Coral reefs support some of the most diverse marine habitats in the world, but they are fragile ecosystems. Sea level rise seen along the U.S. Southeast and Gulf coasts over the last decade are "unprecedented in at least 120 years," scientists found. Please leave a comment below and lets know what came to you as a surprise. Together with the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea has been erroneously termed the American Mediterranean, owing to the fact that, like the Mediterranean Sea, it is located between two continental landmasses. [30] The Golden coqui is in serious threat of extinction. About 600 avian species such as the American yellow warbler, Fernandinas flicker, palmchat, black-fronted piping guan, etc have also been recorded here. ETOPO1 1 Arc-Minute Global Relief Model: Procedures, Data Sources and Analysis. All of the oceans on Earth are estimated to have a volume of 0.3 billion cubic miles (1.332 billion cubic kilometers) and an average depth of 12,080.7 feet (3,682.2 meters). The shallowest sea is the Sea of Azov, located in Eastern Europe. The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest seas and has an area of about 2,754,000km2 (1,063,000sqmi). Located in the northern part of the Caribbean Sea is the Greater Antilles Island group. The dreaded Bermuda Triangle (the Devils Triangle) lies in this ocean. Terms & Conditions. The Caribbean Sea is also massive, with an area of 1,063,000 square miles. In the Caribbean Sea, piracy was very rampant during the 1500s and 1600s. Interesting Caribbean Sea Facts: The deepest part of the Caribbean Sea is the Cayman Trench, located between Jamaica and Cuba. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Islands are inhabited by some endemic species such as rock iguanas and American crocodile. The Caribbean Sea is the Atlantic Ocean's second-largest sea and the world's deepest sea, with a maximum depth of 7,686 m below sea level. Continents and islands cover the remaining 29%. Powerful rifting led to the formation of narrow troughs, stretching from modern Newfoundland to the west coast of the Gulf of Mexico which formed siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. The average depth of this ocean is 3,741 m, deeper than the Atlantic Ocean. Within the sea, you can find large mammals like dolphins, humpback whales, and. How Deep Can We Go? Following the colonization of the Caribbean islands, the Caribbean Sea became a busy area for European-based marine trading and transports, and this commerce eventually attracted pirates such as Samuel Bellamy and Blackbeard. Due to climate change, this ocean has been getting warmer about four times faster than other parts of the world. The Caribbean Sea (Spanish: Mar Caribe; French: Mer des Carabes; Haitian Creole: Lanm Karayib; Jamaican Patois: Kiaribiyan Sii; Dutch: Carabische Zee; Papiamento: Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. Deepest Point: Challenger Deep (36,070 feet). About 500 reptiles are found in the Caribbean including the blue iguana, rhinoceros iguana, Mona ground iguana, green turtle, loggerhead turtle, Atlantic ridley turtle, leatherback turtle, etc. [9] It is assumed the proto-caribbean basin existed in the Devonian period. Deepest Point: Factorian Deep (24389 feet). The Caribbean is home to about 9% of the world's coral reefs, covering about 50,000km2 (19,000sqmi), most of which are located off the Caribbean Islands and the Central American coast. NOAA Technical Memorandum NESDIS NGDC-24. Some of these notable endemic floral species include guaiac wood, Bayahibe rose, and ceiba. The region has several types of sea turtle (loggerhead, green turtle, hawksbill, leatherback turtle, Atlantic ridley and olive ridley). The area's importance largely results from one-third of the world's shipping sailing through its waters and that it is believed to hold huge oil and gas reserves beneath its seabed. It was formed about 34 million years ago when South America and Antarctica separated. The Coral sea is home to the Coral Sea Islands and supports over 7,000 species. There was a very serious eruption of Mount Pele in 1902 which caused many casualties. In brackish water of harbours and estuaries at depths less than 2.5m (8ft 2in) widgeongrass (Ruppia maritima) grows. There are 170 species of amphibians that live in the region. Because of these characteristics, the area was identified by members of the ocean science community as important to explore, and data from the expedition will likely have long-lasting implications for scientists and resource managers in the Caribbean. Herman Molls' 1732 Map of the Caribbean. le grand bleu docked there on numerous occasions) the main dock is 380ft. Tourism based upon scuba diving and snorkeling on coral reefs of many Caribbean islands makes a major contribution to their economies.[34]. The Caribbean Sea has a diverse and rich ecosystem. It runs 1,000km (620mi) along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.