Starting from World Oceans Day on June 8th, the Southern Ocean will be recognized as the fifth ocean in the world. So now we have seven continents and five oceans! The textbooks in middle school need to be updated.
The National Geographic Society of the United States announced that the waters surrounding Antarctica will be called the Southern Ocean, officially recognizing it as the fifth ocean on Earth.
The Southern Ocean is an important habitat for marine ecosystems and a focal point in the southern hemisphere. It directly surrounds Antarctica, extending from the continent's coastline to the 60th parallel south.
The boundaries of the ocean are connected to three of the other four oceans - the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. However, what sets the Southern Ocean apart from the other oceans is that it is largely defined by an ocean current within it, making this body of water unique.