Fifth Ocean Discovered.

Most of us learned about the world's oceans in elementary school. There's the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian and the Arctic Ocean. Now, there's a sea change ahead. Thanks to National Geographic, you'll soon see a fifth ocean on your maps. It's now officially recognizing the Southern Ocean, the waters swirling around Antarctica, marking the first time the organization has made such a change since it started drawing up maps over a century ago. 

Details

Since  National Geographic began making maps in 1915, it has recognized four oceans: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic Oceans. Starting on World Ocean Day, it will recognize the Southern Ocean as the World's fifth Ocean.

The Southern Ocean has long been recognized by scientists, but because there was never agreement internationally, we never officially recognized it, says National Geographic Society Geographer Alex Tait.

Why Fifth Ocean?

This Ocean shares border with Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Ocean. We need to declare it as fifth ocean because every ocean has there own currents, and the currents observed here are called as Antarctic Circumpolar Currents(ACC). Also if  we enter in this region the climate gets changed, the animal species gets changed, overall it doesn't seems like we are in either of the above Oceans mentioned, it is completely new. 

Antarctic Circumpolar Current

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is an ocean current that  flows clockwise(as seen from South pole) from west to east around Antarctica. ACC is also called as West Wind Drift.

ACC connects Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as serves as a principal pathway of exchange among them.