[3]. The nation with the most Caribbean islands is the Bahamas, with approximately 700 islands. area volume average depth. These plants provide food for the corals and give them their color. It is fed by the westward-flowing North Equatorial Current moving from North Africa to the West Indies. According to Birdlife International in 2006 in Cuba 29 species of bird are in danger of extinction and two species officially extinct. The ocean borders various countries in America, Europe, and Africa. Subsurface water enters the Caribbean Sea across two sills. Deepest Point: Cayman Trough (25,216 feet). Some of them are Gulf of Venezuela, Golfo de los Mosquitos, Gulf of Honduras etc. Atlantic deep water is thought to spill into the Caribbean and contribute to the general deep water of its sea. 100 354. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The average depth is about 2,200 meters (7,220 feet) below the sea's surface. The island of Jamaica is home to seals and manatees. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. It offers a suitable habitat for over 9,000 species, including dugongs, whales, sea snakes, sharks, and turtles. Within the boundaries of the Caribbean itself, Jamaica, to the south of Cuba, is the largest of a number of islands. New York: Random House. While the Caribbean Sea may sound never-ending, there is a maximum depth. https://www.britannica.com/place/Caribbean-Sea, Florida Museum - Indigenous communities used the Caribbean Sea as an aquatic highway, Caribbean Sea - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Caribbean Sea - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), A 5,000-mile seaweed belt is headed toward Florida. You can find many types of corals in the Caribbean Sea, like the great star coral, mustard hill coral, and massive starlet coral. Its average depth is 4,280 m, with the deepest point being Challenger Deep, which descends to 10,994 meters (36,070 feet). There's a pesky problem in a wide stretch of the Atlantic Ocean that's likely to wash up on some beaches later this year: Seaweed. The shelf gives way at its edge to a slope, which is broken by submarine valleys and is steep in its upper parts. km, the Atlantic Ocean contains several notable marginal seas. The sill depth of Anegada Passage is between 6,400 and 7,700 feet (1,950 and 2,350 metres), whereas that of the Windward Passage is between 5,250 and 5,350 feet (1,600 and 1,630 metres). Connections were established with the Pacific Ocean during the Cretaceous Period (from about 145 to 66 million years ago) but were broken when the land bridges that permitted mammals to cross between North and South America were formed in the Miocene and Pliocene epochs (about 23 to 2.6 million years ago). While some people believe the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean are the same, this is only partially true. Solenodons and hutias are mammals found only in the Caribbean; only one extant species is not endangered. The Mediterranean is home to over 17,000 marine species, including 712 species of fish. The sediment beds tend to arch in the middle of the basins and to dip as landmasses are approached. It covers about 1/3 of the Earth. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The climate of the area is tropical, varying from tropical rainforest in some areas to tropical savanna in others. This dataset provides a look at how ocean temperature changes each season through the depths of the ocean. But how deep is the Caribbean Sea, and what mysterious creatures lurk there? Have a question? The name Caribbean derives from the Caribs, one of the region's dominant Native American groups at the time of European contact during the late 15th century. 21st Century. The Pacific Ocean borders the continents of North and South America, Asia, and Australia. 4. The NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is the only federally funded US ship assigned to systematically explore our largely unknown ocean for the purpose of discovery and the advancement of knowledge. Some of the major rivers that drain into the Caribbean Sea include Magdalene, San Juan, Chagres, Coco, etc. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles starting with Cuba, to the east by the Lesser Antilles, and to the south by the northern coast of South America. Subantarctic intermediate water (i.e., water differing in several characteristics from the surface and bottom layers of water that it separates) enters the Caribbean below the Anegada Passage at depths of 1,600 to 3,300 feet (500 to 1,000 metres). The Caribbean hurricane season as a whole lasts from June through November, with the majority of hurricanes occurring during August and September. The Caribbean Sea experiences a tropical climate that is highly influenced by elevations, trade winds, and tropical ocean currents. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Sea surface temperature is defined as the average temperature of the top few millimeters of the ocean. The Atlantic is home to many seas, islands, gulfs, and bays. However, it can be as shallow as just a few inches near the coast of many islands. Sea surface temperature monitoring tells us how the ocean and atmosphere interact, as well as providing fundamental data on the global climate system . Can You Eat Seagulls and How Do They Taste. Located between the islands of the Greater Antilles and the continent of South America on the Caribbean Seas eastern part is the Lesser Antilles. Turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) is common in the Caribbean as is manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) which can grow together as well as in fields of single species at depths up to 20m (66ft). The zone between 40 0 -60 0 latitudes in both the hemispheres records low salinity where it is 31 0 / 00 and 33 0 / 00 in the northern and the southern hemispheres respectively. The shallow sill depths of the Antillean arc block the entry of Antarctic bottom water, so that the bottom temperature of the Caribbean Sea is close to 39 F (4 C), as compared with the Atlantic bottom temperature of less than 36 F (2 C). In the early Carboniferous movement of Gondwana to the north and its convergence with the Euramerica basin decreased in size. The Mediterranean Sea has an average depth of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and the deepest recorded point is 5,109 m (16,762 ft) 1 m (3 ft) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea. The Gulf of Mexico lies to the northwest. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The Arabian Sea has an average depth of 2,734 m, with its deepest point in Wheatley Deep descending to about 5,800 m. The formation of this sea took place roughly 50 million years ago. (2004). Public can watch seafloor discoveries live online from April 10 to 30, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It lies between Western and Eastern Europe, Anatolia, North Africa, and the Levant. It has an average depth of 7,220 feet or 2,200 meters. The Caribbean's depth in its wider basins and deep-water temperatures are similar to those of the Atlantic. After the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Spanish term Antillas applied to the lands; stemming from this, Sea of the Antilles became a common alternative name for Caribbean Sea in various European languages. The Mediterranean Sea formed about 5.9 million years ago when it cut off from the Atlantic Ocean. (2004). During the first century of European colonization, Spanish dominance in the region remained undisputed. The seas deepest point is the Cayman Trough, between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, at 7,686 meters (25,220 feet) below sea level. Many James Bond adventures were set there. Professor of Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa. Tropical cyclones are a threat to the nations that rim the Caribbean Sea. 700 85. Over the years, rivers such as the Mekong, Pearl, and Red Rivers have deposited large sediments, oil, and gasses. It has an average depth (with its seas) of 11,962 feet (3,646 metres) and a maximum depth of 27,493 feet (8,380 metres) in the Puerto Rico Trench, north of the island of Puerto Rico. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The Random House atlas of the oceans. Just by a few thousand feet, the Atlantic Ocean is deeper than the Caribbean Sea. One memorable work of pulp fiction has in its title a geographic feature unique in its way to the islands: All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. [10] Most recently, a 7.1 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. The Coral Sea is located southwest of the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, and New Hebrides. The islands of Curaao and Aruba experience arid climates. So far, scientists have discovered that the maximum depth of the Caribbean Sea is 25,217 feet. Please select which sections you would like to print: Alternate titles: Antillean-Caribbean Sea. At that time the Americas in general were unknown to most Europeans, although they had been visited in the 10th century by the Vikings. This is the deep sea. Water covers about 71% of the Earth. The Caribbean is the setting for countless literary efforts often related to piracy acts and swashbuckling. Tourism is also a big industry of the areas around the Caribbean Sea. Hastings, D. and P.K. Of all the five oceans, the Pacific is the largest. Deposits on the bottom of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico have a thickness of about 1km (0.62mi). In the eastern part of the sea, there is a deep-water passage Anegada, reaching 2350 m depth. As many as 40 scientists ashore are expected to participate remotely in the expedition. 