Continents Continents 1. There are 7 continents in the world. 2. The 7 continents are Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antartica, Europe and Oceania (in order of size). 3. Europe and Asia are sometimes considered a single continent, Eurasia. 4. A continent is distinguished from an island or a peninsula not merely by greater size but also by geological structure and development. 5. All the continents except Antartica are wedge-shaped, wider in the north than in the south 6. All land rising above sea level in the continent area amounts to about 29% of the earth’s total area. 7. More than two-thirds of the continental land area lies north of the equator. 8. In 1960s geologist began to uncover proof that continents not only float, they also travel, or drift laterally. 9. The land-sea patterns of today have evolved from continental landmasses drifting, colliding, then torn apart and recombined over the course of hundreds of millions of years. 10. The continental landmasses will continue to change for as long as the planet contains the heat energy required to drive the movement of its crustal plates. Africa 1. Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. 2. Africa has the Nile River, the world's longest, and the massive Sahara Desert, the world's largest. 3. Africa is separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, it is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the Isthmus of Suez (transected by the Suez Canal). 4. Africa's largest country is Sudan and its smallest country is the Seychelles, an archipelago off the east coast of the continent. 5. The smallest nation in Africa is The Gambia. 6. Africa ranges from tropical to sub-tropical climates. It's northern half is primarily desert or arid, while its central and southern areas contain both savannah plains and very dense jungle (rainforest) regions. 7. Africa boasts perhaps the world's largest combination of highest density and "freedom range" of wild animal populations and diversity, with wild populations of large carnivores (lions, hyenas, cheetahs, etc.), herbivores (buffalo, deer, elephants, giraffes, etc.) ranging freely on primarily open non-private plains. 8. Africa is the oldest inhabited territory on earth, with the human species originating from this continent. 9. Africans may be grouped according to whether they live north or south of the Sahara Desert; these groups are called North Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans, respectively. 10. By most estimates, Africa contains well over a thousand languages. 1. Africa is the planet’s 2nd largest continent. 2. Africa continent covers 20.2% of earth’s land. 3. Africa continent has got 53 countries, the most number of countries in the world. 4. Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest mountain in the Africa continent. 5. The continent’s lowest point is Lac’ Assal in the small country of Djibouti (512ft/ 156m below sea level). 6. Africa continent is the 2nd most populated continent in the world. 7. Africa continent contains the world’s longest river, the Nile River. 8. Dalol, Denakil Depression, Ethiopia is the hottest place on earth (annual average temperature 34C) 9. Africa continent has got the largest desert in the world (Sahara, North Africa – 3,500,000 sq miles) 10. Mozambique in Africa is the poorest country in the world. North America 1. North America occupies the northern portion of the landmass generally referred to as the New World, the Western hemisphere, the Americas, or simply America. 2. North America includes all Caribbean and Central America countries, Canada, Mexico and the United States of America - three of the largest countries on the planet, as well as Greenland - the world's largest island. 3. North America is located between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Cancer. 4. North America is the third-largest continent in area, after Asia and Africa. 5. North America is fourth in population after Asia, Africa, and Europe. 6. North America's only land connection is to South America at the Isthmus of Panama. 7. North America is almost completely surrounded by bodies of water, including the Pacific Ocean, the Bering Strait, the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. 8. American was named after Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first European to suggest that the Americas were not the East Indies, but a New World. 9. The first inhabitants in North America were American Indians, who migrated from Asia about 20,000 years ago. 10. We live in North America Continent. 1. North America is the 3rd largest continent. 2. North America covers 16.5% of the earth. 3. North America has got 23 countries 4. Mount McKinley in Alaska is the tallest mountain in North America (6,194m) 5. The lowest point in North America continent is Death Valley in California, at 282ft (86m) below sea level. 6. Hawaii is politically part of North America but geographically it is not part of any continent. 7. North America includes Canada, Greenland, Mexico, the United States, Central America and the Caribbean Islands. 8. North America has large deposits of many important minerals. (petroleum, coal, copper, zinc, nickel, fluorite, lead, etc) 9. Christianity is the major religion of North America 10. Canada is the largest country in North America. Asia 1. Asia is the largest continent, covering about 30 percent of the world's landmass. 2. Asia includes 44 countries and assorted islands and/or dependencies. 