Mapping America’s Largest ‘Dead Zone’

In a decades-long crisis, marine life has suffered as oxygen periodically dwindles in waters along the Gulf Coast.

The top 3

  1. Arabian Sea: The World's Largest and Thickest: The Gulf of Oman in the Arabian Sea hosts what is considered the largest and thickest dead zone globally, spanning approximately 63,700 square miles (165,000 square kilometers) and extending to significant depths.
  2. Baltic Sea: Europe's Persistent Giant: The Baltic Sea contains one of the world's largest and most persistent dead zones, covering an area often exceeding 70,000 square kilometers (about the size of Ireland), due to its semi-enclosed nature and high nutrient loads.
  3. Gulf of Mexico: North America's Largest: The Gulf of Mexico dead zone is the largest in North America, with its size varying annually but often exceeding 6,000 to 8,000 square miles (roughly the size of New Jersey), primarily caused by nutrient runoff from the Mississippi River.

Sources

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