Pacific and Atlantic Ocean Currents
Geography › Ocean Movements, Temperature and Salinity · Topic 11.2
The Pacific and Atlantic oceans each have a clockwise gyre in the north and an anticlockwise gyre in the south, joined by the equatorial currents flowing west and a countercurrent flowing east. The warm Kuroshio and Gulf Stream flow poleward on the western sides, and the cold California, Peru, Canary and Benguela currents flow equatorward on the eastern sides.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Ocean Movements, Temperature and Salinity
At a Glance
- Pacific warm Kuroshio, East Australian, Alaska
- Pacific cold California, Peru, Oyashio
- Atlantic warm Gulf Stream, Brazil, North Atlantic Drift
- Atlantic cold Labrador, Canary, Benguela, Falkland
- Eastward flow Equatorial Countercurrent
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Ocean Movements, Temperature and Salinity
Where Does It Fit?
This is the second topic of the category on ocean movements, temperature and salinity. The previous topic explained the causes and types of currents, and this one lists the currents of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The next topic describes the unique currents of the Indian Ocean. Previous topic: Ocean Currents – Causes and Types. Next topic: Indian Ocean Currents.
What Are the Currents of the Pacific Ocean?
In short: each Pacific gyre has a warm western arm and a cold eastern arm, with an eastward countercurrent between them.
| Current | Nature | Direction and location |
|---|---|---|
| North Equatorial Current | Warm | Flows west along about 10 to 15 degrees north, driven by the northeast trades |
| Kuroshio Current | Warm | Flows northeast along the east coast of Taiwan and Japan; the Pacific equivalent of the Gulf Stream |
| North Pacific Drift | Cool to warm | Flows east across the North Pacific in the westerlies |
| Alaska Current | Warm | Flows northwest along the coast of Canada and Alaska; keeps ports ice-free |
| California Current | Cold | Flows south along the west coast of North America; causes fog and a dry coast |
| Oyashio (Kamchatka) Current | Cold | Flows south from the Bering Sea along the Kamchatka and Japan coast; meets the Kuroshio and creates fog and rich fisheries |
| Equatorial Countercurrent | Warm | Flows east between the north and south equatorial currents at about 5 to 10 degrees north |
| South Equatorial Current | Warm | Flows west south of the equator |
| East Australian Current | Warm | Flows south along the coast of Australia |
| Peru (Humboldt) Current | Cold | Flows north along the coast of Chile and Peru; strong upwelling, rich fishery, desert coast; weakens in El Niño years, as in El Niño and Its Effects |
| Antarctic Circumpolar Current (West Wind Drift) | Cold | Flows east around Antarctica; the largest current in the world, joining the three oceans |
Below the surface, the Equatorial Undercurrent or Cromwell Current flows eastward along the equator in the Pacific, at a depth of about 100 m, and brings water to the Galápagos.
What Are the Currents of the Atlantic Ocean?
| Current | Nature | Direction and location |
|---|---|---|
| North Equatorial Current | Warm | Flows west and feeds the Caribbean and the Gulf Stream |
| Gulf Stream | Warm | Flows from the Gulf of Mexico through the Florida Current along the US east coast to about 40 degrees north, where it joins the North Atlantic Drift |
| North Atlantic Drift | Warm | Flows northeast toward Europe, warming the winters of northwestern Europe and keeping Norwegian ports open in winter |
| Canary Current | Cold | Flows south along northwestern Africa; completes the gyre |
| Labrador Current | Cold | Flows south from the Arctic along Canada; meets the Gulf Stream at the Grand Banks to cause fog; carries icebergs |
| East Greenland and Irminger currents | Cold and warm | Flow along Greenland; the Irminger is a branch of the North Atlantic Drift |
| South Equatorial Current | Warm | Flows west and divides at Cape São Roque in Brazil into a northern branch and the Brazil Current |
| Brazil Current | Warm | Flows south along the coast of Brazil |
| Falkland (Malvinas) Current | Cold | Flows north along Argentina |
| Benguela Current | Cold | Flows north along southwest Africa; creates the Namib desert and rich fishing |
| Guinea Current | Warm | Flows east in the Gulf of Guinea; the extension of the countercurrent |
| West Wind Drift | Cold | Flows east at 40 to 60 degrees south |
The Gulf Stream system is shown in The Atlantic Ocean, where the circulation, the AMOC, is also described.
