The Indian Ocean - An environmental overview

Abstract

During the International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE), 1962-65, the Indian Ocean was defined as the area between 25 degrees N and 40 degrees S latitudes and 45 degrees E longitudes. This region included all the straits, adjacent seas and semi-enclosed basins within the littoral countries, which, because of their special characteristics, form a unique study area. In the present review, the Indian Ocean we discuss is an area bounded by 25 degrees N and 30 degrees S and 35 degrees E and 98 degrees E. Geographically, it is the area from 30 degrees S latitude to the Gulf of Oman and the head of the Bay of Bengal and from the East Africa coast to the coastlines of Burma, Thailand and Malaysia (excluding the Strait of Malacca). In this region of the Indain Ocean, there are 19 countries, comprising a total area of 9.6 x 106 km2. They are inhabited by about 1220 million people, with an average population density of 127/km2. Thus, an average 22.5% of the world population lives in 18.6% of the total land area. The 8 countries in the East African region (of which 4 are island countries), however, have a population density of only 16.5/km2