3. Asia has the world's tallest mountain, Mt Everest in Nepal (and China) 4. Asia has the world's lowest point, found in the Dead Sea, Israel/Jordan 5. Asia has the world's most populated countries, China and India; 6. Asia also has the world's longest coastline, the world's deepest lake; Lake Baykal, and some of the most important rivers on the planet. 7. The second-largest economy after the United States is Republic of China, followed by Japan and India. 8. Asia has three main financial centers: in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo. 9. Fishing is a major source of food in Asia, particularly in Japan. 10. One of the major employers in manufacturing in Asia is the textile industry. Much of the world's supply of clothing and footwear now originates in Southeast Asia. 1. Asia is the biggest continent of the world (44,579,000 sq km) 2. The continent of Asia covers 30% of earth’s land. 3. Asia includes 44 countries and assorted island dependencies. 4. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world (8850m/ 29,035ft) 5. The continent’s lowest point is in the Dead Sea, Israel/Jordan at 1,286ft (392m) below sea level 6. Asia is the most populated continent of the world (3,674,000,000) 7. The 10 tallest mountains in the world are all in Asia 8. East Timor in Asia is the youngest country in the world (2002) 9. The Middle East is part of the continent of Asia. 10. China and India are the world’s most populated countries. 11. Although Turkey is part of both Asia and Europe, the largest part (Anatolia) is located in the Middle East, a part of Asia Europe 1. Europe is the world's second-smallest continent in terms of area. 2. Europe has 46 countries and assorted dependencies and territories. 3. In exacting geographic definitions, Europe is really not a continent, but part of the peninsula of Euroasia which includes all of Europe and Asia. However, it's still widely referred to as a continent. 4. Europe is separated from Asia by Russia's Ural Mountains, and the Caspian and Black Seas. 5. Turkey and the Russian Federation (Russia) are considered a part of both Asia and Europe. 6. The European Union, comprising 25 member states, is the largest political and economic entity covering the European continent, with the Russian Federation being the second. 7. Europe is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea. 8. In Greek mythology, Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted by Zeus in bull form and taken to the island of Crete, where she gave birth to Minos. 1. 80 to 90% of Europe was once covered by forest. Though over half of Europe's original forests disappeared through the centuries of deforestation, Europe still has over one quarter of its land area as forest, such as the taiga of Scandinavia and Russia. 2. Having lived side-by-side with agricultural peoples for millennia, Europe's animals and plants have been profoundly affected by the presence and activities of man. With the exception of Scandinavia and northern Russia, few areas of untouched wilderness are today to be found in Europe, except for different natural parks. 1. Europe is the planet’s 6th largest continent. 2. Europe covers 6.7% of earth’s land. 3. Europe includes 46 countries and a few dependencies, territories and regions. 4. Europe’s highest point is Mt Elbrus in European Russia at 18,481ft (5,633m), just north of the Georgia/Russian border. 5. Europe’s lowest point is on the surface of the Caspian Sea, at 92ft (28m) below sea level. 6. Vatican City in Europe is the smallest state in the world 7. San Marino, the oldest state, is in Europe continent (301AD) 8. Luxembourg in Europe continent is the world’s richest country. 9. In exacting geographic definitions, Europe is really not a continent, but part of Euroasia, which includes all of Europe and Asia. 10. Europe is separated from Asia by Russia’s Ural Mountains in the east and the Caspian and Black Seas in the southeast Antarctica 1. Antarctica is the southernmost continent and encompasses the South Pole. 2. Antarctica, almost 98% solid ice, was finally considered a continent in 1840, and not just a group of isolated island. 3. Antarctica is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent and has the highest average elevation of all the continents. 4. Because there is little precipitation, except at the coasts, the interior of Antarctica is technically the largest desert in the world. 5. There are no permanent human residents and Antarctica has never had an indigenous population. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survive there, including penguins, fur seals, mosses and lichens. 6. The name "Antarctica" comes from the Greek (antarktikos), meaning "opposite the Arctic.“ 7. Ongoing experiments are conducted in Antarctica by more than 4,000 scientists of many nationalities and with different research interests. 8. The lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was recorded in Antarctica (-129.3F) and the mean winter temperatures range from -40 to -94F. 9. Antarctica has approximately 90% of the world's fresh water, in the form of ice. 10. As the only uninhabited continent, Antarctica has no government and belongs to no country. Various countries claim areas of it but these claims are typically not recognized by others. • Antartica is the 5th largest continent in the world. • Antartica covers 8.9% of the earth. • There are no countries in Antartica • Vinson Massif is the tallest mountain in the Antartica continent (4897m) • Antartica is almost completely covered with ice. • Antartica has active territorial claims and remain in a constant disputed status. • (Territorial claim submitted by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom but many of these claims are not recognized by some countries). • Plateau Station in Antartica is the coldest place on earth (annual average temperature -56.7C) • The lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was recorded in Antartica (129.3F) • Officially, nobody stays in Antartica except some small groups of scientist at all times and also an estimated 8000 tourists visit per year. • Everyone in Antartica goes by New Zealand time. South America 1. South America is the planet's 4th largest continent. 