Atlantic Ocean

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David Barnard EricsonAll

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Last updated

May 21, 2026 •History

Atlantic Ocean, body of salt water covering approximately one-fifth of Earth’s surface and separating the continents of Europe and Africa to the east from those of North and South America to the west. The ocean’s name, derived from Greek mythology, means the “Sea of Atlas.” It is second in size to the Pacific Ocean. The Atlantic is, generally speaking, S-shaped and narrow in relation to its length. The area of the Atlantic without its dependent...