The leading sector of the economy of the countries of South and Southeast Asia is agriculture, which employs the vast majority of the population. Agricultural development of the territory is uneven. It is largest in Bangladesh, where about 70% of the total area is cultivated and in India more than 50%. The lowest rates - 10-15% - are in China, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Iran.
The bulk of Asian peasants have little land or are landless. The least arable land per capita is in Japan (0.02 ha), Indonesia (0.1 ha), Bangladesh (0.12 ha).
Extensive agriculture predominates in the drylands of Asia. On irrigated lands, mainly in the South and South-East Asia Intensive farming is carried out, but a small share of cultivated land is irrigated (10-20%).
The countries of the region produce the vast majority of world production of tea, jute, and natural rubber. These are the main export crops of Asia. Industrial crops such as cotton (India, Pakistan, Turkey), sugar cane (India, China, Philippines), oilseeds: peanuts, rapeseed, castor beans, sesame (India, China, DPRK), soybeans (China, DPRK) are also widespread here. ), olive plantings (Turkey, Syria).
Asia occupies a prominent place in the world in the production of copra, tropical and subtropical fruits, and a variety of spices (India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia).
The main food crop of Asia is rice (over 90% of world production). In many countries in the region, more than 50% of the total cultivated area is sown with rice. The first place in the world in rice production is occupied by China (190 million tons), the second place is by India (110 million tons). Rice production is quite large in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Myanmar. Rice yields in most of these countries are low (20-25 c/ha), except for Japan and China (55.8 and 55.4 c/ha, respectively).
The second most important grain crop in Asia is wheat. The region produces approximately 20% of its global production. The largest wheat producers are China, India, Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Wheat is often grown as a winter crop on irrigated lands.
Among the important grain crops of the region, corn (India, Indonesia, Philippines) and barley (India, Turkey, Iran) should also be highlighted. Millet and legumes are also important for food purposes.
The level of livestock development in Asia is lower than in other parts of the world. In those areas where natural conditions Agriculture is impossible (deserts, semi-deserts, mountainous regions); the main occupation of the population has long been nomadic cattle breeding. These areas are characterized by a high proportion of sheep in the herd of productive livestock. Camels are also bred. On the pastures of high mountainous regions (for example, in the Himalayas), yaks, tso (a hybrid of a yak and a cow), and goats graze. Pasture farming is extensive. Commercial and, in particular, exportable livestock products are insignificant and mainly consist of wool, hides and skins.
In the majority densely populated countries South and Southeast Asia, where agricultural areas are occupied by crops, the number of livestock is small. These areas are characterized by cattle (in particular water buffalo), and in countries with a non-Muslim population - China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan - pigs are raised.
In India, which has the largest cattle herd (about 200 million heads), it is used only as draft power. Tamed elephants are also used as working animals in the countries of South and Southeast Asia, and camels, donkeys and horses in South-West Asia.
It is best to start with a general description of the economy of the Asian region with the economy. Such sectors of the economy as heavy and mining industry, and manufacturing industry are important for the region's economy.
Basically, in the territory of Asia, the fuel and raw materials orientation of the economy is highlighted, but in any part of the region, agriculture is most clearly expressed as the basis industrial complex Asia. It is believed that the wood processing, food and light industries are underdeveloped in the region.
Agriculture in Asia
One of the main economically important industries for Asia is agriculture, as it is known that most of population. The development and suitability of land for this industry is not the same throughout Asia.
Most developed countries in this industry are Bangladesh, whose land is 70% arable, and India, where the figure reaches 50%.
If we talk about low indicators, then these include countries such as China, Afghanistan, Jordan and Iran. Asia's peasants are land-poor and landless, the latter most commonly found in Indonesia, Japan and Bangladesh. The lands of Asia are quite arid, so extensive farming predominates in this country.
Asian countries produce a significant portion of the world's production of natural rubber, tea and jute. Industrial crops are widespread: sugar cane (China, India), cotton (Turkey, Pakistan), peanuts, sesame, rapeseed, castor beans (DPRK, India), soybeans (DPRK, China) and olive plantings (Syria, Turkey).
It is worth noting that Asia produces tropical and subtropical fruits, a wide variety of spices and seasonings, and copra. One of the main food crops of this region is rice, the production of which accounts for as much as 90% of world production.
In most Asian countries, 50% of the sown area is sown with rice. China ranks first in rice production, followed by India in second place, followed by countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Another grain crop grown in Asia is wheat.
