
Indian Ocean in the World
Indian Ocean - Introduction 2025
top of pageBackground: The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five ocean basins (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The International Hydrographic Organization decided in 2000 to delimit a fifth world ocean basin, the Southern Ocean, which removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.
Indian Ocean - Geography 2025
top of pageLocation
Geographic coordinates
Map reference
Area
Total: 70.56 million km²
Note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Comparative: almost seven times the size of the US
Land boundaries
Coastline: 66,526 km
Maritime claims
Climate: northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean
Terrain
Elevation
Highest point: sea level
Lowest point: Java Trench -7,192 m unnamed deep
Mean depth: -3,741 m
Ocean zones: the ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level; sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 m into the oceans under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light below 200 m
Euphotic zone: the upper 200 m (656 ft) is also called 'sunlight' zone; only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth
Dysphotic zone: between 200 m (656 ft) and 1,000 m (3,280 ft), and also called the twilight zone; the intensity of light rapidly dissipates as depth increases, and photosynthesis is no longer possible
Aphotic zone: below 1,000 m (3,280 ft) and also called the midnight zone; sunlight does not penetrate to these depths
Natural resources
Land use
Land use
Irrigated land
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards: occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches
Geography
Note: major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait
Indian Ocean - People 2025
top of pagePopulation
Nationality
Ethnic groups
Languages
Religions
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate
Death rate
Net migration rate
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate
Life expectancy at birth
Total fertility rate
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
Sanitation facility access
Hiv/Aids
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Education expenditures
Literacy
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Indian Ocean - Government 2025
top of pageCountry name
Government type
Capital
Administrative divisions
Dependent areas
Independence
National holiday
Constitution
Legal system
International law organization participation
Citizenship
Suffrage
Executive branch
Legislative branch
Judicial branch
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation
Diplomatic representation
Flag description
National symbols
National anthem
National heritage
Indian Ocean - Economy 2025
top of pageEconomy overview
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products
Industries
Industrial production growth rate
Labor force
Labor force
Unemployment rate
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget
Taxes and other revenues
Public debt
Revenue
Fiscal year
Inflation rate consumer prices
Central bank discount rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
Stock of narrow money
Stock of broad money
Stock of domestic credit
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance
Exports
Imports
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates
Indian Ocean - Energy 2025
top of pageElectricity
Coal
Petroleum
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
Indian Ocean - Communication 2025
top of pageTelephones
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Indian Ocean - Military 2025
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
Indian Ocean - Transportation 2025
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Roadways
Waterways
Merchant marine
Ports and terminals
Indian Ocean - Transnational issues 2025
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs
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