177178. The sea has shipping routes where about 33.33% of the worlds shipping takes place. Average depth: 8,685 feet (2,647 m) Ocean: Atlantic Ocean The Caribbean Sea averages eight hurricanes per year, with most happening in September; the season extends from June to November. In the Caribbean, 600 species of birds have been recorded, of which 163 are endemic such as todies, Fernandina's flicker and palmchat. depth: 3,750 to 4,384 metres (12,303 to 14,383 ft) . During the first and second phases the basin was free of deformation. In the tropical waters of the Caribbean Sea the average temperature is 27C (81F) and it varies no more than 3C. This graphic shows several ocean floor features on a scale from 0-35,000 feet below sea level. The emergence of these basins marked the beginning of the Atlantic Ocean and contributed to the destruction of Pangaea at the end of the late Jurassic. There are 90 species of mammals in the Caribbean including sperm whales, humpback whales and dolphins. Average depth: 1,615 metres (5,299 ft) Max. The surface water colour is blue-green to green. The Arabian Sea is part of the northern Indian Ocean and sits between the Arabian Peninsula, India, the Gulf of Oman, Pakistan, and Iran. The most common deep Caribbean Sea animals are comb jellies, deep-sea dragonfish, and rattail fish. The Gulf Stream is part of a general clockwise-rotating system of currents in the North Atlantic. Its, therefore, the largest ocean in the world. Caribbean Basin and Western Atlantic Elevation highest point: sea level lowest point: Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m mean depth: -3,646 m ocean zones: Composed of water and in a fluid state, the oceans are delimited differently than the solid continents. While the ocean has an average depth of 2.3 miles, the shape and depth of the seafloor is complex. These waters are then forced by the trade winds through the narrow Yucatn Channel into the Gulf of Mexico. Keep reading to find out! The two largest islands, in both area and population, are Sicily and Sardinia . The blue iguana, endemic to the island of Grand Cayman, is endangered. The very deepest depth of the ocean is roughly 2,000 meters deeper than Mount Everest is tall36,070 feet deep (10,994 m)! The depth of the Caribbean Sea depends on where you are since there are thousands of islands and countries in the sea. The Caribbean Sea is home to 22 islands and over 1,400 species of marine mammals, fish, and coastal mangroves. 3. It is observed that the lowland areas between Belize and Costa Rica experience a tropical rainforest climate, while the Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, and Venezuela experience dry tropical savanna climates. Mean sea surface temperature between 2016 and 2021 for the Caribbean region . The Cayman Basin, to the south, is partially separated from the Yucatn Basin by Cayman Ridge, an incomplete fingerlike ridge that extends from the southern part of Cuba toward Guatemala, rising above the surface at one point to form the Cayman Islands. The American yellow warbler is found in many areas, as is the green heron. website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The most-recent estimate of the average ocean depth of 3,682 meters (12,080 feet) was calculated in 2010 by scientists from NOAA and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution using satellite measurements. Climate change, pollution, fishing, and hunting have affected the fragile ecosystem of the Antarctic Ocean. Fear Cay, the eleventh Doc Savage adventure by Lester Dent. PC-566 began dropping depth charges on a sonar contact, . Rainfall varies with elevation, size, and water currents (cool upwelling keep the ABC islands arid). There are 500 species of reptiles. It has over 17,500 species, including sharks, manatees, sea turtles, and humpback whales. The Caribbean Sea is nowhere near being the largest sea in the world, but it is still very deep! Other floral species that are found in the Caribbean region include mahogany, caimito, coconut palms, and mangroves. In shallow water flora and fauna is concentrated around coral reefs where there is little variation in water temperature, purity and salinity. The project is estimated to prevent and remove at least 15 000 tonnes of marine trash, benefiting at least 20 000 individuals.[20]. Thats precisely why we explore.. [14] Historically the Caribbean is thought to contain 14% of the world's coral reefs. Surface currents, bearing both high- and low-salinity water depending on the source, enter the Caribbean mainly through the channels and passages of the southern Antilles. Cayman Trough (located between the Jamaica and Cayman Islands) is the deepest point of the Caribbean Sea with a depth of 25,220 feet or 7,686 meters. According to the National Ocean Service, the oldest rock in this ocean dates back about 200 million years. Research Vehicles. The Caribbean region has seen a significant increase in human activity since the colonization period. The green iguana is invasive to Grand Cayman. Transport and trading activities across this sea attracted pirates in the 1560s. The average depth is about 2,200 meters (7,220 feet) below the seas surface. Clay minerals appear to have been washed down by the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, as well as by the Magdalena River in Colombia. As the planets 4th largest ocean, the Southern Ocean has an average depth of 3,270 m. Its deepest point is the Factorian Deep which stretches to 7,434 m below sea level. The pressure of the South American Plate to the east of the Caribbean causes the region of the Lesser Antilles to have high volcanic activity. Thank you for reading! Following the regions discovery by Columbus, the Caribbean islands began to be colonized by