Climate:
planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit
remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and
westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal
fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of
Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America;
continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less
pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude
in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a
rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden
winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the
winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to
the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and
east Asia from May to December
Terrain:
surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a
clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and
in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in
the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
Trench, which is the world's deepest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m
highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources:
oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel
aggregates, placer deposits, fish
Natural hazards:
surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity
sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to
tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to
December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones
(hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and
Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September);
cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial
Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the
western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme
north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific
can be a maritime hazard from June to December
Environment - current issues:
endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter,
seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and
South China Sea
Geography - note:
the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon
Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific
Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean;
dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the
southwestern Pacific Ocean
Economy Pacific Ocean
Economy - overview:
The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and
particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides
low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing
grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel
for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish
catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and
gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy
supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of
recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in
world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new
drillings.
Transportation Pacific Ocean