Which of the following is the largest sea in the world in terms of surface area?

Introduction / Context:
Seas are subdivisions of oceans, often partially enclosed by land, and vary greatly in size. This question asks about the largest sea in the world by surface area, a common geography fact. Distinguishing between different regional seas is important for understanding oceanography and global maps.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The options are Mediterranean Sea, Philippine Sea, Black Sea and Red Sea.
• We consider surface area measurements in square kilometres.
• We assume the standard classification of the Philippine Sea as a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean.

Concept / Approach:
Although the Mediterranean Sea is very well known and historically important, the Philippine Sea is actually larger in surface area. It lies east of the Philippines and is part of the Pacific Ocean system. The Black Sea and the Red Sea are much smaller. The approach is to recall that the Philippine Sea surpasses other seas in size when measured by area.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: List the candidate seas and recall basic size comparisons. Step 2: Recognise that the Philippine Sea, part of the western Pacific, is an enormous marginal sea with an area exceeding that of the Mediterranean. Step 3: The Mediterranean Sea, although large, ranks below the Philippine Sea in surface area. Step 4: The Black Sea and Red Sea are regional seas with significantly smaller areas. Step 5: Therefore, the Philippine Sea is the largest among the options.

Verification / Alternative check:
Geographical references typically list the Philippine Sea with a surface area of several million square kilometres, making it the world's largest sea by that measure. The Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Red Sea all have smaller reported areas. When comparing numeric values, the Philippine Sea clearly stands at the top, confirming it as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Mediterranean Sea: Very important historically and relatively large, but smaller in area than the Philippine Sea.
Black Sea: A significant inland sea bounded by Eastern Europe and Western Asia, but again much smaller in area.
Red Sea: Narrow and long, located between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, with an area far less than the Philippine Sea.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates frequently choose the Mediterranean Sea simply because it is more familiar and discussed often in history and current affairs. This demonstrates the tendency to confuse prominence with physical size. Reviewing comparative area data for major seas helps prevent such errors.

Final Answer:
The largest sea in the world by surface area is the Philippine Sea.