The two major reasons for ocean currents are – a) The systematic movement of the planetary winds and b) The Coriolis Force. The major ocean currents of the North Atlantic Ocean are discussed as follows.

1. Equatorial Current: To the north of the equator there is a warm, westward-moving current caused by the northeast trade winds. While moving towards the west, it changes its direction to the northwest due to the presence of the South American continent and Coriolis force.
2. Antilles Current and Caribbean Current: The warm water then moves through the Caribbean Sea and gets divided into two parts. A) Antilles Current – Flows some distance off the shore of the Gulf of Mexico. B) Caribbean Current – Curves towards the east through the Strait of Florida and moves directly towards the north coast of Cuba.
3. Gulf Stream: The warm current originates in the Gulf of Mexico around 20°N and moves northeast along the East coast of North America. This is the largest water current in the North Atlantic Ocean.
4. North Atlantic Drift: Under the influence of the westerlies, the Gulf Stream flows in the northeast direction up to 70°N, and beyond the Grand Bank it gradually loses its speed and becomes a slow-moving current. This is known as the North Atlantic Drift.
5. Canary Current: This cold current moves along the Western coast of North America and brings the cold water of the higher latitude towards the equator up to 15°N.
6. Labrador Current: This cold water current originates in the Baffin Sea and moves southward through the Davis Strait. It merges with the warm Gulf Stream near Newfoundland creating dense fog and a conducive situation for Plankton growth.

Due to such conditions, the Grand Bank near Newfoundland became one of the ideal fishing grounds in the world. On the other hand, the Sargasso Sea can be located between 20°N to 40°N and 35°W to 75°W. This sea is filled with floating weeds. The North Atlantic currents are important to understand to have a deep insight about the North Atlantic Subpolar Gyre.

The two major reasons for ocean currents are – a) The systematic movement of the planetary winds and b) The Coriolis Force. The major ocean currents of the North Atlantic Ocean are discussed as follows.

1. Equatorial Current: To the north of the equator there is a warm, westward-moving current caused by the northeast trade winds. While moving towards the west, it changes its direction to the northwest due to the presence of the South American continent and Coriolis force.
2. Antilles Current and Caribbean Current: The warm water then moves through the Caribbean Sea and gets divided into two parts. A) Antilles Current – Flows some distance off the shore of the Gulf of Mexico. B) Caribbean Current – Curves towards the east through the Strait of Florida and moves directly towards the north coast of Cuba.
3. Gulf Stream: The warm current originates in the Gulf of Mexico around 20°N and moves northeast along the East coast of North America. This is the largest water current in the North Atlantic Ocean.
4. North Atlantic Drift: Under the influence of the westerlies, the Gulf Stream flows in the northeast direction up to 70°N, and beyond the Grand Bank it gradually loses its speed and becomes a slow-moving current. This is known as the North Atlantic Drift.
5. Canary Current: This cold current moves along the Western coast of North America and brings the cold water of the higher latitude towards the equator up to 15°N.
6. Labrador Current: This cold water current originates in the Baffin Sea and moves southward through the Davis Strait. It merges with the warm Gulf Stream near Newfoundland creating dense fog and a conducive situation for Plankton growth.

Due to such conditions, the Grand Bank near Newfoundland became one of the ideal fishing grounds in the world. On the other hand, the Sargasso Sea can be located between 20°N to 40°N and 35°W to 75°W. This sea is filled with floating weeds. The North Atlantic currents are important to understand to have a deep insight about the North Atlantic Subpolar Gyre.