Wheat is grown most widely in China, India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan; together, the production of these countries represents 20% of its world production. The region also produces barley (India, Iran, Turkey) and corn (Indonesia, India and the Philippines); There are lands where legumes and millet are grown.
Livestock farming in Asia
Livestock farming is not very developed for Asia. But in those territories where natural reasons Agriculture is impossible; the population is diligently engaged in cattle breeding.
The highest proportion of sheep is in the productive livestock herd; camels, yaks and goats are also raised. Export and commercial products are not extensive and consist of wool, hides and skins.
Elephants are used as working animals in South and Southeast Asia, while camels, horses and donkeys are used in Southwest Asia.
Eurasia is the largest continent on our planet, for a long time remained the least explored. It is washed by the waters of four oceans, on its territory all climatic zones. The nature of Eurasia is so diverse that it is easy to find areas with completely opposite conditions. The contrasts of the continent are determined by its topography, extent and history of formation.
Features of the geographical location
The continent is washed by the Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Eurasia's closest neighbors are Africa and North America. The mainland is connected to the first through the Sinai Peninsula. North America and Eurasia are separated by the relatively small Bering Strait.
The continent is conventionally divided into two parts: Europe and Asia. The border between them runs along the eastern foot of the Ural Mountains, then along the riverbed north coast Caspian Sea, Kuma-Manych depression, along the line where the waters of the Black and Sea of Azov and, finally, along the straits connecting the Black and Mediterranean seas.
The coastline of the continent is quite indented. In the west, the Scandinavian Peninsula stands out, in the south - the Arabian and Hindustan. The east coast is also very shallow in places Pacific Ocean. Here you can find entire chains of islands: Kamchatka, Greater Sunda and so on. The north of the continent is less rugged. The areas of land that protrude into the ocean more than others are the Kola and Chukotka.
The nature of the Eurasian continent as a whole is determined by the influence of ocean waters only to a small extent. The reason for this is the considerable extent of the continent and the features of its relief. Vast areas of Eurasia remained poorly studied for a long time. A special contribution to the development of Asian territories was made by Pyotr Petrovich Semenov-Tyan-Shansky and Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky.
Relief
The natural wonders of Eurasia are, first of all, its contrast. It is largely due to the peculiarities of the continent's topography. Eurasia is higher than all other continents. Here are located mountain ranges, surpassing in size similar formations in Africa, Australia and the Americas. The most famous peak of the mainland is Everest, or Chomolungma. This highest point planet - 8848 meters above sea level.
The plains of Eurasia occupy vast areas. There are much more of them than on other continents. This is where the most low point planets on land are a depression Dead Sea. The difference between it and Everest is approximately 9 kilometers.
Formation
The reason for such a variety of surface topography lies in the history of its formation. The continent is based on the Eurasian lithospheric plate, consisting of sections of different ages. The “oldest” areas are the South China, East European, Siberian and Sino-Korean platforms. They are connected by later rock formations. As the continent formed, fragments of ancient Gondwana were added to these platforms, which today underlie Hindustan and the Arabian Peninsula.
Southern region Eurasian plate- zone of increased seismic activity. Mountain building processes take place here. In the eastern part of the continent, the edge of the Pacific plate went under the Eurasian plate, resulting in the formation of deep depressions and extended island arcs. Earthquakes and related disasters are not uncommon in this area.
In the so-called ring of fire The Pacific Ocean is located and a large number of volcanoes. The highest one operating in Eurasia is (4750 m above sea level).
Glaciation also made a significant contribution to the formation of the continent's topography, ancient times occupying the northern part of the continent.
Plains and mountains, old and young
The nature of Eurasia has undergone many changes. Extensive West Siberian Plain, occupying one of the largest areas in the world, was once the bottom of the sea. Today only reminders of the distant past big number sedimentary rocks found here.
The mainland's mountains were not always what they look like today. The most ancient of them are Altai, Ural, Tien Shan, Scandinavian. The process of mountain building here was completed long ago, and time has left its mark on them. The massifs are severely destroyed in places. In some areas, however, later uplifts also occurred.
“Young” mountain ranges form two belts in the southern and eastern parts of the continent. One of them, the Alpine-Himalayan, includes the Pamirs, the Caucasus, the Himalayas, the Alps, the Carpathians, and the Pyrenees. Some of the belt's ridges converge to form highlands. The largest of them is the Pamirs, and the highest is Tibet.
The second belt, the Pacific, extends from Kamchatka to the Greater Sunda Islands. Many of the mountain peaks located here are extinct or active volcanoes.
