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The Atlantic Ocean began to form when Pangea started to rift and break apart around 130 million years ago. First, Pangea broke apart into two landmasses: Laurasia and Gondwana, and a sea formed between them. Then, due to seafloor spreading, Laurasia separated into North America and Eurasia, and Gondwana separated into South America and Africa (as well as Antarctica and Australia). The space between these continents became the Atlantic Ocean. Even today, seafloor spreading continues to make the Atlantic Ocean wider by a few centimeters each year.

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14y ago

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