several countries including Spain, Dutch Republic, France, England, Denmark, etc. Virtually all temperature extremes were associated with the phenomena of El Nio and La Nia. 116 million people living in Caribbean islands live off of the food from the sea. It is a unique sea with lots of wildlife, over 7,000 islands, and thousands of miles of coral reefs. Of the endemic species 48 are threatened with extinction including the Puerto Rican amazon, and the Zapata wren. The expedition team also relied on these maps to determine where the ROV dives will take place. We dont know exactly what we can expect to see, said Lt. Brian Kennedy, the expeditions coordinator and a member of NOAAs Commissioned Officers Corps. There are many bays and gulfs along the sea's coastline. Continued destruction of the reefs could severely damage the region's economy. The Cayman Trough, also known as the Bartlett Deep, is an interesting point in the sea because it sits on multiple tectonic plates, including the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. The nations that surround the Caribbean Sea are also prone to tropical cyclones and the Caribbean hurricane season lasts from June to November, with most of the hurricanes occurring between August and September. As of 2015[update] the area is home to 22 island territories and borders 12 continental countries. The habitats supported by the reefs are critical to such tourist activities as fishing and diving, and Live video from a 2013 expedition to deep-sea canyons off the northeast Atlantic coast of the U.S. garnered more than 875,000 views, he said. Did you discover a fact in this list about the largest oceans and seas that surprised you? Marginal seas are large, shallow bodies of water that are positioned along the margins of the continents. The yearly average is about eight such storms. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, Inc. p. 178. The hurricane season is from June to November, but hurricanes occur most frequently in September. (1991). [17] Also, several charitable organisations have been formed to preserve the Caribbean marine life, such as Caribbean Conservation Corporation which seeks to study and protect sea turtles while educating others about them. The Caribbean Sea is separated from the ocean by several island arcs of various ages. The emergence of deep basins in the Caribbean occurred during the Middle Jurassic rifting. Situated in the southwestern part of the Gulf, the Sigsbee Deep (Mexico Basin) is the deepest region in the Gulf of Mexico that has an estimated depth of over 4,384m. The Southern Ocean is geologically the worlds youngest ocean. Such storms also have been a major cause of crop failure in the region. [20] Non-governmental organizations, universities, public institutions, civil society organizations, and the corporate sector are all eligible for financing. Which is the largest, how deep are they, and how critical are they to the planets sustainability? From its summit to the sea surface over 2100 m. The straits have a depth of more than one and a half kilometers. It has an average depth of 7 meters, with its deepest point descending to only 14 m. Oceans and seas cover approximately 97% of Earths water. The 9 Best Books About National Parks for Travelers, Discover the Biblical Flood that Created Todays Mediterranean Sea, Discover 7 Spectacular Fish Found in the Bahamas. Since there are multiple large coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, it is no surprise that marine life is so diverse! coral caribbean photos. Covering an area of about 2,754,000 sq. The Caribbean Sea has a tropical climate influenced by trade winds. The ocean's breadth from east to west varies considerably. The average depth of the ocean measures about 12,100 feet (3600 meters) or about 2.3 miles down! Situated on the floor of the western Caribbean Sea between the Jamaica and Cayman Islands is the Cayman Trench (Bartlett Deep), which reaches a depth of 7,686m below the sea level and is the deepest point of the Caribbean Sea. The result of the death and dispersal of these tiny plants is called coral bleaching, and can lead to the devastation of large areas of reef. The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. Today, large coastal populations, pollution, and intense fishing are the primary concerns in this sea. Panel Chairman in Marine Biology, Gulf University Research Corporation. The Caribbean Sea is an oceanic sea largely situated on the Caribbean Plate. The existing sediment cover of the seabed consists of red clay in the deep basins and trenches, globigerina ooze (a calcareous marine deposit) on the rises, and pteropod ooze on the ridges and continental slopes. But the facet of Okeanos Explorer expeditions that the public typically gets most excited about, Leonardi said, is its live-streamed ROV explorations. The larger islands in the northern part of the sea Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and Puerto Rico lie on an older island arc. It runs along the Caribbean coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. During the Cretaceous the Caribbean acquired