Arctic Ocean, smallest of the world’s oceans, centering approximately on the North Pole. The Arctic Ocean and its marginal seas are the least-known basins and bodies of water in the world ocean as a result of their remoteness, hostile weather, and perennial or seasonal ice cover. Arctic Ocean facts The main characteristics of the Arctic Ocean are: It is the world’s smallest ocean , covering an area of about 5.4 million square miles (14 million km 2). It began to form 200 million years ago with the breakup of Pangea. Its flora and fauna are adapted to ice and low temperatures. It contains significant oil and natural gas reserves How was the Arctic Ocean formed? The Arctic Ocean spread and expanded as the continents began to drift apart following the breakup of Pangea ... This map illustrates the Arctic Ocean , the names of the "seas" that on the northern borders of the contients, and is a political map of bordering countries. It also shows the Arctic Circle and areas that are sometimes covered with sea ice. Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic. Figure 1. Profile of the sea floor: Figure 2. Arctic Ocean sea floor:
