference links: http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/ http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/ocean/
