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China’s [[Belt and Road Initiative]] includes funding for the [[Gwadar Port]] in [[Islamic Republic of Pakistan|Pakistan]], [[Hambantota Port]] in [[Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]], and [[Doraleh Port]] in [[Republic of Djibouti|Djibouti]]. To counter China’s investments in the [[Global North and South|Global South]], the imperial core employs various strategic formations to pressure and threaten China in the Indian Ocean, such as the [[Quad]] and [[AUKUS]].<ref>{{Web citation|author=Gurmeet Kanwal|title=Pakistan’s Gwadar Port: A New Naval Base in China’s String of Pearls in the Indo-Pacific|url=https://www.csis.org/analysis/pakistans-gwadar-port-new-naval-base-chinas-string-pearls-indo-pacific}}</ref> | China’s [[Belt and Road Initiative]] includes funding for the [[Gwadar Port]] in [[Islamic Republic of Pakistan|Pakistan]], [[Hambantota Port]] in [[Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]], and [[Doraleh Port]] in [[Republic of Djibouti|Djibouti]]. To counter China’s investments in the [[Global North and South|Global South]], the imperial core employs various strategic formations to pressure and threaten China in the Indian Ocean, such as the [[Quad]] and [[AUKUS]].<ref>{{Web citation|author=Gurmeet Kanwal|title=Pakistan’s Gwadar Port: A New Naval Base in China’s String of Pearls in the Indo-Pacific|url=https://www.csis.org/analysis/pakistans-gwadar-port-new-naval-base-chinas-string-pearls-indo-pacific}}</ref> | ||
== Geopolitics == | |||
[[File:Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean with distances to other locations.png|alt=A map showing the location of Diego Garcia in the Indian ocean, showing labels of distances to Somalia, Yemen, Bahrain, Qatar, Afghanistan, India, the Taiwan strait, East Timor, and Australia.|thumb|A map of Diego Garcia's location in the Indian Ocean, including labels of distances to various other locations.]] | |||
Since ancient times and into the present day, the geopolitical considerations surrounding the Indian Ocean are numerous. Significant maritime choke points in or leading into the Indian Ocean include the [[Bab el-Mandeb strait]], the [[Strait of Hormuz]], and the [[Strait of Malacca]].<ref name=":1">{{Web citation|author=Carmen Ang|newspaper=Visual Capitalist|title=Mapping the World’s Key Maritime Choke Points|date=2021-03-30|url=https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapping-the-worlds-key-maritime-choke-points/}}</ref> | |||
[[Republic of Djibouti|Djibouti]], located near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, is host to military bases from several countries, including China's first overseas base.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Web citation|author=Chen Zhuo|newspaper=China Military|title=Djibouti: Chinese military's first overseas support base|date=2019-04-23|url=http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/CHINA_209163/Features_209191/9485815.html}}</ref> | |||
The Diego Garcia base in the [[Chagos Archipelago|Chagos Islands]] in the Indian Ocean was built after the forced displacement of the inhabitants of Diego Garcia through a joint US-UK effort. Its location is strategically significant, enabling the US military to reach numerous locations in surrounding regions relatively quickly, for example having been used for launching US bombings of [[Republic of Iraq|Iraq]] and [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan|Afghanistan]].<ref>{{Web citation|author=David Vine|newspaper=TruthDig|title=The Truth About the U.S. Military Base at Diego Garcia|date=2015-06-15|url=https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-truth-about-the-u-s-military-base-at-diego-garcia/}}</ref><ref>{{Web citation|author=John Pilger|newspaper=Al Jazeera|title=How Britain forcefully depopulated a whole archipelago|date=2019-02-25|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2019/2/25/how-britain-forcefully-depopulated-a-whole-archipelago}}</ref> | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
[[Category:Oceans]] | [[Category:Oceans]] | ||
Revision as of 06:59, 22 February 2026
| Indian Ocean | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 70,560,000 km² |
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the five oceans, covering 70,560,000 km², or 19.8% of the water on Earth’s surface. It is bordered by Asia to the north, Africa to the west, and Australia to the east, and to the south by Antarctica. It is named after India, the only ocean named after a country. Its sea lanes carry vast volumes of energy supplies, raw materials, and manufactured goods; half of the world’s container shipments and two-thirds of oil shipments pass through routes linked to the Indian Ocean. It is a central artery of global capitalism and imperialism, encompassing the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Mozambique Channel.[1]
