Most of the surface of our planet is covered with water. Observers from space see the Earth, not covered by clouds, as blue. It would be more correct to call it not planet Earth, but planet Ocean.
The world ocean is divided into the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic Oceans. The average depth of the oceans is 3,711 m, and the greatest is 11,022 m in the Mariana Trench of the Pacific Ocean. Large land masses - continents - rise above the oceans. There are six of them - Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica and Australia. The continents rise on average 875 m above sea level. The most high point on Earth is located in Asia - this is Mount Chomolungma, or Everest, in the Himalayas - 8848 m. Two-thirds of the planet’s surface is occupied by plains and low mountains, and a third is middle and high mountains. Small areas of land within continents lie below sea level.
On the coast of the Dead Sea in Asia there is the lowest elevation - 395 m. If you compare the Northern and Southern hemispheres, it is easy to notice that the Northern hemisphere is less covered with water (a total of 61% - approx.. Large continents are located here - Eurasia and North America, a significant part Africa and part of South America.In the Southern Hemisphere, water occupies 8 1% of the entire territory.
Map of the Earth's hemispheres - eastern hemisphere
In the Southern Hemisphere there are two relatively small continents - Antarctica and Australia, parts of the continents of South America and Africa. In addition to continents, islands rise above the surface of the ocean - small areas of land surrounded on all sides by water. The largest of them are Greenland, New Guinea, Kalimantan, Madagascar.
Historically, when Europeans discovered and explored new lands, they gave them names. Europe was the Old World for them, they considered Asia a separate part of the world - approx.. After the discovery of America, Europeans called both continents - North and South America - the New World. The rest of the world - Africa, Antarctica and Australia coincide with the continents.
Most of the continents are located in the Eastern Hemisphere of the Earth: Eurasia (with the exception of a small part of Chukotka), most of Africa, Australia and part of Antarctica.
Eurasia
Most of Eurasia is located north of the equator. Eurasia is the largest of the Earth's continents. Its area makes up 36% of the total earth's land– 53.593 million km². It is not only the largest, but also the most populated continent; ¾ of humanity lives here.
The coastline is heavily indented, there are many bays and peninsulas, the largest of which are Hindustan and Arabian Peninsula. In contrast to other continents, mountains in Eurasia are located mainly in the central part, and plains are located in coastal areas.
Eurasia is the only one where everyone is represented climatic zones Lands: equatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate, subarctic and arctic.
Eurasia is washed by all four oceans: the Arctic in the north, the Indian in the south, the Pacific in the east and the Atlantic in the west.
Africa
Africa occupies the second largest area among the continents - 29 million km², and approximately 1 billion people live here.
The equator divides Africa in half, and its location makes it the hottest continent. In the central part of the continent the climate is equatorial, to the south and north it is tropical and subtropical. In the Sahara, the largest desert not only in Africa, but also on Earth, the most heat on the planet: +58 degrees.
The coastline is slightly indented, there are no large bays or peninsulas.
The relief of Africa is represented mainly high plains, cut in some places by deep river valleys.
The coasts of Africa are washed by the Atlantic and Indian oceans, as well as the Mediterranean and Red seas.
Australia
Australia is located much south of the equator. Because of this geographical location Europeans discovered it later than other continents - 100 years after the discovery of America.
Australia is the most small continent on Earth, its area is only 7,659,861 km². For this reason, geographers for some time considered Australia an island, but it is now classified as a continent because Australia is located on a separate tectonic plate.
Most of the continent is semi-desert and desert, but the climate of the southwestern part of the continent resembles the Mediterranean. The most interesting feature climate of Australia, associated with its location south of the equator - “reverse” seasons: the warmest month is January, the coldest is June.
The fauna of Australia is unique. This continent separated from the others before marsupial mammals were replaced by placentals, and became a true " nature reserve"of these animals.
Australia is washed Indian Ocean in the north and east, Quiet - in the south and west.
There are six continents on planet Earth. Each of them is special and unique in some way. Some are icy kingdoms, others are summer. Some continents are huge in area, while others are quite insignificant, but also unique and inimitable.
The smallest continent on planet Earth is Australia. Its area is only 8.9 million sq. km. Australia is located in the southern hemisphere of the planet and is washed by the Pacific and Indian. The relief is predominantly low compared to other continents, unless you take Antarctica into account. The entire territory of the mainland is occupied by the state of Australia. Because of its size it was called a large island.
This continent differs from all existing continents in its plant and animal diversity. Australia is amazing place, many wonderful animals and plants. This is where the koala, platypus and echidna live. There are about 30 species of marsupials in Australia. This is where the most a big tree planets - eucalyptus.
It is worth noting that Australia is the driest continent on our planet. Huge sandy deserts lie on its territory. There is an insignificant amount of precipitation throughout the year; even the African continent cannot compare with Australia in this indicator.
The capital of Australia is Canberra, and one of the most largest cities Sydney. Sydney is yours opera house, which is easily recognizable in any corner of the earth, and the role of this city in the history of world sports cannot be overestimated, since it was in Sydney that the summer Olympic Games in 2000.
There are only six continents on planet Earth. The continent is a massif earth's crust, rising above the level of the World Ocean. The smallest continent on our planet is Australia.
Continents of the globe
Continents include shallow coastal zones of seas (shelves) and islands located near them. Once upon a time, all parts of the world formed one continent - Pangea.
And today there are six, which are separated by oceans: Eurasia has the most large territory from the planet, its area is 55 million km. sq., South America – 18 million km. sq., Africa – 30 million km. sq., Antarctica – 14 million km. sq., North America – 20 million km. sq., Australia is the smallest continent, its area is 8.5 million km. sq.
