About 71 percent of the earth is covered with water.
The ocean is a continuous body of water that is divided into several oceans and smaller seas.
Scientists estimate that about 230,000 different marine life forms live in the ocean, but the total could much more as many species have not yet been discovered.
The ocean has a significant effect on the biosphere as ocean temperatures determine climate and wind patterns that affect life on land.
Life in the ocean evolved 3 billion years before life on land, and the depth and distance of the water from the coastline determine the amount and types of plants and animals that live there.
The oceans are also an important supply of food for the fishing industry, which include shrimp, fish, crabs and lobster.
