Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 19 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Geography
Body of water between Antarctica, Asia, Australia, and the | Western Hemisphere
14 fieldsNote
Climate
- planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east;
- trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations;
- tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America;
- continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean;
- the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian land mass back to the ocean;
- tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and East Asia from May to December
Terrain
- surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre;
- in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter;
- in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October;
- the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Marianas Trench, which is the world's deepest
Natural resources
oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish
Natural hazards
- surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire";
- subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October);
- tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September);
- southern shipping lanes subject to icebergs from Antarctica;
- occasional El Nino phenomenon occurs off the coast of Peru, when the trade winds slacken and the warm Equatorial Countercurrent moves south, killing the plankton that is the primary food source for anchovies;
- consequently, the anchovies move to better feeding grounds, causing resident marine birds to starve by the thousands because of the loss of their food source;
- ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May and in extreme south from May to October;
- persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December
Environment - current issues
endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea
Environment - international agreements
- party to :
- none of the selected agreements
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
- the major choke points are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait;
- the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean;
- dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean
Government
1 fieldData code
none; the US Government has not approved a standard for hydrographic codes - see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Codes appendix
Economy
The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the | world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly | touch.
1 fieldEconomy - overview
The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry.
In 1985 over half (54%) of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean, which is the only ocean where the fish catch has increased every year since 1978. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of Australia, NZ, China, US, and Peru.
The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has slowed but not stopped new drillings.
Communications
1 fieldTelephone system
international : several submarine cables with network nodal points on Guam and Hawaii
Transportation
1 fieldPorts and harbors
Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Pacific Ocean.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/pacific-ocean/1997.