Search The Seas

Fun Facts About The Seas

• Seas are smaller, shallower, and partially enclosed bodies of saltwater located on the margins of an ocean. While oceans are vast, deep, and open, seas are found where land meets the ocean.
• Most sources recognize 50–70 distinct seas on Earth. Major seas include Mediterranean Sea, South China Sea, Caribbean Sea, Bering Sea, Black Sea, and Red Sea.
• The phrase "Seven Seas" has varied historical meanings, but generally means the seven divisions of the five oceans: Arctic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, Indian, and Southern.
• The Red Sea gets its name from seasonal, large-scale blooms of reddish algae which can tint large areas of the water red-brown.
• Technically a salt lake, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth's surface on land. It is so salty (about 10 times saltier than the ocean) that people can float effortlessly on its surface without swimming.
• The Black Sea is unusual because its surface and deeper layers do not mix. Below a depth of about 500–650 feet, there is a dead zone where almost nothing lives except certain bacteria.
• The Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic is the only sea on Earth without a land border. It is defined entirely by four surrounding ocean currents and is famous for its dense, floating mats of seaweed.
• The Persian Gulf is one of the warmest seas on the planet, with summer surface temperatures regularly exceeding 90–93°F. The combination of hot water and high humidity leads to dangerous heat indexes up to 150°F along the coast.