The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, although some oceanographers call it the Arctic Mediterranean Sea or simply the Arctic Sea, classifying it a mediterranean sea or an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean.
Internationale Hydrografiske Organisation (IHO) anerkender det some et verdenshav, selvom nogle oceanografer kalder det for det Arktiske Middelhav og klassificerer detsom et indhav eller et æstuarium til Atlanterhavet.