What joins the atlantic and pacific oceans

Panama Canal

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

The Panama Canal is a constructed waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the Isthmus of Panama. It is owned and administered by Panama, and it is 40 miles long from shoreline to shoreline. Ships can cross going in either direction, and it takes about 10 hours to get from one side to the other. Ships from any country are treated equally with respect to conditions of passage and tolls.

Before the Panama Canal was built, ships traveling between the east and west coasts of the American continents had to go around Cape Horn in South America, a voyage that was some 8,000 nautical miles longer then going through the canal and that took about two months to complete. All journeys between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans are shortened by thousands of nautical miles by going through the canal.

The Panama Canal was made by building dams on the Chagres River to create Gatun Lake and Lake Madden, digging the Gaillard Cut from the river between the two lakes and over the Continental Divide, building locks between the Atlantic Ocean and Gatun Lake to lift boats to the lake and another set of locks at the end of the Gaillard Cut to lower ships, and digging a channel to the Pacific Ocean.

A mountain range runs the length of Panama, including through the Canal Zone, though it is lower there. In addition, the tidal levels of the oceans on either side of the Panama Canal differ. Locks raise ships to the level of the lakes (which account for about half the distance of the canal) and then lower them to sea level.

A French company headed by Ferdinand, viscount de Lesseps, started to build a canal in 1881 but failed by 1889. The United States, led by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt, negotiated the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty, giving the U.S. control of the Canal Zone. Work under U.S. supervision began in 1904, and the Panama Canal was completed in 1914. Tens of thousands of people, mostly labourers from Barbados, Martinique, and Guadeloupe, worked on the project.

Read a brief summary of this topic

Panama Canal, Spanish Canal de Panamá, lock-type canal, owned and administered by the Republic of Panama, that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the narrow Isthmus of Panama. The length of the Panama Canal from shoreline to shoreline is about 40 miles (65 km) and from deep water in the Atlantic (more specifically, the Caribbean Sea) to deep water in the Pacific about 50 miles (82 km). The canal, which was completed in August 1914, is one of the two most strategic artificial waterways in the world, the other being the Suez Canal. Ships sailing between the east and west coasts of the United States, which otherwise would be obliged to round Cape Horn in South America, shorten their voyage by about 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km) by using the canal. Savings of up to 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km) are also made on voyages between one coast of North America and ports on the other side of South America. Ships sailing between Europe and East Asia or Australia can save as much as 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km) by using the canal.

From its opening in 1914 until 1979, the Panama Canal was controlled solely by the United States, which built it. In 1979, however, control of the canal passed to the Panama Canal Commission, a joint agency of the United States and the Republic of Panama, and complete control passed to Panama at noon on December 31, 1999. Administration of the canal is the responsibility of the Panama Canal Authority (Spanish: Autoridad del Canal de Panamá [ACP]), which answers solely to the government of Panama.

Physical features

The canal

The Panama Canal lies at a latitude of 9° N, at a point where the North American Continental Divide dips to one of its lowest points. The canal does not, as is generally supposed, cross the isthmus from east to west. It runs due south from its entrance at Colón on the Atlantic side through the Gatún Locks to a point in the widest portion of Gatún Lake; it then turns sharply toward the east and follows a course generally to the southeast until it reaches the Bay of Panama, on the Pacific side. Its terminus near Balboa is some 25 miles (40 km) east of its terminus near Colón. Parallel to the canal are the Panama Canal Railway and the Boyd-Roosevelt Highway.

Do The Atlantic Ocean And The Pacific Ocean Mix?

The Panama Canal is one of two places where the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans meet.

The Pacific Ocean is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by a 48-mile waterway in Panama known as the Panama Canal. Panama is the narrowest landmass between the two oceans, and the canal consists of three locks and dams enabling the passage of ships from the Port of Cristobal on the Atlantic side to the Port of Balboa on the Pacific. The canal greatly reduced the time taken by ships to cross from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Its construction is considered one of the largest and the most complicated engineering projects ever undertaken. However, the Panama Canal is not the only waterway connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific. There is also a tiny creek in Wyoming where the two oceans merge.

