As this graphic shows, the region is more than 14 times the size of the entire continental United States.
Distances are great in the Pacific and Indian Ocean.
By comparison, it is 4,343 nautical miles from Norfolk, Virginia to Naples, Italy. More than half of the world's population lives within the Seventh Fleet area of responsibility. In addition, more than 80 percent of that population lives within 500 miles of the oceans, which means this is an inherently maritime region. Additionally, more than 70 percent of the world's natural disasters occur in this region. In Commander Seventh Fleet's capacity as a Joint Task Force commander, we can be called upon to direct joint forces in conducting humanitarian relief missions.