Which ocean surrounds Antarctica?

The Southern Ocean surrounds Antarctica. It forms the continuous ring of ocean water around the continent and is the southernmost of Earth’s five recognized oceans.

Unlike most oceans, the Southern Ocean is commonly defined by a current as well as by geography. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current flows eastward around Antarctica, linking waters from the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. This powerful current helps isolate Antarctica’s cold climate and transports more water than any other ocean current. Many modern maps place its northern boundary near 60° south latitude.

The Southern Ocean was also called the Antarctic Ocean, and some older references treated its waters as extensions of the three neighbouring oceans. That explains why maps and textbooks have not always agreed about its status. The Southern Ocean is not the same as the Arctic Ocean: the Arctic surrounds the North Pole, while the Southern Ocean surrounds the South Pole’s continent, Antarctica. Its waters are also central to global carbon storage and climate regulation.