Riches of the Continent
The natural features of Eurasia include minerals that are unique in their diversity. On the mainland, tungsten and tin, which are necessary for industry but rarely found, are mined. Their deposit is located in the eastern part of the continent.
Gold, as well as diamonds, rubies and sapphires are also mined in Eurasia. The mainland is rich in iron ore deposits. Oil and gas are produced in large quantities here. In terms of reserves of these minerals, Eurasia is ahead of all other continents. The most large deposits are situated in Western Siberia, on Arabian Peninsula. Natural gas and oil was also discovered at the bottom of the North Sea.
Eurasia is also famous for its deposits coal. Bauxite, table salt and potassium salt are also mined on the mainland.
Climate
The diversity of nature in Eurasia is largely due to the peculiarities of climatic conditions. The mainland is famous for its rather sharp changes, both from north to south and from east to west. The main features of the nature of Eurasia and Hindustan were formed under the influence of monsoons. Part of the year they blow from the ocean and bring huge amounts of precipitation. IN winter period monsoons come from the continent. In summer, a zone of low pressure forms over the heated earth, and equatorial air masses come here from the ocean.
The natural features of Eurasia in the southern part of the continent are associated with high mountain ranges, stretching from west to east. These are the Alps, the Caucasus, the Himalayas. They don't miss cold air from the north and at the same time do not interfere with the penetration of wet masses coming from Atlantic Ocean.
The wettest places on the continent are those where the ocean monsoons meet the mountain ranges. Thus, a large amount of precipitation falls on the southern slopes of the Western Caucasus. One of the wettest places on the planet is located in India, at the foot of the South-Eastern Himalayas. The city of Cherrapunji is located here.
Climate zones
The nature of Eurasia changes as you move both from north to south and from west to east. Not last role they play in this climatic zones. Northern and East End The mainland, including the Arctic islands, is a dry and cold area. Here they dominate low temperatures, the air warms up somewhat only in summer period. In winter, the Arctic climate is characterized by severe frosts.
The next zone has less severe conditions. The subarctic climate in Eurasia dominates over a small area stretching narrow strip from west to east. It also includes the island of Iceland.
The largest territory on the mainland is occupied by the northern temperate zone. It is characterized by a gradual change in climate types as you move from west to east. The areas of Eurasia bordering the Atlantic Ocean are characterized by warm and mild winters with frequent rain and fog (temperatures do not fall below 0º), cool cloudy summers (average 10-18º) and high humidity(up to 1000 mm of precipitation falls here). Such features are typical for a marine temperate climate.
As you move away from the west coast, the influence of the Atlantic Ocean weakens. Extends moderately to the Ural Mountains continental climate. This territory is characterized warm summer and frosty winter. Beyond the Ural Mountains, the nature of the Eurasian continent is determined by a continental temperate climate. In the Middle and Central Asia very hot in summer and cold in winter. Temperatures may drop below 50º below zero. Due to the small amount of snow, the ground freezes to a fairly large depth.
Finally, in the east of the temperate zone the climate becomes monsoonal. Its main difference is the clear seasonal change in air masses.
It stretches from the Iberian Peninsula to the Pacific Ocean. It is also divided into zones. The subtropical Mediterranean climate is characterized by warm, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. As you move east, air humidity decreases. The central regions of the belt have a continental subtropical climate: hot summers, Cold winter, low rainfall.
The east coast, washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, is characterized by high humidity. Air masses, coming here in the summer, pour endless rains, causing rivers to overflow. IN winter time The subtropical monsoon climate features temperatures down to 0º.
Diversity of nature in Eurasia: natural areas
The climatic zones of the continent provide unique diversity of flora and fauna. All are presented here natural areas, which are found on the planet. Many of them are quite strongly modified by man. This is especially true for areas suitable for agriculture and areas comfortable for living. The wild nature of Eurasia, however, has been partially preserved, and today every possible effort is being made to long time people knew what the original terrain was like.
Natural wonders on the Eurasian continent are not uncommon. There are plants and animals here that are not found anywhere else. The diversity of the nature of Eurasia is created in some places by a smooth and sometimes quite abrupt change in climatic zones.
Harsh North
The zone stretches in a narrow strip across the territory of Eurasia arctic deserts, tundra and forest-tundra. Due to the harsh climate, there is little vegetation here. Vast areas of land remain “bare” all year round. Among the animals you can find here are polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes. The area is characterized by a large number of birds arriving in the warm season.
