What Ocean Surrounds Antarctica?

The continent of Antarctica situated in the extreme south straddling the South Pole is surrounded on all sides by the Southern Ocean which could be said to be an extension of the southern parts of the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean.

The Southern Ocean was named as a separate body of water forming an ocean by the International Hydrographic Organization in 2000; by the standards of measurement used it is classified as the fourth largest ocean in the world (20,327,000 sq km, 7,848,000 sq miles) though other scientific organizations like the National Geographic Society do not classify the Southern Ocean as a distinct body of water.

The end point of the Southern Ocean is considered to be the 60 degrees south line of latitude; the average depth of the ocean is 13,000 to 16,000 ft (4000-5000 meters) with temperatures ranging from -2 to 10 degree C (28-50 degree F). Cyclone storms and icebergs make navigation difficult in the Southern Sea though fishing mainly of krill is carried out on a large scale in certain parts.