The Tiny Wyoming Creek

The tiny creek connects the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean, dividing the continent of North America into two parts. Thus, to cross from north to south one has to cross the creek. The creek, named Two Ocean Pass, is located deep in Teton Wilderness north of Yellowstone National Park where it splits into two natural directions. The point at which the creek splits into two is referred to as Parting of the Waters. In one direction, the creek heads towards the Gulf of Mexico while in the other direction it heads towards the Pacific Ocean. Unlike the Panama Canal, the tiny creek connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific cannot be navigated except by fish.

The Parting Of The Waters

The Parting of the Waters is located in the wilderness area of Teton in Wyoming. Here, the Two Ocean Pass splits into two similar flows with the Pacific Creek flowing westward to the Pacific and the Atlantic Creek flowing eastward to the Atlantic. The Atlantic Creek water flows for approximately 3,490 miles to the Atlantic Ocean through Yellowstone River which empties the waters into the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. To the west, the Pacific Creek water flows for approximately 1,355 miles through Snake River which empties the waters into the Pacific Ocean via the Colombia River. The water on the creek makes it possible for the fish to swim between the two oceans. Thus, it has been reported that the creek provided a route for the Yellowstone cutthroat to move from Pacific drainage to Atlantic drainage.

The Creek Drainage Area

The Parting of the Waters is situated on the Two Ocean Pass’ low point. The North Two Ocean Creek originates from the drainage basins on the nearby plateau. Although the creek split into two and flows to the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean, its entire drainage is within the Continental Divide. In 1965, the site was designated a natural landmark and was officially known as the Two Ocean Pass National Natural Landmark, though the Parting of the Waters is the popular name for the site and is situated approximately 0.5 miles from Two Ocean Pass.

5 Oceans of the World (Indian, Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific & Antarctic)

Up to the present time, when it comes to discussions about the earth’s surface cover, most of it is covered by water. About 70% of the entire earth’s surface is overlaid with water, most of which are the oceans. Out of the total water surface on earth, more than 96% is the ocean salty waters.

The oceans are the large masses of water bordering the continents. Even though they are all interlinked, they are predominantly categorized into five oceans as follows; Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Antarctic Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. Each of these oceans has distinctive characteristics.

Table of Contents

List of 5 Oceans of the World

Here are the details describing the five oceans of the world that provide a deeper comprehension of them.

1. Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean is defined as the second largest ocean in the planet with an area of about 106,400,000 square kilometers. It is surrounded by Europe and Africa in the east and by America in the west. The Atlantic Ocean is made up of the Baltic Sea, Caribbean Sea, Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Atlantic Ocean was highly known as a voyage sea up to the 15 th Century thus having a historical marking for colonization and spice trade. It also spreads out to the Antarctic Ocean in the south and the Arctic Ocean in the north.

The Atlantic Ocean is divided by the equator into north and south Atlantic. The area adjacent to the north of the equator, between South America and Africa, is termed as Central Atlantic. The water in this area is completely different from the waters in the northern part, which is between North America and Europe. The ocean hosts many aquatic species including the sperm whale which is recorded as the largest living toothed creature.

The Atlantic Ocean is also the saltiest of all the oceans and this salinity is mainly contributed by the process of precipitation, evaporation, sea ice melting and river inflow. The water in the South Atlantic circulates in an anti-clockwise direction, whereas in the North Atlantic the circulation is in a clockwise direction. This phenomenon is owed to the Coriolis Effect.

Some of the environmental concerns include endangered marine species such as seals, manatee, turtles, whales, and sea lions; driftnet fishing which leads to overfishing; municipal sludge pollution off southern Brazil, eastern U.S., and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in the Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, lake Maracaibo, and the Caribbean Sea; Sewage pollution and industrial waste from the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.

2. Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of all the oceans. Its location is between the eastern coastlines of African and Asia and the western coastlines of the American landmass. It is also bounded by the Antarctic Ocean in the south and the Arctic Ocean in the north.

The Pacific Ocean extends to about 162,200,000 square kilometers and it also has the longest shoreline that totals to approximately 135,663 kilometers.

Of all the ocean waters, the pacific constitutes roughly 46% and covers more than a third of the total surface area. Due to this, it is larger than the landmass area on the earth’s surface combined. The equator passes in the middle of the Pacific Ocean that divides it into the South Pacific Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean has very limited occurrences of damaging ocean currents or movements, which makes it a peaceful ocean.

Some of the current environment concerns include endangered marine species such as the seals, whales, turtles, sea otter, dugong, and sea lion; and oil pollution in the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea.

3. Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean on the planet. It covers an expanse of about 73,556,000 square kilometers. Just like the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean was highly known as a voyage sea up to the 15 th Century that gave it a historical marking for colonization and spice trade. For this reason, the Indian Ocean has a great record of all sorts of humankind, all the way through world history.

The Indian Ocean is encircled by the eastern coast of Africa which constitutes the shores of the Middle East and India in the north. Australia and South East Asia separate the Indian Ocean from the Pacific Ocean. Also, the Indian Ocean has plentiful exotic animal and plant species.

The ocean also makes up around 20% of all the water on the earth’s surface and it’s a major sea route connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and America. Up to 40% of all offshore oil production is from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands are also exploited by a majority of the countries bordering the Indian Ocean particularly because they are rich in heavy metals.

The Indian Ocean is as well relatively warm compared to other oceans, which limits the growth of phytoplankton. Various ports have also been set up along the coasts of the Indian Ocean namely the Port of Singapore and The Mumbai Port. Gulfs, bays, and straits are also numerous within the spreads of this ocean.

Some of the environmental concerns here include endangered marine species such as seals, whales, turtles, and dugong; and oil pollution in the Persian Gulf, Arabia Sea, and the Red Sea.

4. Antarctic Ocean

The Antarctic Ocean is the fourth largest in the planet and only covers an area of about 20,327,000 square kilometers. It is widely known as the ‘Southern Ocean’ since it is situated next to the South Pole. One important aspect of the Antarctic Ocean is that is has a tremendous influence on the planet’s weather patterns. It also joins the waters of the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Atlantic Ocean with a continuous easterly current.

In the ocean zone, the warmer waters of the subantarctic mix with the cold northward flowing waters in the Antarctic. Numerous kinds of marine animals live and depend on the phytoplankton in the Antarctic Ocean, making it an ocean rich in diverse marine species. Besides, the Antarctic Ocean is a depository of natural resources including valuable minerals and massive oil and gas fields.

The biggest environmental problems in the Southern Ocean are the impacts of global warming, overfishing, climate change, and ocean currents.

5. Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean is the shallowest and smallest of all the oceans in the planet, more than five times smaller than the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Its surface area is about 13,986,000 square kilometers and it mostly lies in the Arctic Circle.

The Arctic Ocean is bordered by the North American and the Eurasian continents. Most of the time throughout the year, the Arctic Ocean is covered with thick mountains of ice and it even remains impassable during summer.

The ocean is situated in the Northern Hemisphere and is commonly perceived to be the northernmost part of the entire World Ocean. Since ice cover freezes and melts occasionally, the surface temperatures and the salinity widely vary.

Compared to the other oceans, its salinity is the lowest as it has limited connections to other oceans, a lower amount of evaporation, and a continuous inflow of fresh water from streams and rivers. Plantlife are relatively little in the ocean. Phytoplanktons are common.

Some of the pressing environmental issues in the Arctic Ocean include endangered marine species such as the whales and walruses; and a fragile ecosystem that slowly adjusts from damage or disturbance.