How Can You Remember the Pattern?
- Warm on the west, cold on the east: in the tropics and the subtropics, the poleward currents on the western side of an ocean are warm (Kuroshio, Gulf Stream, East Australian, Brazil) and the equatorward currents on the eastern side are cold (California, Peru, Canary, Benguela).
- Gyre direction: clockwise in the north, anticlockwise in the south.
- Where warm meets cold: fog and fisheries, at the Grand Banks (Gulf Stream and Labrador) and off Japan (Kuroshio and Oyashio).
- Cold currents and deserts: the Peru, Benguela, California and Canary currents lie beside the Atacama, Namib, Sonoran-Baja and Sahara coasts, as in Dry and Warm Temperate Climates (Groups B and C).
As an analytical point, current maps are one of the commonest map-based questions, and the way to answer them is to link each current to its oceanic gyre and its coast, and not to learn names in isolation. The effects of the currents on climate, fishing and navigation are covered in Effects of Ocean Currents.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Map-based Matching questions
- Pattern Gyre logic
- Application Deserts and fisheries
What Came Next?
The next topic describes the Indian Ocean currents, which reverse with the monsoon. Next topic: Indian Ocean Currents.
Key People and Terms
- Kuroshio Warm Pacific current off Japan
- Humboldt Current Cold current of Peru and Chile
- Gulf Stream Warm Atlantic current
- Labrador Current Cold current off Canada
- Benguela Current Cold current off southwest Africa
- Equatorial Countercurrent Eastward warm flow near the equator
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Kuroshio is to the Pacific what the Gulf Stream is to the Atlantic.
- Peru and Benguela are cold currents.
- Labrador meets the Gulf Stream at the Grand Banks.
- The West Wind Drift circles Antarctica.
- The countercurrent flows east.
Do Not Confuse With
- Kuroshio and Oyashio Warm versus cold
- Brazil and Falkland currents Warm versus cold
- Canary and Guinea currents Cold versus warm
Memory Hook
West is warm, east is cold; where they meet, fog and fish.
Mains Angle
Questions link currents to climate. These points add depth.
- Pattern Warm west, cold east
- Effects Deserts, fog, fisheries
- Change El Niño and AMOC
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Describe the major currents of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and explain why cold currents are associated with deserts.”
How to Answer
- Gyres Direction.
- Pacific Warm and cold currents.
- Atlantic Warm and cold currents.
- Effects Deserts and fog.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kuroshio Current?
The Kuroshio is a warm, fast current of the western North Pacific, flowing northeast past Taiwan and Japan. It is the Pacific counterpart of the Gulf Stream, carries heat toward the mid-latitudes, and when it meets the cold Oyashio Current, it creates rich fishing grounds and fog.
What is the Humboldt or Peru Current?
The Humboldt or Peru Current is a cold current that flows north along the western coast of South America. It brings nutrient-rich water by upwelling, supports one of the world's richest fisheries, and helps to make the Atacama coast a desert. It weakens during El Niño.
Where does the Gulf Stream meet the Labrador Current?
The warm Gulf Stream meets the cold Labrador Current off Newfoundland on the Grand Banks. The meeting causes frequent fog and supports rich plankton and fish stocks. The Labrador Current also carries icebergs to this region, which is a hazard for shipping.
Which is the largest ocean current in the world?
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current, or West Wind Drift, is the largest, flowing eastward around Antarctica and linking the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. It carries more water than any other current, and isolates Antarctica from warmer waters, keeping it cold.
Which cold currents are associated with deserts?
The cold Peru Current is linked with the Atacama Desert, the Benguela Current with the Namib, the Canary Current with parts of the western Sahara, and the California Current with the dry coast of Baja California. Cold water cools the air above and reduces evaporation and rainfall.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Benguela Current is a cold current off southwest Africa.
It is linked to the Namib Desert.
2 The Kuroshio is a cold current of the Pacific Ocean.
It is a warm current.
3 The Labrador Current is a warm current of the North Atlantic.
It is a cold current.
4 The Equatorial Countercurrent flows from west to east.
It runs against the trade-wind drift.
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