Most people have always believed the world has four oceans – the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic.
But now National Geographic has decided to add a fifth and, from this week, now recognises the Southern Ocean, the body of water encircling Antarctica.
“The Southern Ocean has long been recognized by scientists, but because there was never agreement internationally, we never officially recognised it,” says National Geographic Society Geographer Alex Tait.
The change, he adds, is part of the Society’s initiative to conserve the world’s oceans.
