Indian Ocean
    n 1: the 3rd largest ocean; bounded by Africa on the west, Asia
         on the north, Australia on the east and merging with the
         Antarctic Ocean to the south

Indian Ocean

   Introduction Indian Ocean
   -------------------------
                            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).
  
   Geography Indian Ocean
   ----------------------
                              Location: body of water between Africa, the
                                        Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia
                Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 80 00 E
                        Map references: Political Map of the World
                                  Area: total: 68.556 million sq km
                                        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
  
  
  
   Economy Indian Ocean
   --------------------
                    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.
  
  
   Transportation Indian Ocean
   ---------------------------
                     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)
  
  
   Transnational Issues Indian Ocean
   ---------------------------------
              Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral
                                        states)