The tundra is particularly arid and has impressive depth. permafrost. These features lead to the formation of swamps characteristic of the area.
Taiga
To the south of the tundra, swamps also occur in large numbers. The taiga located here is divided into European and Asian. The first is dominated by coniferous species such as pine and spruce. Birch, rowan and aspen trees are adjacent to them. As you move south, maples and oaks, as well as ash trees, become more common. The Asian taiga is the birthplace of cedar and fir. Larch, a coniferous tree that sheds its leaves for the winter, is also found in large numbers here.
The animals of the taiga are also very diverse. Brown bears, snowshoe hares, squirrels, moose, wolves, foxes and lynxes, as well as forest lemmings, martens, ferrets and weasels live here. Bird polyphony is a familiar background for these places. Here you can find woodpeckers, ptarmigan, black grouse, wood grouse, owls and hazel grouse.
Forest edge
The nature and animals of Eurasia are changing along with climatic conditions. The vast territory of the East European Plain contains the bulk of the mainland's mixed forests. As they move westward, they gradually disappear and reappear on the Pacific coast.
In mixed forests, coniferous, small-leaved and broad-leaved species grow together. There are much fewer swamps here, the soils are soddy-podzolic, and the grass cover is well defined. The broad-leaved forests of the Atlantic zones are characterized by beech and oak. As you go deeper to the east, the latter begins to predominate. Hornbeam, maple and linden trees are also found here. On the Pacific coast, due to the monsoon climate, the composition of forests is also very diverse.
The fauna is represented here by wild boars, roe deer, deer, as well as almost all the “residents” of the taiga. Brown bears are found in the Alps and Carpathians.
Changed zone
To the south lie forest-steppe and steppe. Both zones have been quite strongly altered by humans. Forest-steppe is alternating areas of forest and herbaceous vegetation. The steppe zone is mainly represented by cereals. Rodents, gophers, voles, and marmots are found here in large numbers. The natural vegetation of the area has been preserved today only on the territory of the reserves.
The eastern part of the Gobi Plateau is a zone of dry steppes. Low grasses grow here, and there are areas completely devoid of vegetation or saline.
Devoid of vegetation
Semi-desert and desert zones occupy a large part of the continent. They extend from the Caspian lowland across the plains of Central and Central Asia. The main features of the nature of Eurasia here are practically complete absence vegetation and poor animal world. Extremely low rainfall, dry air, clay and rocky soils do not even encourage the appearance of grass in this area. Quite sparse vegetation is found in sandy deserts. Wormwood, astragalus, saxaul, and solyanka “live” here.
The fauna of deserts is also scarce. However, here you can find quite rare representatives of the fauna, for example wild kulans and Przewalski's horse. Rodents and camels are common in this area.
Subtropics
Warm winter with big amount precipitation and hot, dry summers - good conditions for hard-leaved forests and shrubs that spread along the coast Mediterranean Sea. Cork and cypress, pine, and wild olive trees are found here. The nature of Eurasia has undergone many changes due to human activity. Forests in the modern Mediterranean have been almost completely cut down. Their place was taken by low trees and shrubs.
The subtropics in southern China and the Japanese islands look somewhat different. Magnolias, palms, camellias, ficuses, camphor laurel and bamboo grow here.
In the interior of the continent there are subtropical and tropical deserts and semi-deserts. This zone is characterized by dry, hot weather and low rainfall. Vegetable world presented in the same way as in temperate deserts. In addition, acacias are found here, and date palms grow in oases. The fauna is not numerous: Przewalski's horse, wild ass, jerboas, antelopes, jackals, hyenas, wild donkeys, onagers, gerbils.
Near the equator
The savannahs of Eurasia are a place where a large number of cereals grow, as well as teak and sal trees, acacias, and palm trees. Vast areas are covered by variable-humid subequatorial forests. They are located on the coasts of Hindustan and Indochina, in the lower reaches and Brahmaputra, as well as in the northern part of the Philippine Islands. Only some trees growing here shed their leaves during the dry season.
The subequatorial forests have a very diverse fauna. A variety of ungulates, monkeys, lions and tigers, as well as wild elephants are found here.
Equatorial forests amaze with the diversity of palm trees. There are over three hundred species here, including coconut. There is also a lot of bamboo in this area.
Climatic zones of mountainous regions
Features of the nature of the Eurasian continent include a clearly noticeable change in the flora and fauna in the Alps and Himalayas. These mountain systems are the highest in Europe and Asia, respectively. The Alps reach a maximum of 4807 meters (Mont Blanc).
