How much of Earth’s surface is covered by ocean basins?

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World map highlighting major features of the ocean basins, including trenches, ridges, basins, and plateaus labeled throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans. Continents are shown with shaded terrain, and prominent undersea features such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Mariana Trench, and Kerguelen Plateau are marked across the map. — ocean basin Major features of the ocean basins.

Ocean basins are vast submarine regions that collectively cover nearly three-quarters of Earth’s surface. More specifically, approximately 71 percent of the planet's surface is covered by seawater.12

These basins are dynamic features that change shape and depth over geologic time due to the processes of plate tectonics and seafloor spreading. While they contain the overwhelming majority of the planet's water, they are characterized by diverse topographical features, including ocean ridges, deep-sea trenches, and seamounts.321