Such naval battles, as well as growing trade from regional American powers like the United States and Brazil, both increased in degree during the 20th century, and while no major military conflicts took place in the Atlantic in the present 21st century, the ocean remains a core component of trade across the world. From the 16th to 19th centuries, the Atlantic Ocean was the center of both an eponymous slave trade and the Columbian exchange while occasionally hosting naval battles. Columbus's expedition ushered in an age of exploration and colonization of the Americas by European powers, most notably Spain, France, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. While the Norse were the first humans to cross the Atlantic, it was the 1492 expedition of Christopher Columbus that proved to be the most consequential. Through its separation from Africa, Europe, and Asia from the Americas, the Atlantic Ocean has played a central role in the development of human society, globalization, and the histories of many nations. It is known to separate the ' Old World' of Africa, Europe, and Asia from the ' New World' of the Americas in the European perception of the World. It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about 106,460,000 km 2 (41,100,000 sq mi).

The pass starts from just northeast of the island of Newfoundland over the North Atlantic Ocean to central Africa, over South Sudan. This video was taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the ISS.

Oceans by Simon Holland