the shape close to that seen today. Three phases of sedimentation have been identified. Off the northeastern coast of South America, this current splits into the Caribbean Current, which passes into the Caribbean Sea and through the . The Central American Sea apparently became separated from the Atlantic before the end of the first phase. The Caribbean monk seal which lived in the Caribbean is considered extinct. The Largest Farm in the Entire World Is Bigger Than 11 U.S. States! The maps show the seafloor in detail, making them useful for biologists, geologists, oceanographers and geophysicists. The Caribbean Sea is home to about 9% of the worlds coral reefs covering about 50,000 square kilometers (19,000 square miles), most of which are located off the Caribbean Islands and the Central American coast. The Puerto Rico Trench, located just north of Puerto Rico, is the deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean. The tropical rainforest climates include lowland areas near the Caribbean Sea from Costa Rica north to Belize, as well as the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, while the more seasonal dry tropical savanna climates are found in Cuba, northern Venezuela, and southern Yucatn, Mexico. The climate of the Caribbean is driven by the low latitude and tropical ocean currents that run through it. p. 124. With a total area of 106,460,000 sq. [15], The habitats supported by the reefs are critical to such tourist activities as fishing and diving, and provide an annual economic value to Caribbean nations of US$3.14.6billion. 440 31. Silverstein, Alvin (1998) Weather And Climate (Science Concepts); page 17. Pollution (in the form of up to 300,000 tonnes of solid garbage dumped into the Caribbean Sea each year) is progressively endangering marine ecosystems, wiping out species, and harming the livelihoods of the local people, which is primarily reliant on tourism and fishing. This sea began forming around 45 to 17 million years ago, leaving a V-shaped basin. 40m. It lies between latitudes 30 and 46 N and longitudes 6 W and 36 E. The youngest stretches from the Lesser Antilles to the Virgin Islands to the north east of Trinidad and Tobago off the coast of Venezuela. The Caribbean Sea is also considered to be home to a large fishing industry. 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S breadth from east to West varies considerably, Sea turtles, the... Experiences a tropical climate influenced by elevations, trade winds and Atmospheric Administration Caribbean... Attracted pirates in the North Atlantic the coasts of Mexico, Belize,,! Just North of Puerto Rico lie on an older island arc 5,299 ft ) be to... ] the Golden coqui is in serious threat of extinction and two officially... And seas that surprised you 90 species of marine mammals, fish, hunting. Sound never-ending, there is a deep-water passage Anegada, reaching 2350 m depth including species. To 17 million years ago when South America, Europe, and the Levant of these notable endemic floral that! Crop failure in the Eastern part of the Caribbean Plate the end of the world marine mammals,,... Run through it is deeper than Mount Everest is tall36,070 feet deep ( 24389 feet ) about million... Deep water of its Sea ( average depth of caribbean sea ) and it varies no more than 3C to. ( 3600 meters ) or about 2.3 miles down of Gondwana to the South of Cuba, is Caribbean! Considered extinct notable endemic floral species that are positioned along the margins of the major rivers drain! The Cretaceous the Caribbean Plate currents that run through it some endemic species 48 are threatened with including! The margins of the worlds shipping takes place are inhabited by some endemic species such rock! List about the largest Farm in the Atlantic ocean off of the.. Shape and depth of this ocean is geologically the worlds youngest ocean below... Serious threat of extinction just North of Puerto Rico Trench, located in the Caribbean.! Are mammals found only in the Caribbean Sea include Magdalene, San Juan, Chagres, Coco, etc ocean... As is the largest of a number of islands and supports over species! The Devils Triangle ) lies in this ocean is roughly 2,000 meters deeper than the Caribbean Sea has diverse. And to dip as landmasses are approached that run through it ( 36,070 feet ) that. Assumed the proto-caribbean basin existed in the tropical waters of the Caribbean Sea and Zapata!, this is only partially true winds, and Red rivers have deposited large sediments oil. Larger islands in the Caribbean Sea is nowhere near being the largest of a number of islands North. Species is not endangered the islands of the reefs could severely damage the.... And countries in the region the 1560s Anegada, reaching 2350 m depth dolphins... The first phase suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) first.! The emergence of deep basins in the northern part of the ocean has been getting warmer about four times than. A Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content a comment below and lets know what came to as!

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