On the southern slopes there is a lower zone altitude zone. It extends up to 800 m and has features of a Mediterranean climate. In the western part of the Alps there are mainly mixed and beech forests. In the east, in the lower zone, the climate is drier. Pine and beech forests grow here, interspersed with steppe meadows. The second belt extends to 1800 m. There are oak and beech forests and coniferous trees. The next, subalpine, belt (up to 2300 m) is characterized by shrubs and meadow vegetation. Above that, only crustose lichens are found.
At the foot of the Eastern Himalayas are the Terai, wetlands. Palm trees, bamboo and sal grow here. The fauna of this area is quite diverse. Here you can find snakes, elephants, tigers, rhinoceroses, monkeys, leopards and so on. The territory from 1500 to 2000 m above sea level is occupied by evergreen subtropical forests. At higher altitudes the number of deciduous and coniferous species increases. The belt of shrubs and meadow vegetation begins at 3500 m.
Due to the peculiarities of geography and the diversity of nature, Eurasia is a unique place on our planet. The contrasts of the continent contribute to the constant interest in it on the part of researchers and travelers. However, a description of the nature of Eurasia without mentioning traces human activity looks somewhat perfect. As on any other continent, the territory here has undergone a lot of changes. A huge number of people living on the mainland need developed agriculture, constant mining. Therefore, the areas suitable for this are very different from the state in which they were at the dawn of mankind. Today Eurasia is vast fields, big cities and abandoned villages, huge industrial complexes. Save wildlife often it doesn't work out. For salvation rare species Animal and plant reserves have been created, but they do not fully cope with the task. Nevertheless, the idea of the need to take care of the environment is increasingly finding support among government organizations. I would like to believe that thanks to this amazing nature Eurasia, photos of which are found on the pages of all thematic magazines, will be preserved in the future not only in photographs.
And, as well as along the straits connecting Black and. The name "Europa" comes from the legend that the Phoenician king Agenor had a daughter, Europa. Almighty Zeus fell in love with her, turned into a bull and kidnapped her. He took her to the island of Crete. There Europe first set foot on the land of that part of the world that has since bear its name. Asia - designation of one of the provinces east of, so called Scythian tribes to the Caspian Sea (Asia, Asiana).
The coastline is very indented and forms a large number of peninsulas and bays. The largest are and. The continent is washed by the waters of the Atlantic, Arctic and. The seas they form are deepest in the east and south of the continent. Scientists and navigators from many countries took part in the exploration of the continent. Special meaning acquired the research of P.P. Semenov-Tien-Shansky and N.M. .
Relief of Eurasia complex. The mainland is significantly higher than the others. The Himalayan Mountains are home to the most high mountain world - Chomolungma () with a height of 8848 m. 14 peaks of Eurasia exceed highest peaks other continents. Eurasia is distinguished by its enormous size and stretches for thousands of kilometers, the largest of which are: East European, Indo-Gangetic, East China. Unlike other continents, central regions Eurasia is occupied by mountains, while the plains are occupied by coastal areas. Eurasia also has the deepest land basin: the shores of the Dead Sea are located 395 meters below sea level. This diversity of relief can only be explained historical development continent, which is based on. There are more ancient sites on it earth's crust- platforms to which the plains are confined, and fold zones that connected these platforms, expanding the area of the continent.
On southern borders The Eurasian plate, where it meets other plates lithospheric plates, powerful mountain-building processes have occurred and are occurring, leading to the emergence of the highest mountain systems. This is accompanied by intense and. One of them destroyed the capital of Tokyo in 1923. More than 100 thousand people died.
The relief of the continent was also influenced by the ancient glaciation that captured the north of the continent. It changed the surface of the earth, smoothed out the peaks, and left numerous moraines. Eurasia is exceptionally rich in both sedimentary and igneous origin.
Eurasia is a continent of great contrasts. This is the only continent where everything is represented: from the Arctic to the equatorial. Over 1/4 of the territory in the north of the continent is occupied by hot deserts and semi-deserts. In Eurasia, the pole of cold is located - in the northeast of the continent, on. Here the air is cooled to -70°C. At the same time, the temperature in summer rises to +53°C. On the territory of Eurasia there is also one of the wettest places on earth - Cherrapunji. Many rivers flow through the territory of Eurasia, the length of many of them is about 5 thousand kilometers. This , . The most large lake in the world - - is also located on the mainland. The deepest part is also located here. It contains 20% fresh water on the ground. Continental ice is an important reservoir of fresh water.
