The World's Largest Seas

About 70% of the Earth's surface is covered with water. This water is comprised of the world's five oceans as well as many other bodies of water. A common water body type on Earth is a sea. A sea is defined as a large lake-type water body that has saltwater and is sometimes attached to an ocean. However, a sea does not have to be attached to an ocean outlet as the world has many inland seas such as the Caspian.

Because seas make up such a large proportion of the water on Earth, it is important to know where the Earth's major seas are located. The following is a list of the Earth's ten largest seas based on area. For reference, average depth and the oceans they are within have been included.

1) Mediterranean Sea

• Area: 1,144,800 square miles (2,965,800 sq km)
• Average Depth: 4,688 feet (1,429 m)
• Ocean: Atlantic Ocean

2) Caribbean Sea

• Area: 1,049,500 square miles (2,718,200 sq km)
• Average Depth: 8,685 feet (2,647 m)
• Ocean: Atlantic Ocean

3) South China Sea

• Area: 895,400 square miles (2,319,000 sq km)
• Average Depth: 5,419 feet (1,652 m)
• Ocean: Pacific Ocean

4) Bering Sea

• Area: 884,900 square miles (2,291,900 sq km)
• Average Depth: 5,075 feet (1,547 m)
• Ocean: Pacific Ocean

5) Gulf of Mexico

• Area: 615,000 square miles (1,592,800 sq km)
• Average Depth: 4,874 feet (1,486 m)
• Ocean: Atlantic Ocean


6) Sea of Okhotsk

• Area: 613,800 square miles (1,589,700 sq km)
• Average Depth: 2,749 feet (838 m)
• Ocean: Pacific Ocean

7) East China Sea

• Area: 482,300 square miles (1,249,200 sq km)
• Average Depth: 617 feet (188 m)
• Ocean: Pacific Ocean

8) Hudson Bay

• Area: 475,800 square miles (1,232,300 sq km)
• Average Depth: 420 feet (128 m)
• Ocean: Arctic Ocean

9) Sea of Japan

• Area: 389,100 square miles (1,007,800 sq km)
• Average Depth: 4,429 feet (1,350 m)
• Ocean: Pacific Ocean

10) Andaman Sea

• Area: 308,000 square miles (797,700 sq km)
• Average Depth: 2,854 feet (870 m)
• Ocean: Indian Ocean

References

How Stuff Works.com (n.d.) How Stuff Works "How Much Water is There on the Earth?" Retrieved from: http://www.howstuffworks.com/question157.htm

Infoplease.com. (n.d.) Oceans and Seas - Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001773.html