The Sea

The sea can otherwise be known as the ocean or a series of smaller sections each as its own single ocean.

Depending on perspective, there can be between 1 and 5 oceans but it is more commonly accepted that there are 5 main oceans.

In my opinion I think there are actually more like 3 main oceans; The Pacific, The Atlantic and the Indian.

The other 2 oceans are the Southern Ocean and the Arctic Ocean and are closely spread across the north and south pole (around Antarctica and the Arctic) and are basically smaller parts of the other 3.

Actually looking closer I’d say that the Artic Ocean is vast enough to be considered its own but the southern ocean is very small in comparison. 

This brilliantly fantastic piece of graphic design that I created is a rough layout of the oceans on a world map.

Seas and oceans are actually different things although the word ‘Sea’ is often used synonymously with ocean. In fact this topic that I am researching shouldn’t be called ‘The sea’ it should be called ‘The ocean’ or ‘The Oceans’.

A sea is defined as a large body of saline water just like an ocean, although a sea is much smaller or rather an ocean is comprised of seas.

Sea < Ocean

A sea is usually connected to an ocean in some way.

I remembered the term ‘Seven Seas’ to do with sailing and pirates and stuff and looked into what that actually means.

It turns out that there are a lot of different theories behind where the term comes from and the ways it was used and understood in different parts of the world.

Medieval European culture stated that the seven seas were the Mediterranean, Adriatic, the Black Sea, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea. 

Opposing this view is Arabic culture claiming that the seven seas are a route to china with evidence backing up as early as 9^th century AD. The seas are The Persian Gulf, The Gulf of Khambhat, The Bay of Bengal, The Straight of Malacca, The Singapore Straight and the South China Sea.

Opposing both of these is the Venetian claim that to ‘Sail the Seven Seas’ was a kind of title given to those who were particularly nautically skilled.

In total there are between 100 and 120 seas in the world depending on your definition of a sea, as some are more commonly considered lakes.