Indian Ocean Introduction Geography Economy Transportation Transnational Issues

§1. Indian Ocean Introduction

Background:
  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.

§2. Indian Ocean Geography

Location:
  body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 S, 80 00 E

Map references:
  World

Area:
  total: 68.556 million kmē
  note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Great Australian
    Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red
    Sea, Strait of Malacca, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  about 5.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
  66,526 km

Climate:
  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:
  surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of
  currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents
  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 currents, while high pressure over
  northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast
  monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; 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

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer
  deposits, polymetallic nodules

Natural hazards:
  occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches

Environment - current issues:
  endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales;
  oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea

Geography - note:
  major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of
  Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait

§3. Indian Ocean Economy

Economy - overview:
  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.

§4. Indian Ocean Transportation

Ports and harbors:
  Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa),
  Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne (Australia),
  Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)

§5. Indian Ocean Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
