Cooperation Sea facts for kids
The Cooperation Sea is a name suggested for a part of the Southern Ocean. This area is located near the icy continent of Antarctica. It sits between two specific land areas: Enderby Land and the West Ice Shelf. This proposed sea would cover a very large area, about 258,000 square kilometers. Sometimes, it is also called the Commonwealth Sea or Sodruzhestvo Sea.
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Where is the Cooperation Sea?
The Cooperation Sea would be located off the coast of MacRobertson Land and Princess Elizabeth Land in Antarctica. Its eastern edge is near 59°34'E longitude, and its western edge is around 85°E longitude. If it were an official sea, it would be next to the Davis Sea on its eastern side. To its west, there is another suggested sea called the Cosmonauts Sea.
Why is it called the Cooperation Sea?
The name "Cooperation Sea" was first used in 1962. It was named by the Soviet Antarctic Expedition. This group of scientists and explorers from the Soviet Union wanted to honor how different countries work together in Antarctica. They chose the name to celebrate international science cooperation.
Is it an official sea?
The name "Cooperation Sea" was suggested to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in 2002. The IHO is a group that helps name and map the world's oceans and seas. However, this suggestion was never officially approved by the IHO or any other organization.
Because it was not approved, the older IHO rules from 1953 are still in use. These older rules do not include the name "Cooperation Sea." Most major mapmakers and atlases around the world do not use this name. For example, the World Atlas from the United States' National Geographic Society and the British Times Atlas of the World do not show it. However, maps made in Russia and the former Soviet Union often do use the name.
What's near the Cooperation Sea?
A science station called Davis Station is located on the coast near where the Cooperation Sea would be. This station is an Australian research base in Antarctica.
