Bing Quiz › Trivia answers › Largest Ocean
What Is the Largest Ocean in the World?
The five oceans ranked by size
- Pacific Ocean, the largest and deepest.
- Atlantic Ocean, about half the size of the Pacific, between the Americas and Europe/Africa.
- Indian Ocean, the warmest ocean.
- Southern Ocean, around Antarctica.
- Arctic Ocean, the smallest and shallowest, around the North Pole.
How the Pacific got its name
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan named it 'Mar Pacífico', the peaceful sea, in 1520 after his fleet passed through the stormy strait now named after him and found calmer water. The name stuck, even though the Pacific has some of the strongest storms on Earth, including typhoons.
The Mariana Trench
The deepest known point in any ocean is the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, in the western Pacific, at around 10,900 m. If Mount Everest were placed there, its peak would still be about 2 km under water.
Mini Quiz: Test Yourself
5 quick questions on the same topic. This kind of question often shows up in the Bing Quiz.
Questions and answers
1 What is the largest ocean on Earth?
- A Indian
- B Atlantic
- C Pacific
Show answer
✓ Answer: C. Pacific
Did you know? The Pacific covers about a third of Earth's surface.
2 What is the smallest ocean?
- A Arctic
- B Southern
- C Indian
Show answer
✓ Answer: A. Arctic
Did you know? The Arctic is also the shallowest ocean.
3 Where is the deepest point in the ocean?
- A Puerto Rico Trench
- B Mariana Trench
- C Java Trench
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Mariana Trench
Did you know? Challenger Deep is about 10,900 m deep.
4 Who named the Pacific Ocean?
- A Ferdinand Magellan
- B Christopher Columbus
- C James Cook
Show answer
✓ Answer: A. Ferdinand Magellan
Did you know? He called it 'Mar Pacífico', the peaceful sea.
5 Which ocean surrounds Antarctica?
- A Indian Ocean
- B Arctic Ocean
- C Southern Ocean
Show answer
✓ Answer: C. Southern Ocean
Did you know? The Southern Ocean was widely recognized as the fifth ocean in recent decades.
Related Questions
What is the smallest ocean?
The Arctic Ocean.
How many oceans are there?
Five: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic. They are all connected as one global ocean.
Who named the Pacific Ocean?
Ferdinand Magellan, in 1520, calling it 'Mar Pacífico' for its calm water.