Which ocean is the deepest of Earth’s five oceans?

The Pacific Ocean is the deepest of Earth’s five oceans.

Its deepest known point is Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, west of the Mariana Islands. Measurements vary by method, but the seafloor lies roughly 10,900 metres below sea level. The Pacific is also the largest ocean, covering more area than all of Earth’s land combined.

The ocean stretches from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south and lies between Asia and Australia on one side and the Americas on the other. Its name comes from the Latin word pacificus, meaning peaceful; Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan used a related description after encountering relatively calm conditions in part of his crossing.

The Pacific Ring of Fire surrounds much of its margins and contains many volcanoes and earthquake zones. The ocean includes numerous island groups, including Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia.