Map of the Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of Earth’s five oceans, covering an area of approximately 15,558,000 km² — about 4% of the world’s total ocean area. Its waters reach an average depth of around 1,205 m, the shallowest of the five oceans, and plunge to about 5,550 m at their deepest point, in the Molloy Deep. It is bordered by North America, Europe and Asia.

It is the smallest and shallowest ocean and the only one largely covered by sea ice for much of the year, centred on the North Pole and nearly enclosed by the lands of Eurasia and North America. By greatest depth it has the shallowest maximum depth of the five oceans, while by surface area it ranks 5th. By surface area it is about 9% the size of the Pacific, the largest ocean.

Oceans are the largest bodies of water on the planet and together cover the majority of its surface. Under the five-ocean model used on this site, the global ocean is divided into the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic oceans. The figures above are widely cited approximate values (CIA World Factbook / NOAA); exact measurements vary with how each basin’s boundaries are drawn. Use the interactive map to pan across the Arctic Ocean and the coasts that frame it, or compare it with the other oceans.