Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering about 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by Asia (including the Indian subcontinent, after which it is named); on the west by Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by Antarctica) (we do not consider the Southern Ocean as separate).

One component of the all-encompassing World Ocean, the Indian Ocean is delineated from the Atlantic Ocean by the 20° east meridian running south from Cape Agulhas, and from the Pacific Ocean by the 147° east meridian. The northernmost extent of the Indian Ocean is approximately 30° north in the Persian Gulf.

Island nations within the ocean are:

• Madagascar, the world's fourth largest island
• Comoros
• Seychelles
• Maldives
• Mauritius
• Sri Lanka

The archipelago of Indonesia borders the ocean on the east.

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