The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans, located in the western Pacific Ocean, to the east of the Mariana Islands. It reaches a maximum known depth of about 36,000 feet (around 10,972 meters), specifically at a point known as the Challenger Deep. The trench is approximately 1,550 miles (2,500 kilometers) long and is formed by the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Mariana Plate.
The trench is notable not only for its extreme depth but also for its unique geological and biological characteristics. It is home to a variety of specially adapted organisms that can survive the immense pressure, cold temperatures, and total darkness found at such depths. Research missions have discovered unusual life forms, including certain types of microbes, deep-sea fish, and invertebrates.
Due to its remote location and extreme conditions, the trench remains one of the least explored areas of the planet, and ongoing scientific studies continue to reveal new insights into its environment and the life it harbors. The Mariana Trench is also significant in understanding plate tectonics, oceanography, and the limits of life on Earth.