Eurasia- the most populated continent. More than 3/4 of all residents live here globe. The eastern and southern regions mainland. In terms of the diversity of nationalities living on the mainland, Eurasia differs from other continents. They live in the north Slavic peoples: Russians, Czechs, Bulgarians, and others. South Asia inhabited by numerous Indian peoples and Chinese.
Eurasia is the cradle of ancient civilizations.
Geographical position: North hemisphere between 0°E d. and 180° east. etc., some of the islands lie in the Southern Hemisphere.
Area of Eurasia: about 53.4 million km2
Size of territory and geographical location
This is the largest continent on Earth. She is almost 7 times more australia, 2 times - Africa and more than Antarctica, North and South America combined. Eurasia is 1/3 of the planet's land area - about 53.4 million km2.
The continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere and stretches from north to south for 8 thousand km through all zones - from the Arctic to the equatorial. Its length along the parallel is 16 thousand km. This is more than a hemisphere (almost 200°): the mainland occupies everything Eastern hemisphere, and its extreme western and eastern point are located in Western.
The enormous size of Eurasia determine the diversity and uniqueness of its nature. No other continent has such a quantity natural complexes, changing from north to south and as they move away from the coasts.
Outline of the coast of Eurasia
The continental mass is so large that it separates all the oceans of the Earth. Its shores are washed by the waters of all four oceans of the planet. Coastline of the Atlantic Ocean washing West Coast, heavily indented by peninsulas and bays. There are many islands and seas near the mainland. Seas protruding deeply into the land separate parts of the world (Europe and Asia) and continents (Eurasia and Africa).
TO northern edge of Eurasia adjacent to the wide shelf of the Northern Arctic Ocean. Its coastline is smoother.
It is divided into peninsulas by narrow bays and the White Sea. The marginal seas of the Norwegian, Barents, Kara, Laptev, and East Siberian seas separate the large islands and archipelagos.
Pacific coastline poorly dissected. marginal seas cut into the eastern coast of the mainland with wide contours. They are separated from the ocean by arcs and chains of volcanic islands and peninsulas. South coast Eurasia, washed by Indian Ocean, stretches out in a broken line: they protrude into the ocean large peninsulas- Arabian (the largest on the planet), Hindustan and Malacca. Seas near southern outskirts There are only two continents - Red and Arabian.
Configuration coastline determines the possibilities and degree of participation of oceanic air in the formation of the climate of the continent.
On nature of Eurasia influenced by the surrounding continents. Eurasia has two close neighbors. In the southwest is Africa, separated by the Suez Canal, and in the east is North America, separated by the Bering Strait. The “bridge” with a length of more than 3 thousand km - the largest island region of the planet - the Greater and Lesser Sunda Islands (Malay Archipelago), the Philippine Islands - connects Eurasia with Australia. Farthest away, separated from Eurasia by oceans, are South America and Antarctica.
Composition of the territory of Eurasia
Mainland Eurasia includes two parts of the world - Europe And Asia. The border between them is conditional. It is carried out along the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains, down the Ural River to the Caspian Sea, along the northern foot of the Caucasus, the Black Sea, the Bosphorus Strait, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles Strait. The division of Eurasia into two parts of the world developed historically - as a consequence of the settlement and development of its territory ( different peoples With different sides). But it also has a natural scientific basis. The continent was formed as a result of the combination of lithospheric blocks that had previously developed in different conditions. After unification over millions of years, it develops as one natural-territorial complex. Therefore the mainland - this is unique geographical system: large, complex, but at the same time holistic.
Regions of Europe and Asia
The territory of Eurasia is very vast. In this huge territory Not only nature has significant differences, but also the population, as well as its economic activity. In order to better study this diversity, understand its causes and patterns, regionalization is carried out: in the composition big continent allocate smaller territories - regions. Countries that have common features geographical location, as well as the similarities between historical and modern socio-economic development. The European part of the continent is divided into Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Europe. Countries of Eastern Europe, occupying a neighboring position in relation to our Motherland - Belarus - are united into an independent region, the Belarusian Borderlands. This region also includes Russia, the largest state on the continent, located in both Eurasian parts of the world. The Asian part of the continent is divided into Central, Eastern, Southeast, Southern and Southwest Asia. The boundaries between regions are drawn according to state borders countries included in them.
Geographical discoveries and exploration of Eurasia. The territory of Eurasia has been inhabited since ancient times different peoples. Each of them carried out the development and study of the continent, guided by their own goals and needs, gradually expanding the range of territories known to them.