Quick Facts

The average depth of the Indian Ocean is about 3,900 metres. The lowest point of this Ocean is located in the Sunda Deep of the Java Trench which is about 7,258 metres deep.

Suez Canal in Egypt and the Strait of Malacca, the main access points to the Indian Ocean, are the two most well-known waterways in the ocean.

Indian Ocean also includes the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. It is the warmest ocean in the world. Its temperature makes it difficult for phytoplankton (an essential food source) to grow and live in.

It has low oxygen content which is also a big reason for limited sea life.

Some endangered sea species in the Indian Ocean are turtles, seals and sea cows. It does however remain the largest breeding ground for the majestic humpback whale. Monsoons are common, producing a large amount of rain in the summer, and wind in the winter.

The Indian Ocean is divided into east and west by a 5,000 km mountain range on its ocean floor, named the Ninety East Ridge. The ocean water has the highest concentration of dissolved and floating hydrocarbons.

The Indian Ocean receives about 6000 km of river runoff including two of the largest rivers Ganges and Brahmaputra. Due to the melting of polar caps, this ocean actually grows wider by about 20 centimetres every year.

There is a continent of volcanic origins that lies beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean.

During the 1500s, the ocean was explored by sailors to find a route around Africa.

According to an estimate, approximately 40% of the world’s oil comes from the Indian Ocean.

Scientists recently have discovered a lost continent in the depths of the Indian Ocean. They have named this undiscovered land mass, “Mauritia.” It is believed that the movement of a tectonic plate over 80 million years ago, caused Mauritia to fracture and sink to the bottom of the ocean.

The Indian Ocean suffered one of the worst natural disasters in 2004, when an undersea earthquake caused a tsunami affecting 14 countries and claiming over 225,000 lives. Developments in the Indian Ocean designed to attract tourists often cause environmental problems. It also suffers a lot of pollution from oil and ship spills.

In 2010, the Indian Ocean Garbage Patch was discovered. The plastic garbage vortex, full of marine litter, spans over 5 million km2!