From Ocean Teacher Library

Ocean, Sea and Undersea Feature Names

Contents 1 Background 2 International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Oceans and Seas 3 Gazetteers 4 Additional Resources 5 Subsections of this Article 6 Information about this article 7 Contact

Background

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Oceans and Seas

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) publishes the official boundaries of the world's oceans and seas in Limits of Oceans & Seas, Special Publication No. 23. IHO is an intergovernmental organization of a consultative and technical nature comprising over 70 Member States represented by their respective national Hydrographic Offices. IHO objectives include the coordination of national hydrographic offices activities, standardization of nautical charts and publications, and the adoption of reliable and efficient methods to conduct hydrographic surveys. To that end, Special Publication 23 was published for the convenience of national Hydrographic Offices when compiling their charts and preparing their nautical publications. It was not intended to have any legal or political significance. The 3rd edition of S-23 published in 1953 is the last approved edition. The maps below show the boundaries and names recognized in 1953; click on any map to see a larger version.

Map 1: Global View

Map 2: Mediterranean

Map 3: Indo-China to Australia

Gazetteers

• GEBCO Gazetteer - The undersea feature names shown on sheets and products of GEBCO and Regional International Bathymetric Charts (IBC) projects, and on international (INT) nautical charts are selected by the GEBCO Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN). SCUFN maintains and makes available the names information in the form of a digital gazetteer. The January 2009 version of the gazetteer is available at the reference below.

• Standardization - The IHO leads an international effort to standardize feature names (see resource link below), as well as individual governments.

Additional Resources

• IHO Publications - Free downloads
• Limits of Oceans & Seas, Special Publication No. 23 - The IHO's official publication on the subject
  • Map 1: Global View
  • Map 2: Mediterranean
  • Map 3: Indo-China to Australia
• GEBCO Undersea Feature Names
  • Features List - Excel spreadsheet
  • Features List - PDF file
• Standardization of Undersea Feature Names - IHO guidelines
• Policies and Guidelines for the Standardization of Undersea Feature Names - US document; includes a good list of basic terms

Subsections of this Article

No subsections available

Information about this article

Short title: Ocean, Sea and Features Names

Description: The geographic terminology of the sea, including formally adopted names for major water bodies

Expertise level: beginner

Author: Murray.Brown

Approval status: approved

Approved by: Murray.Brown

Last change: 2009-9-24

Subsection of: Marine Geography and Geopolitics

Contact

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