60 degrees south latitude in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current- surrounds the continent of Antarctica
In 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization, whose membership includes the United States, named a fifth ocean called the “Southern Ocean”.
Atlantic OceanArctic OceanIndian OceanPacific OceanSouthern Ocean (fourth largest ahead of the Arctic Ocean)
“In general, National Geographic recognizes the Southern Ocean as a scientific term and not a oceanographic feature.”
Cindy Aitken, spokeswoman for National Geographic Society¹
¹St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 5, 2011, by Elizabeth Hollandeholland@post-dispatch.com
Accepted by:
American Meteorological Association
Australia
International Hydrographic Organization
Rand McNally (all products contain the Southern Ocean)
The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2011 Edition
