Large areas of the Atlantic ocean continental margin do not fit with the classic atlantic type continental margin model in which only simple geometrical arrangements have been distinguished. A new structural type, related to marginal offsets and corresponding fracture ridges is fundamentally different from the classic margin. Consequently, it is proposed to distinguish the rifted atlantic-type margin, the pacific-type margin and the transform faulted or strike-slip margin as three different and fundamental types of continental margins. [NOT CONTROLLED OCR]