2. South America includes (12) countries and (3) major territories. 3. South America contains the world's highest waterfall, Angel Falls, the largest river (by volume), the Amazon River, the longest mountain range, the Andes, the driest desert, Atacama, the largest rainforest, the Amazon Rainforest, the highest capital city, La Paz, Bolivia, and the world's southernmost town, Puerto Toro, Chile. 4. As part of the Americas like North America, South America is named after Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first European to suggest that the Americas were not the East Indies, but a New World unknown to Europeans. 5. Geographically, South America is generally considered a continent forming the southern portion of the American landmass, south and east of the Panama Canal transecting the Isthmus of Panama. 6. South America is home to many interesting and unique species of animals including the llama, anaconda, pirana, jaguar, vicuna, and tapir. The Amazon rainforests possess high biodiversity, containing a major proportion of the Earth's species. 7. 8. The largest country in South America, in both area and population, is Brazil, followed by Argentina. Regions in South America include the Andean States, the Guianas, the Southern Cone, and Eastern South America. 9. The economic gap between the rich and poor in most South American nations is considered to be larger than in most other continent s. 10. In South America, Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion. French Guiana also has a large number of Protestants. Guyana and Suriname are exceptions, with three major religions: Christianity in general, Hinduism, and Islam. 1. South America is the planet’s 4th largest continent. 2. South America covers 12% of earth’s land. 3. South America includes 12 countries and 3 major territories. 4. Mount Aconcagua is the highest mountain in South America (6,959m/ 22,833ft) 5. The lowest point of South America continent is Peninsula Valdes, Argentina Coastline at 151ft (40m) below sea level. 6. Atacama desert, Chile, is the driest place on earth, with imperceptible rainfall. 7. South America is separated from Antartica by the Drake Passage. 8. Spanish and Portuguese are the 2 predominant languages of South America. 9. Brazil is the largest country in South America 10. Colombia is the only South American country with shores on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans 11. Australia/Oceania 1. Oceania, the smallest continent, is one of the most diverse and fascinating areas on the planet. 2. Oceania combines all of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, as well as the thousands of coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific Ocean, including the Melanesia and Polynesia groups. 3. The continent is bounded on the north by the Timor Sea, the Arafura Sea, and the Torres Strait; on the east by the Coral Sea and the Tasman Sea; on the south by the Bass Strait and the Indian Ocean; and on the west by the Indian Ocean. 4. The name Oceania is used because, unlike the other regional groupings, it is the ocean and adjacent seas rather than a continent that link the lands together. 5. Hawaii is correctly included in Oceania. Hawaiians are a Polynesian race and, although the Hawaiian Islands are some distance from most of the islands of Oceania, they are still physically as well as culturally much closer to the rest of Oceania than to North America - and they are no further from the rest of Oceania than from United States territories in the North Pacific. 6. Originally coined by the French explorer Dumont d'Urville in 1831, Oceania has been traditionally divided into Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, and Australasia. 7. Most of Oceania consists of small island nations. Australia is the only continental country; by some definitions, Indonesia has land borders with East Timor and Papua New Guinea. 8. The first inhabitants of Australia were the Aboriginal people, who migrated to the continent some 50,000 to 60,000 years ago. 9. The continent remained relatively unknown to most of the outside world until the 17th century. 10. Oceania is one of eight terrestrial ecozones, which constitute the major ecological regions of the planet. 1. Oceania is the smallest continent in the world (7,687,000 sq km) 2. Oceania covers 5.3% of earth’s land. 3. Oceania has got 14 countries. 4. Puncak Jaya is the tallest mountain in Ocenia continent (4884m) 5. Lake Eyre in Australia is the lowest point in Australia (52ft/ 16m below sea level). 6. Oceania continent is also known as Australia or Australasia. 7. The biggest island in the world, Australia is in Oceania 8. Mt Wilhelm in Papua New Guinea is the highest point in Ocenia (14,794ft/ 4,509m)) 9. Oceania combines Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the coral atolls and volcanic islands of South Pacific Ocean, including Melanesia and Polynesia groups. 10. Oceania also includes Micronesia, a widely scattered group of islands that run along the northern and southern edges of the Equator. 11. Almost every country in Oceania is borderless except Papua New Guinea, which borders Indonesia.