The Pacific is the deepest and largest ocean in this world. From encompassing large areas to harboring large biodiversity, the Pacific ocean is truly a hub of fascinating historic and scientific facts. The largest ocean on this planet,the Pacific oceanencompasses more than 30% of the total earth’s surface. You just simply cannot imagine how large it is actually. For your understanding, consider the combined landmass of all the continents, it is much bigger than this. You will be really surprised to know many awesome facts about the Pacific ocean. Go through this article to know more. Ferdinand Magellan named the Pacific Ocean: European explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the first person to travel the dangerous straits to South America. He started his journey in September 1519 with270 men in five ships. He discovered the area, now known as Magellan Strait. He found the ocean extremely calm, thus named “Pacific”. This word was derived from the Latin word “Pacificus”, which means “tranquil”. However, Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a European was the first person to discover the Pacific ocean. He discovered the ocean in 1513. Furthermore, scientists have calculated its age with many calculations. Can you guess it? It was formed around 190 million years ago. Mariana Trench is the deepest point of the Pacific Ocean: Ever thought about the deepest point of the Pacific Ocean? This is known as the Mariana trench. It is located in the western Pacific region, lying east of the Philippines. The recent estimate suggests this region be around 7 miles deep. However, the single deepest zone in the Pacific ocean is known as “Challenger Deep”. This region is named after the British Royal Navy ship, “HMS Challenger”. They discovered this spot during the expedition of 1872-1876. Pacific ocean is the region of earthquakes and extreme volcanic activities: You will be shocked to know that the Pacific oceanharborsa large number of volcanoes, and the number is around 75,000. The volcanic activities and tectonic plate movement are the major reasons behind frequent earthquakes in this region. The region with frequent volcanic activities is known as the “ring of fire.” The Pacific ocean encompasses numerous islands: Due to the widely spreading area, the Pacific ocean contains numerous islands. One famous island is Hawaii island. Pacific ocean harbors around 25000 islands. The number can be underestimated or overestimated as the location and number keep on changing due to various climatic and geographical factors. Pacific ocean is truly shrinking: Surprisingly, the Pacific ocean is shrinking every passing year. The annual rate of shrinkage is around one inch. The major reason behind this is the continous movement of plates behind the pacific ocean. While the Pacific ocean is shrinking, it is observed that the water mass is increasing in the Atlantic ocean. Aren’t these Pacific Ocean facts amazing?
