Celebrating World Ocean Day

Become an ocean advocate by discovering some amazing and extreme ocean facts then sharing them over the dinner table, in your group chats and at storytime with the kids!

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” ― Jacques-Yves Cousteau 

On that note, here are 10 Amazing Ocean facts for all-ages:

1. The ocean covers about 70% of the Earth’s surface, making it the largest biome on the planet.
2. The Pacific Ocean is the deepest ocean in the world, with the Mariana Trench reaching a depth of about 10,972 meters.
3. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the largest coral reef system in the world, stretching over 2,300 kilometers.
4. The ocean is home to an estimated 80% of all life on Earth, with countless species still undiscovered and unidentified.
5. The average depth of the ocean is around 3,682 meters, but if you were to flatten the Earth’s surface, the ocean would only be about 0.2 kilometres deep.
6. It is estimated that there are about 50 quadrillion tons of dissolved salts in the ocean, primarily sodium chloride.
7. The ocean plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth’s climate by absorbing and storing vast amounts of heat and carbon dioxide.
8. The longest mountain range in the world is located underwater—the Mid-Ocean Ridge stretches over 65,000 kilometers and runs through all major oceans.
9. The deep sea is the largest habitat on Earth, occupying more than 60% of the planet’s surface. It is a vast, unexplored realm that holds countless mysteries and undiscovered species.
10. The majority of the ocean remains unexplored and unmapped. Scientists have only explored about 5% of the world’s oceans, leaving much of it still a mystery.