ast
of Peru, when the trade winds slacken and the warm Equatorial
Countercurrent moves south, killing the plankton that is the primary
food source for anchovies; consequently, the anchovies move to
better feeding grounds, causing resident marine birds to starve by
the thousands because of the loss of their food source; ships
subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May
and in extreme south from May to October; persistent fog in the
northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December
international agreements: NA

Geographic note: the major choke points are the Bering Strait,
Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator
divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South
Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic
islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Government
----------

Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard for
hydrographic codes - see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic
Codes appendix

Economy
-------

Economic overview: The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the
world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly
touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and
West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields,
minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1985
over half (54%) of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific
Ocean, which is the only ocean where the fish catch has increased
every year since 1978. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves
is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of
Australia, NZ, China, US, and Peru. The high cost of recovering
offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices
for oil since 1985, has slowed but not stopped new drillings.

Transportation
--------------

Ports: Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los
Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San
Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney
(Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Communications
--------------

Telephone system:
international: several submarine cables with network nodal points on
Guam and Hawaii

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@Pakistan
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