Тест по теме : Модальные глаголы. Артикли»

a. _____ Statue of Liberty was____gift of friendship from _____ France to __ United States.

b. ____ deepest lake in the world is ____Lake Baikal..

c. ____ Lake Erie is one of _____ five Great Lakes in ____ North America.

d. On our trip to _____ Spain, we crossed ____ Atlantic Ocean.

e. While we were in ____ Alaska, we saw _____ Eskimo village.

f. There is ___post office in ___West Street.

b. Have you ever been to ____ National Theatre and ___ British Museum?

c. ____ Manila is the capital of ____ Philippines.

e. ____ Rocky Mountains are in ____ North America.

g. ____ National Gallery is in ____ Trafalgar Square in ____ London.

h. In ____ London, ____ Houses of Parliament are beside ____ Thames.

i. ____ Panama canal joins ____ Atlantic Ocean and ____ Pacific Ocean.

j. If you sail from ____ Britain to ____ Denmark you cross ____ North Sea

2. Use the modal verbs must, can/may, can’t. 1. Zag … go to the cinema with us. He is not very busy.

2. “… I get you lemonade?” “That’s very nice of you.” 3. The book is not on the shelf. Jean … be reading it now. 4. I … visit you every day.

3. Read the dialogue and mark the sentences as true (T) or false (F). A: Hi, Ben! How were your exams?

B: Nice of you to ask about them. Everything’s all right, thanks.

A: Is it? You look worried. Is there anything wrong?

B: No, everything’s all right, but when we were waiting for the results of the exam, we spoke about our future and our career plans. You know, I was the only one who hadn’t decided yet.

A: Well, let’s try to find out what kind of job could be suitable for you. I’ve got a special test that might give us the answer. All you need to do is to answer some questions. The first one is: “Would you like to work in an office or be out and about during working hours?”

B: It depends… But no, I think I would rather work inside. It could be difficult to be outside if the weather is bad. But I want to have the opportunity to be out in good weather, too.

A: Are good working conditions, job satisfaction and stability important to you?

B: Yes, I want my job to be exciting but not very stressful. Stability is very important to me, too. But I don’t want to work at the weekends or in summer.

A: And how about job satisfaction? What does that mean to you?

B: To me, job satisfaction isn’t just a quick promotion or good money. I want to feel useful.

A: Would you prefer working with machines or with people?

B: When I was little, I enjoyed taking things apart to see how they worked. But now communicating with people is much more important to me. I want to work with nice and friendly people.

A: OK. That’s enough. Let’s have a look at the test results. Well, there is a long list of jobs which meet your requirements. And the job of babysitter is at the top of the list.

B: Babysitter?! I have never thought about babysitting, but I don’t mind working with children. I’m very good at sports and the job of a coach has a lot of advantages. I’ll definitely try to learn more about it.

1. Ben looks worried because he failed his exams.

2. Ben decided everything about his career when he was little.

3. Ben doesn’t care about stability in a job.

4. Ben discovers that a job as a coach might be suitable for him.

a. The Statue of Liberty was _a_ gift of friendship from ____ France to _the United States.

b. The_ deepest lake in the world is __Lake Baikal.

c. __ Lake Erie is one of ___ five Great Lakes in _the North America.

d. On our trip to __ Spain, we crossed _the Atlantic Ocean.

e. While we were in ____ Alaska, we saw __an_Eskimo village.

f. There is _a__post office in __ West Street.

g. I had _a__beautiful suntan after my holiday in ____Turkey..

a. ____ Kevin lives in ____ Coronation Street.

b. Have you ever been to _the_ National Theatre and _the__ British Museum?

c. ____ Manila is the capital of _the_ Philippines.

e. _the_ Rocky Mountains are in _the_ North America.

g. _the_ National Gallery is in ____ Trafalgar Square in ____ London.

h. In ____ London, _the_ Houses of Parliament are beside _the__ Thames.

i. _the_ Panama canal joins _the_ Atlantic Ocean and _the_ Pacific Ocean.

j. If you sail from ____ Britain to ____ Denmark you cross _the_ North Sea

2. Use the modal verbs must, can/may, can’t. 1. I’m not quite sure where to go for my holidays but I … go to the USA. 2. You can tell Tom what I said but he … keep it a secret. 3. If you’re under 18, you … drive a car in Russia. 4. You … drive for a year in Britain with an international license.