Australia is the smallest continent on the planet
The area of Australia including the islands is about 8.9 million km. sq. Australia is washed by Indian and Pacific Oceans. The southern tropic runs almost through the middle of Australia. At the base of the relief of this continent is the Australian Plate. Her West Side raised. The Western Australian Plateau is located here, its height is 400-600 m, crystalline rocks emerge on its surface.
In the east of the continent, from the northern Cape York Peninsula to southern Tasmania, there is a folded region - the Great Dividing Range.
In the old days, Australia was called “Terra incognito”; today this land for us remains full of surprises and mysteries. Australia surprises with its diversity. There are endless ocean beaches and beautiful roads. This is the land of coral reefs and unbroken mustangs. Australia has no rivals in the number of unique animals and plants. The whole country, in fact, is a world-class reserve, while 80% of the animals are endemic, since they are found only here.
This continent, which turned out to be the smallest in the whole world, was first discovered by the Dutch. A significant amount of information was provided by the expedition led by Abel Tasman. He conducted research on the northwestern and northern shores Australia in 1642-1643, at the same time he discovered the island of Tasmania. And James Cook pioneered the east coast in the 18th century. The development of Australia began at the end of the 18th century.
Country Australia
Australia is the country that ranks sixth in terms of area. This is the only state that occupies an entire continent.
The capital of Australia is Canberra. Its area is 7682 thousand km. sq. Its share of the planet's land area is 5%. Population: about 19.73 million people. Of the total world population, this share is 0.3%. The highest point is Mount Kosciuszko (2228 meters above sea level), the most low point– lake Eyre (16 meters below sea level). The most southern point- This is Cape South-East, the northernmost is Cape York. The westernmost is Cape Steep Point, the easternmost is Cape Byron. Length coastline is 36,700 km (together with Tasmania).
Administrative division: 2 territories and 6 states. The country's national anthem: "Go Awesome Australia!" Holiday - Australia Day.
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Man's acquaintance with the continents of the planet lasted for a whole historical period. Getting important geographical information and a number of important finds began to bear the name of the era of the Great geographical discoveries. This knowledge of the Earth continued for two centuries.
Instructions
One of the most striking and exciting is the discovery of a new world - America. The navigator Christopher Columbus went in search of sea route from the European part of Eurasia to the Indian shores. In 1492, the ship moored to the shore picturesque island. Columbus believed that the crew had arrived on the Indian coast. Because of the confidence of the navigator, the natives of America - the Indians - got their name. Columbus and his team of sailors were terribly disappointed in their find. Trade with local residents wasn't promising. And only at the beginning of the 16th century the navigator Amerigo Vespucci discovered for the inhabitants of Europe New World. He guessed that Columbus, on his expedition, mistakenly mistook America for the coast of India.
Ptolemy in his work "Almagest" canonized the following 48 ancient constellations, which still bear the name Ptolemy. Zodiac constellations: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. Northern constellations: Big Dipper, Ursa Minor, Dragon, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Perseus, Bootes, Northern Crown, Hercules, Lyre, Swan, Charioteer, Ophiuchus, Snake, Arrow, Eagle, Dolphin, Foal, Pegasus, Triangle. Southern constellations: Whale, Orion, River, Hare, Canis major, minor, Ship, Hydra, Chalice, Raven, Centaurus, Wolf, Altar, Southern Crown, Southern Fish. Ptolemy did not consider Coma Berenices a separate constellation.
Arab astrologers, in addition to lunar houses, gave various names for individual bright stars. Having become acquainted with the astronomy of the Greeks and translating Ptolemy's Almagest, they changed some of the names according to the positions of the stars in the drawings of the Ptolemaic constellations. Made in the 12th century Latin translation"Almagest" from Arabic, and in the 16th century - directly from Greek according to found manuscripts. Stars southern hemisphere, unknown to Greek astronomers, were divided into constellations much later. Some of them were planned by the Arabs.
There is no doubt that the navigators of the XV and XVI century(Vespucci, Corsali, Pigafetta, Peter of Medinsky, Gutman) during their travels to southern seas New constellations were gradually assembled. They were put in order by Peter Dirk Keyser. During his stay on the island of Java (1595), he identified 120 places southern stars and placed the figures of the constellations on them. The following 13 constellations were included, based on Keyser's inventory, in the atlases of Bayer (1603) and Bartsch (1624): Phoenix, gold fish, Chameleon, Flying Fish, Southern Cross, Water Snake, Fly, Bird of Paradise, Southern Triangle, Peacock, Indian, Crane, Toucan. Of these, the Southern Cross was known to Ptolemy and formed part of the Centaurus.
The current names of constellations and stars represent an amalgam of these lists and translations. Ancient drawings of constellations are completely lost. Only distorted figures on Arab globes of the 13th century have reached us; for example, on a globe in the Borghese Museum in Veletri (1225), in the Mathematical Society in Dresden (1279), in the London Astronomical Society, etc. early XVI century, the famous Renaissance artist Albrecht Durer painted the constellations according to their description by Ptolemy.
Unfortunately, not a single authentic copy of Dürer's drawings has survived. Dürer's drawings, modified by other artists, were reprinted in the star atlases of Bayer (1603), Flamsteed (1729). Then the figures of the constellations of the latest layout appeared. Currently, constellation drawings are no longer printed. The credit for banishing the “menagerie” from astronomical atlases belongs to Harding. He published a celestial atlas in 1823, where only the boundaries of the constellations were plotted.