Borders of the oceans seas it contains) as follows: Note that these definitions exclude any marginal waterbodies that are separately defined by the IHO (such as the Kara Sea and East Siberian Sea), though these are usually considered to be part of the Arctic Ocean. The CIA defines the limits of the Arctic Ocean differently, as depicted in the map comparing its definition to the IHO's definition. The Atlantic Ocean separates the Americas from Europe and Africa. It may be further subdivided by the equator into northern and southern portions. The 3rd edition, currently in force, of the International Hydrographic Organization's (IHO) "Limits of
South Seas South Seas The term South Seas commonly refers to the South Pacific. Geographically, all areas to the south of Panama's degree of latitude belong to the South Sea. Central archipelagos are the Society Islands (French Polynesia/Tahiti), the Samoa-archipelago and the Fiji islands. The term South Sea is often used synonymously for Oceania and in a narrow sense for Polynesia (Polynesian Triangle). The Hawaii islands, New Zealand (Aotearoa) and the Easter Island ("Rapa Nui") build the vertices. The Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa coined the term "South Sea" when he traveled through the isthmus of Panama and named the ocean