Geography
The Indian Ocean has an estimated volume of 292,131,000 km³, with an average depth of around 3,741 meters, the deepest being the Sunda Trench, located off the southern coast of the island of Java, reaching a maximum depth of approximately 7,290 meters. It encompasses key islands such as Sri Lanka, Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zanzibar, and Socotra.[1]
The Indian Ocean is the youngest of the major oceans geologically, with its formation beginning during the break-up of the supercontinent Gondwana around 180 million years ago. The ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ridge, an underwater mountain range where tectonic plates spread apart. Several hotspots in this area have created chains of volcanic islands, most notably the Réunion hotspot, which formed the Deccan Traps in India and the Mascarene Plateau between the Seychelles and Mauritius.[2]
Climate-wise, the Indian Ocean is unique due to its northern landlocked boundaries, which allow the monsoon system to function, something not found in other oceans. The northern Indian Ocean’s currents reverse semi-annually.[1]
Winter Monsoon - From October to April, high pressure over Asia drives dry winds toward the ocean, causing surface currents to flow westward.[1]
Summer Monsoon - From May to September, the land heats up, creating low pressure that draws moisture-rich winds from the ocean into the Indian subcontinent, bringing heavy rains that are vital to South Asia.[1]
Economy
The Indian Ocean has been a Maritime Silk Road for millennia, serving as a corridor of trade, migration, and cultural exchange. It linked Africa to Southeast Asia and China long before European colonization, fostering economic and technological integration across the region. In the present day, the Indian Ocean has become divided between the imperial core and its allies, who use it to exert pressure on anti-imperialist states such as China, Russia, and Iran.[3]
China secures oil, gas, and minerals through this ocean, while the imperial core has set its sights on denying these imports, creating a militarized ocean marked by alliances and geopolitical confrontation. Since this ocean also carries half of the world’s cargo shipments, any disruption accidental or deliberate would trigger immediate inflation, halt production, and cause market shocks.[4]
China’s Belt and Road Initiative includes funding for the Gwadar Port in Pakistan, Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka, and Doraleh Port in Djibouti. To counter China’s investments in the Global South, the imperial core employs various strategic formations to pressure and threaten China in the Indian Ocean, such as the Quad and AUKUS.[5]
Geopolitics
Since ancient times and into the present day, the geopolitical considerations surrounding the Indian Ocean are numerous. Significant maritime choke points in or leading into the Indian Ocean include the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Strait of Malacca.[6]
Djibouti, located near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, is host to military bases from several countries, including China's first overseas base.[6][7]
The Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean was built after the forced displacement of the inhabitants of Diego Garcia through a joint US-UK effort. Its location is strategically significant, enabling the US military to reach numerous locations in surrounding regions relatively quickly, for example having been used for launching US bombings of Iraq and Afghanistan.[8][9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Indian Ocean". Encyclopedia Britannica.
- ↑ Mahoney, J. J., & Coffin, M. F.. Mantle plumes and hotspots in the Indian Ocean.
- ↑ "Indian Ocean Trade Before the European Conquest". World History Encyclopedia.
- ↑ U.S. Department of Energy.. "World Oil Transit Chokepoints" Energy Information Administration.
- ↑ Gurmeet Kanwal. "Pakistan’s Gwadar Port: A New Naval Base in China’s String of Pearls in the Indo-Pacific"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Carmen Ang (2021-03-30). "Mapping the World’s Key Maritime Choke Points" Visual Capitalist.
- ↑ Chen Zhuo (2019-04-23). "Djibouti: Chinese military's first overseas support base" China Military.
- ↑ David Vine (2015-06-15). "The Truth About the U.S. Military Base at Diego Garcia" TruthDig.
- ↑ John Pilger (2019-02-25). "How Britain forcefully depopulated a whole archipelago" Al Jazeera.