3. Read the dialogue and mark the sentences as true (T) or false (F). A: Hi, Ben! How were your exams?

B: Nice of you to ask about them. Everything’s all right, thanks.

A: Is it? You look worried. Is there anything wrong?

B: No, everything’s all right, but when we were waiting for the results of the exam, we spoke about our future and our career plans. You know, I was the only one who hadn’t decided yet.

A: Well, let’s try to find out what kind of job could be suitable for you. I’ve got a special test that might give us the answer. All you need to do is to answer some questions. The first one is: “Would you like to work in an office or be out and about during working hours?”

B: It depends… But no, I think I would rather work inside. It could be difficult to be outside if the weather is bad. But I want to have the opportunity to be out in good weather, too.

A: Are good working conditions, job satisfaction and stability important to you?

B: Yes, I want my job to be exciting but not very stressful. Stability is very important to me, too. But I don’t want to work at the weekends or in summer.

A: And how about job satisfaction? What does that mean to you?

B: To me, job satisfaction isn’t just a quick promotion or good money. I want to feel useful.

A: Would you prefer working with machines or with people?

B: When I was little, I enjoyed taking things apart to see how they worked. But now communicating with people is much more important to me. I want to work with nice and friendly people.

A: OK. That’s enough. Let’s have a look at the test results. Well, there is a long list of jobs which meet your requirements. And the job of babysitter is at the top of the list.

B: Babysitter?! I have never thought about babysitting, but I don’t mind working with children. I’m very good at sports and the job of a coach has a lot of advantages. I’ll definitely try to learn more about it.

2. Ben has no career plans and it worries him.

3. Ben wants to have any job that allows him to work outside in any weather because he hates being in an office.

4. Job satisfaction for Ben means only good money and promotion opportunities.

b. The_ deepest lake in the world is __Lake Baikal.

c. __ Lake Erie is one of ___ five Great Lakes in _the North America.

d. On our trip to __ Spain, we crossed _the Atlantic Ocean.

e. While we were in ____ Alaska, we saw __an_Eskimo village.

f. There is _a__post office in __ West Street.

g. I had _a__beautiful suntan after my holiday in ____Turkey.

h. ____ Queen Elizabeth II is __a_ monarch of _____ Great Britain.

i. _An___ Architect designs buildings.

j. We arrived in ____ Paris on _the_ third of August.

a. ____ Kevin lives in ____ Coronation Street.

b. Have you ever been to _the_ National Theatre and _the__ British Museum?

c. ____ Manila is the capital of _the_ Philippines.

e. _the _ Rocky Mountains are in _the_ North America.

g. _the_ National Gallery is in ____ Trafalgar Square in ____ London.

h. In ____ London, _the_ Houses of Parliament are beside _the__ Thames.

i. _the_ Panama canal joins _the_ Atlantic Ocean and _the_ Pacific Ocean.

j. If you sail from ____ Britain to ____ Denmark you cross _the_ North Sea

Which Countries Have Coastlines On Both The Atlantic And The Pacific Oceans?

A beach on the Caribbean Sea (Atlantic Ocean) in Nicaragua.

The Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are the two largest oceans in the world and occupy a combined area of roughly 104,900,000 square miles. Many nations have a coastline on one of these oceans, but several countries have coastlines on both. When considering whether a nation borders both oceans, oceanographers consider the marginal seas, gulfs, and straits. Examples of countries that border both the Atlantic and Pacific include Chile, Mexico, and Guatemala. The full list is provided below.

Chile

Located in South America, the western and southeastern edges of Chile have coastlines on the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, respectively. Chile has control over the Strait of Magellan, a navigable water body that links the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic. The nation has ports along the Atlantic Ocean, the most significant of which is Puerto Toro. Chile also has several ports along the Pacific Ocean, such as Puerto Chacabuco, Puerto Montt, and Puerto Williams.

