Pacífico

Pacífico, in Spanish, most commonly refers to the Pacific Ocean, the largest and deepest of Earth’s oceanic divisions. It extends roughly from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south and from the coasts of Asia and Oceania in the west to the Americas in the east. It covers about 165.2 million square kilometers (63.8 million square miles), accounting for about 46% of the planet’s water surface and around 30% of its land area.

The ocean is characterized by extensive circulation patterns and multiple marginal seas. It hosts major currents, including the Kuroshio, California, Humboldt, and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which play a key role in regulating climate and marine productivity. The Pacific Rim forms part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of active tectonic boundaries associated with frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. The Pacífico supports a wide range of ecosystems, from tropical coral reefs to temperate kelp forests, and is a critical source of biodiversity and fisheries.

Human activity is concentrated along its rim, with global shipping routes, large-scale fisheries, and energy resources. The Pacific also influences regional climates through phenomena such as El Niño and La Niña, which can affect weather patterns worldwide.

Beyond the ocean, Pacífico designates coastal and cultural regions in Spanish-speaking countries, such as the Pacific littoral zones of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, and various administrative regions described as Pacífico in national contexts.