Oceans and Seas is an authoritative and comprehensive guide to Earth's great bodies of water. Each volume contains a wealth of information, including physical features- surface area and depth, how the ocean was formed, plate movements, coastlines, islands, and more; climate- including tides, currents, trade winds, hurricanes, and tsunamis; marine life; the history of human settlement along the shores; transportation and navigation; natural resources; and current threats- including the effects of pollution, overfishing, and mining. Numerous maps, charts, fact boxes, and primary source quotations supplement the text. Supporting both the science and social studies curriculum, this series is truly an indispensable resource.