The World Factbook (1990)/Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
_Indian_Ocean.jpg)
Geography
Total area: 73,600,000 km²; Arabian Sea,
Bass Strait, Bay of Bengal, Java Sea,
Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Malacca,
Timor Sea, and other tributary water
bodies
Comparative area: slightly less than eight times the size of the US; third-largest ocean (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean)
Coastline: 66,526 km
Climate: northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the north Indian Ocean and January/February in the south Indian Ocean
Terrain: surface dominated by counter-clockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the south Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the north Indian Ocean low pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninety East Ridge; maximum depth is 7,258 meters in the Java Trench
Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules
Environment: endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea
Note: major choke points include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme south near Antarctica from May to October
Economy
Overview: The Indian Ocean provides a
major transportation highway for the
movement of petroleum products from the
Middle East to Europe and North and
South American countries. Fish from the
ocean are of growing economic importance
to many of the bordering countries as a
source of both food and exports. Fishing
fleets from the USSR, Japan, Korea, and
Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean for
mostly shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of
hydrocarbons are being tapped in the
offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India,
and Western Australia. An estimated 40%
of the world's offshore oil production
comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach
sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore
placer deposits are actively exploited by
bordering countries, particularly India,
South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and
Thailand.
Industries: based on exploitation of natural resources, particularly marine life, minerals, oil and gas production, fishing, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits
Communications
Ports: Bombay (India), Calcutta (India),
Madras (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka),
Durban (South Africa), Fremantle
(Australia), Jakarta (Indonesia), Melbourne
(Australia), Richard's Bay (South Africa)
Telecommunications: no submarine cables