Mexico

Mexico also has coastlines on both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. Located in the southern part of North America, its coastline along the Pacific Ocean is situated on the country’s western edge, and its coastline with the Atlantic Ocean borders the eastern edge. More specifically, the eastern part of Mexico borders the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, which are both considered marginal seas of the Atlantic Ocean. Mexico has several ports located along coast of the Pacific Ocean, the most notable being Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas, and Puerto Chiapas. In particular, Manzanillo is considered the nation’s busiest port. Mexico also has a port in the Gulf of Mexico, referred to as Matanzas.

Guatemala

Guatemala has a coastline on the Pacific Ocean, which is situated on the southern edge of the country. Located in Central America, Guatemala also borders the Caribbean Sea, a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, which is located on the northeastern edge of the country. The port of Puerto Quetzal is the largest port along Guatemala’s Pacific coast. It is an essential port for cargo traffic and as a stop-over point for cruise liners.

Nicaragua

Nicaragua’s coastline on the Pacific Ocean is situated on the southwestern edge of the country. Located in Central America, Nicaragua also borders the Caribbean Sea on the eastern edge of the country, which is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean. Bluefields is Nicaragua’s only port along the Atlantic Ocean.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s coastline on the Pacific Ocean is located along the country’s southwestern edge. The Central American country is also considered to border the Atlantic Ocean, since it has coastline along the Caribbean Sea on its northeastern edge.

Colombia

Colombia’s coastline with the Pacific Ocean is situated on the western side of the country. The South American country is also considered to border the Atlantic Ocean since it borders one of its main marginal seas, the Caribbean Sea. Colombia’s coastline on the Caribbean Sea is situated on the nation’s northern edge.

Russia

Given its massive size, Russia not only borders the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans, but it also borders the Arctic Ocean. Russia is considered to border the North Pacific Ocean, and has a coastline on two of the marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean, the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. Russia has several ports along the Atlantic Ocean, the most prominent being St. Petersburg.

Canada

Like Russia, Canada borders the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans, as well as the Arctic Ocean. Located in the northern part of North America, Canada borders the northern edge of the Pacific Ocean as well, as the northern edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Canada has several ports along the Atlantic Ocean, with some of the most prominent being Saint John, Corner Brook, and Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

United States

Given its large size, the United States (US) borders both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Arctic Ocean. Located in the middle part of North America, the US borders the northern section of the Pacific Ocean, and its ports include Los Angeles, Long Beach, and San Francisco. The country also borders the northern section of the Atlantic Ocean, with ports such as Jacksonville, Key West, and Palm Beach.

Panama

Panama’s coastline along the Pacific Ocean is situated on the country’s southern edge. The Gulf of Panama is also close to Panama. The country is considered to border the Atlantic Ocean because it has coastline along the Caribbean Sea on its northern edge. The Panama Canal is one of the most important waterways in the region, as it links the Caribbean Sea to the Gulf of Panama, and therefore ultimately connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Construction of the Panama Canal dates back to the 19th century, when France initiated the project in the 1800s. However, the French government later decided to stop work on the project for various reasons, including a significant number of deaths among workers. The United States government later took over the project and the canal officially opened in 1914.

Honduras

Located in Central America, Honduras is another nation with a coastline on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Honduras is considered to have a coastline on the Pacific Ocean since it borders the Gulf of Fonseca on the southern side. In addition to bordering the Caribbean Sea, Honduras also borders one of its primary inlets, the Gulf of Honduras. San Lorenzo is one of Honduras’ main ports along the Pacific Ocean. Honduras has several ports along the Caribbean Sea, a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, such as Puerto Cortés, Puerto Castilla, as well as Roatán.

Economic Significance of Coastline on More Than One Ocean

Having coastline on more than one ocean can be economically advantageous. For example, such nations have a larger exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which provides access to and rights over resources in the ocean. Additionally, bordering two or more oceans also increases the potential volume of trade that a nation could engage in due to a larger number of ports and harbors.