Pacific Ocean

Table of Contents

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images, Videos & Interactives

The Pacific Ocean, with depth contours and submarine features

Dive deep into the depths of the ocean.

Palau: rock islands

Manganese nodules

Solomon Islands

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

For Students

Big Sur

Pacific Ocean summary

Read Next

World map. Continents. Oceans. Mendel thumb ok

Just How Many Oceans Are There?

Small canyon underwater carved by the swell into the fore reef with sunlight through water surface, Huahine island, Pacific ocean, French Polynesia.

A Tale of Two Submerged Continents

Sailboat against a beautiful landscape

Which Waters Do You Pass Through When You “Sail the Seven Seas”?

New Zealand. Political/Physical map. Includes locator.

Where Is “Old Zealand”?

World Data Locator Map: Australia

Is Australia an Island?

Discover

Chinese pictograph, calligraphy tablet of Huang Tingjian, a famous calligrapher in Ancient Song Dynasty. The background of Chinese cultural elements.

The World’s 5 Most Commonly Used Writing Systems

Candles Burning On Table In Church

What Is the Most Widely Practiced Religion in the World?

Mona Lisa, oil on wood panel by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1503-06; in the Louvre, Paris, France. 77 x 53 cm.

Why Is the Mona Lisa So Famous?

Statue of Nostradamus

Nostradamus and His Prophecies

Marriage. A couple getting married during a church wedding ceremony. (religion, ceremony, bride, groom)

The Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic church

Artist interpretation of a Space meteoroid impact. Meteor impact. Asteroid, End of the world, danger, destruction, dinosaur extinct, Judgement Day, Planet Earth, Doomsday Predictions, comet

10 Failed Doomsday Predictions

Space race (1957-1969) infographic between United States (U.S.) and Russia. America, Soviet Union, U.S.S.R., space exploration

Timeline of the Space Race, 1957–69

Pacific Ocean: Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Russian Nuclear Submarine Fires Kalibr Cruise Missile Over 600 Miles • Apr. 27, 2025, 11:36 PM ET (Newsweek)

Trump order to loosen fishing regulations poses major risks, experts warn • Apr. 27, 2025, 8:15 AM ET (The Guardian)

EPA chief demands that Mexico stop Tijuana sewage from flowing into California • Apr. 22, 2025, 10:03 PM ET (AP)

A tsunami warning has been canceled for Papua New Guinea after a strong magnitude 6.9 earthquake • Apr. 4, 2025, 7:32 PM ET (AP)

Photos and Videos

The Pacific Ocean, with depth contours and submarine features

Palau: rock islands

Manganese nodules

Solomon Islands

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

“Supertyphoon” Chaba

The video thumbnail image shows a graphic of the Earth with two tidal bulges. Blue arrows point to the bulges against a white background.

The impact of plastic waste on marine life

Oceanic voyages of Ferdinand Magellan and his crew, 1519–22

Follow researchers into the waters off Vancouver Island in search of the giant Pacific octopus

Sharks and their essential roles in coral reefs

See All Videos, Images and Interactives →

Topics

Indian Ocean Atlantic Ocean Arctic Ocean Southern Ocean

Quiz

water glass on white background. (drink; clear; clean water; liquid)

Water and its Varying Forms

wave. ocean. Cresting ocean wave. Large sea waves. storm, hurricane, tropical cyclone

All About Oceans and Seas Quiz

Cross section of Earth showing the core, mantle, and crust

Everything Earth

Demystified

Sailboat against a beautiful landscape

Which Waters Do You Pass Through When You “Sail the Seven Seas”?

World map. Continents. Oceans. Mendel thumb ok

Just How Many Oceans Are There?