Indian Ocean

Named for its proximity to the subcontinent of India, the Indian Ocean is the world's third-largest ocean. It stretches from Africa to Australia and Indonesia and from Asia and the Middle East to Antarctica. The Indian Ocean's marginal water bodies include the Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Great Australian Bight, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf.

Continental shelves beneath the Indian Ocean widen to include Madagascar and Sri Lanka, the largest islands in the ocean. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also continental islands. The massive submarine Mid-Ocean Ridge divides the ocean floor into three parts of about equal size. A few peaks along the ridge's crest emerge as islands. The Seychelles and the Kerguelen Islands are examples. The ...