Which ocean is the deepest on Earth, containing the Mariana Trench?

The Pacific Ocean is the deepest ocean on Earth and contains the Mariana Trench.

The Pacific stretches between Asia and Australia on its western side and the Americas on its eastern side. It covers more area than any other ocean and contains the deepest known point in Earth’s oceans, Challenger Deep, within the Mariana Trench.

The ocean’s immense depth and size result from its position over several active tectonic boundaries. Much of the Pacific is surrounded by the “Ring of Fire,” a zone of frequent earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and deep ocean trenches. The Pacific seafloor is also being consumed by subduction in many places.

The name comes from the Latin pacificus, meaning “peaceful,” a description associated with Ferdinand Magellan’s relatively calm crossing after entering it in 1520. Conditions vary greatly, however, and the ocean is frequently affected by powerful storms and climate cycles such as El Niño.