The most significant natural complexes into which our planet is primarily divided are continents and oceans. They differ in composition natural ingredients, and the connections between them.
The surface of the entire globe is 510 million km2. Most of it is occupied by the waters of the World Ocean. The term “ ” was proposed in 1917 by Yu.M. Shokalsky in his work “Oceanography”. The world's oceans - the main part, continuous water shell our planet (oceanosphere), which has a common salt composition. It occupies about 71% of the globe's surface, i.e. 361.1 million km2 (average depth - 3795 m, maximum - 11022 m - Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean). Since 1845, there has been a discussion about the division of the World Ocean into its component parts. In different years, from three to five oceans were identified as part of the World Ocean. Now the World Ocean is divided into four giant water areas: (50% of the area of the World Ocean), (25%), Indian (21%) and (4%).
The share of land - continents and islands - accounts for only about 149 million km2, or 29% of the Earth's surface. Continents (from Russian “hardened”, i.e. strong, large), or continents (from Latin “continens” - continuous, continuous) are the most significant land masses, most of which protrude above sea level, and the outlying parts ( shelf, continental slope) are covered by ocean waters. Within the continents there is a special - continental - characteristic. It is much more powerful earth's crust oceanic type and has a thickness of 25 km under and up to 70-75 km under mountain structures. In the modern geological era, there are six continents. In descending order of area, they can be arranged as follows: , and Australia.
Along with the division of the globe's landmass into continents, in geography there is a conditional, historically established division into parts of the world. There are also six parts of the world: Europe and Asia into which the single continent of Eurasia is divided; America, which includes two continents - North and South America; Africa, Antarctica. Some propose to allocate a seventh part of the world - which includes a unique cluster of almost 7 thousand islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Islands are small (compared to continents) areas of land, surrounded on all sides by water. The total area of all the Earth's islands is slightly more than 6% of the total landmass. In the oceans and seas there are both single islands and their groups - archipelagos. According to their origin, the islands are divided into mainland , those. separated from the continent due to subsidence or destruction by exogenous processes of marginal land areas, oceanic , those that arose outside the continents (volcanic and coral).
When starting to study the nature of continents and oceans, it should be borne in mind that the characteristics of any natural region are built according to a certain plan. The plan provides a deeper revelation of the cause-and-effect relationships between the components of nature, continents or oceans; aims to clarify both the common natural features and the uniqueness (originality) of each of them.
The characterization of the continents in this manual is based on the following plan:
a) features of the continent, the size of the territory and the nature of the coastline;
b) brief information from the history of the study;
c) geological structure, relief and
It would take a long time to list natural objects, which became the subjects of study of such a science as geography: continents, oceans, peoples and countries, mountains, plains, seas and much more. In the same article we'll talk exclusively about continents and oceans.
What does the geography of continents and oceans study?
This course is required for geographical faculties of classical and pedagogical universities. As a rule, it is conditionally divided into three logical sections:
- Geography of the northern continents.
- Geography of the southern continents.
- Geography of the World Ocean.
This course is also taught in high school (7th grade).
What does the geography of continents and oceans study? Science sets itself the task of considering the regional features of the nature of our planet. We are talking about the largest natural complexes of the Earth - continents and oceans. Within their boundaries, geographers try to find various patterns, sometimes comparing individual sections of the planet’s surface.
The geography of continents and oceans is a discipline that is of extraordinary importance for the education of the younger generation. Indeed, without students’ awareness of the causes of all the diversity of the Earth’s nature, it is impossible to achieve an important component school system education.
Continents and oceans are the largest natural complexes of the planet
Continents are exactly what the geography of continents and oceans studies in all its details. This largest in the world, which serve as excellent models for studying any natural patterns and processes occurring in
This is a huge landmass surrounded on all sides by the waters of the World Ocean. There are six continents on the planet (in some countries - 5 or 7). The largest of them by area is Eurasia, and the smallest is Australia.
It is important to note that land and ocean are distributed extremely unevenly over the surface (approximately 30% to 70%). Moreover, in the Northern Hemisphere the percentage of land is much higher, but in the Southern Hemisphere there is practically no land south of 50 degrees (with the exception of minor islands and archipelagos).
All continents are separated by vast oceans. There are five of them on the planet (some scientists believe that there are only four): the Pacific (the largest and deepest of all oceans), the Atlantic (the most restless), the Indian (the warmest and saltiest), the Arctic and the Southern. The existence of the last ocean is precisely what causes much controversy among scientists.
Algorithms for studying continents and oceans
Continents and oceans and their nature are studied by regional geographers according to clear plans. Thus, the study and description of the continent includes the following points:
- geographical position mainland;
- the nature of the coastline, including the extreme points of land;
- geological structure and topography of the territory;
- mineral resources of the continent's interior;
- climatic features;
- surface waters (rivers, lakes, glaciers, etc.);
- natural zoning of the territory.
In turn, the oceans are studied according to a different plan, which includes the following points:
- geographical position;
- bottom topography and mineral resources;
- climate over the ocean;
- ocean current system;
- organic world ocean;
- peculiarities economic use water area.
Finally...
Now you know what the geography of continents and oceans studies. This is one of the main courses taught in universities that train geographers and teachers. The main task of this discipline is to consider key features and the patterns of nature of all continents and oceans on our planet.
The continents and the countries that are located on them are the main subject of study for physical and economic-political geography. Climate, landscape and relief, culture and national traditions also often become the object of interest of both professional scientists and travel enthusiasts.
Geography of continents and countries
While physical geography involves the division of land into six continents, each of which has its own characteristics of origin and structure, economic geography divides the world into several large economic and geographical regions.
Europe is usually divided into Northern, Western, Central, Southern and Eastern. Moreover, each region has its own characteristics of economic development and political structure. It is a generally accepted fact that the most developed, from an economic and political point of view, is Western Europe, whose countries have long tradition democracy and market economy.
Geography of Eurasia
The largest continent on Earth is Eurasia, which occupies 36% of the total landmass. The two extreme points of the mainland - Cape Chelyuskin and Cape Dezhnev - are located on Russian territory. The southernmost point of the continent is Cape Pia, located in Malaysia. Cape Roca, located in Portugal, is considered the easternmost point of the continent.
Considering the size of the continent, it is not surprising that its relief is represented by all the diversity natural forms. There are deserts, rain forests, the highest mountains, as well as the largest freshwater lake - Baikal, located in the south of Eastern Siberia.
The highest point of the continent is Mount Chomolungma, located in China and Nepal. The height of this peak reaches 8848 meters above sea level, and regular organized tours and sport climbs are organized to its summit. Every ambitious climber considers it his duty to conquer this eight-thousander.
Eurasia. Peoples and countries
Continents and oceans are integral part the area in which the geographer is interested. But also culture various peoples living in different geographical and climatic conditions are of interest to the scientist.
There are 99 states in Eurasia, 50 of which are located in Europe. Most big country continent is Russia, the most populous is China. The smallest country in Europe and the whole world is considered to be the Vatican, which has the status of an Auxiliary Territory of the Holy See.
Among European countries There are also self-proclaimed, partially recognized countries, such as Transnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, as well as the DPR and LPR, whose status is not regulated by international agreements. The Eurasian geography of continents, oceans, peoples and countries would be incomplete without mentioning countries such as Japan, located on the Pacific Islands to the east of Eurasia, and Great Britain, which occupies the islands to the west of Europe.
Geography of Africa
The countries of the mainland experience the consequences of European colonization to this day. While Africa ranks second in area after Eurasia, its total population reaches one billion one hundred million people. There are fifty-five countries on the continent, many of which are in dire straits. In some countries, such as Somalia, civil conflicts, in which thousands of people die every year. Most developed in economically African countries are considered to be South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia and Seychelles.
Most of Africa has a flat landscape, but there are also mountain ranges, and the highest point of the continent is Mount Kilimanjaro, located in Tanzania, a country in mainland Africa that attracts a significant number of foreign tourists.
On the modern political map of Africa there are 55 sovereign states and 5 self-proclaimed states not recognized by the UN. The largest country in Africa by territory is the Republic of Algeria, located in the northern part of the continent on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Despite significant political and social heterogeneity, almost all countries of the continent, with the exception of Morocco, are members of the African Union, an organization that seeks to overcome the problems that unite all African states.
North America
Located in the northern part of the Western Hemisphere, North America is generally recognized as the center of the modern world economy. The most developed state North America, like the whole world, are the USA.
The total population of the twenty-three states located on the North American continent is more than five hundred million people. At the same time, three hundred twenty-five million people live in the United States alone.
The largest country on the continent is Canada, located in its northern part. It is washed by the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans.
South America
In the 7th grade, continents, oceans, peoples and countries are the subject of close study for schoolchildren. History and geography South America are of significant interest in this regard, because the discovery of America by Europeans was accompanied by an unprecedented clash of cultures.
The first European conquerors who came to South America in search of treasure killed more than a million local inhabitants. Entire civilizations were destroyed, but the descendants of the indigenous people of America still live in many countries of the mainland, making up the majority in some of them.
Today, South America has a population of three hundred eighty-seven million people who live in twelve sovereign states and three dependent territories. The largest in area and the most populous country continent is Brazil.
The southern tip of the continent faces the Antarctic region and is washed by the waters of the Southern Ocean and the Drake Passage, which separates South America from Antarctica - the only continent not under the control of any state. In turn, the Drake Passage, whose minimum width is 820 kilometers, is the largest strait with its own name.
Australia
Australia is considered the most sparsely populated continent and covers five percent of the landmass. In addition, Australia is the only continent whose territory is occupied by one state. The formal head of Australia is the British monarch, since the country is part of the Commonwealth of Nations, which partially unites former British colonies.
Australia has another feature that distinguishes it from other continents - extremely low fresh water reserves. Most of the significant rivers originate on the slopes of the Great Dividing Range, to which the Kosciuszko peak belongs - the most high mountain countries and continents. It is in the area of this peak that Australia's longest river, the Murray, originates, its length is 2,375 kilometers.
North America is a continent covering an area of 24 million square meters. km. What are the extreme points of this continent, and how is North America located relative to other continents? A plan for describing the extreme points of the continent and climate zones will help to better study the physical and geographical position of North America on the world map.
Geographical position
North America is the third largest continent by area after Europe and Africa. It is located in the Western Hemisphere north of the equator. Its extreme points are:
- northern - Cape Murchison. It is located beyond the Arctic Circle, in Canada;
- southern - Cape Mariato. This cape, located in Central Panama, is uninhabited;
- western - Cape Prince of Wales. This cape is located in Alaska;
- eastern - Cape St. Charles. The Cape is one of the outcrops of Labrador and is located in Canada near Toronto.
The mainland is washed by all oceans except the Indian. In the north it is washed by the Arctic Ocean, in the west by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, and in the east by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. North America and South America are separated Panama Canal, North America and Eurasia are separated by the Bering Strait.
Rice. 1. Bering Strait
In relation to the tropics, North America is crossed by the Northern Tropic in its southern part. This zone has a lot of precipitation, which is unusual for other continents. On other continents in the tropical zone there are deserts.
The coasts of the continent are heavily indented, especially in the northern part of the continent. The largest peninsulas located in North America are California, Florida and Labrador. The largest islands are Greenland and the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The mainland also includes the Bahamas, Newfoundland, Aleutian Islands, and Queen Charlotte Islands.
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Greenland is the northernmost point of North America. however, it is part of Denmark, which is located in Eurasia.
Rice. 2. Geographical location of North America on the map
Climate zones
North America is located in all climatic zones, except equatorial.
The northern coast of the mainland, Greenland, and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are located in the Arctic zone. nature here is very harsh. It's hard to imagine, but in winter the temperature on the island of Greenland can drop to -50 degrees Celsius.
Almost the entire Alaska Peninsula, the coast of Hudson Bay, the Labrador Peninsula, and part of the mainland north of 58 degrees north latitude are located in the subarctic zone. Very large areas covered with ice, widespread permafrost is a common occurrence.
Rice. 3. Alaska Peninsula
The temperate zone is characterized by a monsoon climate in the east, and a maritime climate on the Pacific coast. In winter, arctic air masses cause cold snaps and snowstorms; in summer, tropical air brings heat and dry winds.
The subtropical zone is located between 30 and 40 degrees north latitude and is divided into three regions: eastern, western and central. On the east coast the climate is humid subtropical (very humid, warm summers). In the west there is a Mediterranean type of climate (warm winters and dry, hot summers). In the central part the climate is continental (warm summers, cold winters).
All of Central America, except the south, is located in the tropical climate zone. The south is subequatorial. The climate in both these areas is determined by the trade winds.
Trade winds and monsoons are winds that blow across North America. only the trade winds are constant winds and blow from the tropics towards the equator, and the monsoons change their direction twice a year and blow on land in the summer and on the sea in winter.
What have we learned?
From this educational article for 7th grade, the geographical location of the North American continent becomes clear. The continent has four extreme points, and is also located in almost all climatic zones. The only ocean that does not wash the continent is the Indian Ocean.
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Australia
The continent is entirely located in the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres. Its shores are washed by the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans. In terms of size, Australia is the largest small continent on the ground. Its area is about 8.89 million km2, which is 6 times smaller than Eurasia.
Mainland for a long time was not known to Europeans, although the ancient Greeks spoke about it. The world learned about Australia during the Age of Discovery. The Spaniard Torres, the Dutchman Tasman, and the Englishman James Cook gave the first information about Australia. WITH late XVIII century, the development of the mainland begins. The English government first exiled criminals to Australia, and the city of Sydney arose as a convict colony in the southeast of the mainland. Due to the discovery of rich mineral deposits and the presence of good pastures for livestock, many “seekers of happiness” flocked here, and England declared the mainland its colony.
Australia was separated from the mainland of Gondwanaland in the past. It is based on a platform that slowly rises and then slowly falls. Now Australia is the flattest continent, with a leveled and uniform topography, and the calmest: there is no active volcanoes and earthquakes. In the east of the continent there are heavily destroyed mountains - Bolshoi Watershed Ridge With highest point Kosciuszko town (2230 m). The continent is very surprising to geologists. It seems that it is simply “stuffed” with minerals. A third of all the planet's diamonds and a fourth of all uranium reserves among the developed countries of the world are mined here. Geologists have found deposits of oil and gas, iron ore. Australia occupies a leading place in the world in bauxite mining. Australia is the driest continent on Earth. It is located in the Southern Hemisphere, so it is summer there in December and winter in June. Due to its location in tropical latitudes, the continent receives a lot of solar heat, so it has hot summers and relatively cold winters. Average temperatures in summer are +20°C, in winter +12°C, although sometimes they can drop to -4°C on the plains and to -12°C in the mountains. Precipitation in Australia falls mainly in the north (in summer, thanks to the monsoons) and in the east (all year round, thanks to trade winds from the Pacific Ocean). The rest of the territory is poorly moistened. Australia is located in four climatic zones: subequatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate.
There are no large, deep rivers in Australia. The biggest river system- Murray s major influx Darling. The river level changes: during droughts it decreases, and during rains it rises. Most lakes have no drainage and are saline. The largest of them is Eyre, which lies 12 meters below sea level. Australia's distinctive feature is wealth groundwater(about 40% of the territory). Much of Western and Central Australia is crisscrossed by a sparse network of dry creeks that fill with water only during the rainy season.
Nature has created in Australia, as it were, a huge reserve, where many species of plants and animals have been preserved, similar to those that inhabited the Earth in ancient times and disappeared on other continents. 75% of plants and 90% of animals are no longer found anywhere in the world. Eucalyptus, which has become a symbol of the country, grows here, as well as grass trees, palm trees, tree ferns, numerous acacias, ficus trees, and a bottle tree. Very unique and animal world. Only here live the echidna and the platypus - the most primitive mammals, numerous marsupials, various birds: emus, cockatoos, parrots, birds of paradise, lyrebirds. The world of poisonous snakes, lizards, locusts, and mosquitoes is rich.
Australia is home to 24 million people. The population consists of Anglo-Australians (80%) and Aboriginal people (1%), as well as people from other countries. The population is distributed extremely unevenly across the continent. Almost all of it is concentrated on the eastern and southeastern outskirts of the mainland, where the best natural conditions are. Aboriginal people live here. They exist in squalid conditions on reservations (areas set aside for indigenous people to live). Many of them work as farm laborers or live the lifestyle of semi-wandering hunters and gatherers.
There is only one state on the mainland - Commonwealth of Australia. Its capital is the city of Canberra.
Geographical position: Southern Hemisphere, Eastern Hemisphere.
Area: 7631.5 thousand sq. km.
Extreme points:
Extreme northern point– Cape York, 10°41? Yu. sh.;
Extreme southern point– Cape South-East, 39°11? Yu. sh.;
Westernmost point - Steep Point, 113°05? V. d.;
Easternmost point - Cape Byron, 153°34? V. d.
Climate types: subequatorial, tropical, subtropical.
Geology: ancient Australian platform, East Australian fold belt.
Relief: predominantly flat, average height of the mainland 215 m; along the eastern coast of the continent stretches the Great Dividing Range, the western plateau, and the Great Sandy, Gibson, and Victoria deserts.
Further information: Australia is bordered by the Indian Ocean, the Tasman Ocean and Coral seas Pacific Ocean; the length of the continent from north to south is 3200 km, from west to east – 4100 km; Australia's population is 21 million.
Antarctica
Antarctica is the southern polar region of the Earth, inside the South Arctic Circle. Antarctica includes the continent of Antarctica, southern outskirts The Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans and islands lying within 50-60° south latitude, where the warmer and colder waters of the oceans meet. The area of Antarctica is 52.5 million km.” The seas included in this area are very rough, with waves sometimes reaching heights of more than 20 meters. In winter, the water freezes and ice surrounds Antarctica in a ring, the width of which ranges from 500 to 2000 km. In summer, currents carry ice north along with icebergs. According to scientists, more than 100 thousand icebergs float simultaneously off the coast of Antarctica different sizes. Amerigo Vespucci was the first to penetrate Antarctic waters in 1502, discovering a number of islands.
Antarctica is a polar region on south side globe. Here, inside the Arctic Circle, there is an icy continent. It is approximately twice the size of Australia - 14 million km2. The average height of the continent is 2040 meters. Volcanic activity has not stopped to this day. In the central part, the ice cover rises to almost 4000 meters. Individual peaks of the Antarctic Andes - a ridge stretching along the shores of the Pacific Ocean - rise above the ice to 5,000 meters or more. At the same time, the height of the continent would be less if there were no ice on it. There is a lot of it here - 24 million km3. This is more than 90% of all fresh water on Earth, which is stored here in a frozen state. The average thickness of the ice cover is more than 1,700 meters, the maximum is more than 4,000 meters. It is thanks to ice that Antarctica looks like a huge white dome on South Pole. If the ice suddenly melted, it would raise the level of the World Ocean by 60 meters, which would entail a reduction in the area of all continents, including Antarctica itself, which would become an archipelago - a cluster of islands, since a significant part of the continent lies under the ice dome below ocean level.
Antarctica is the coldest of all continents. In the winter months, frosts can reach -90°C. In summer the frosts are less, only -20°C. There is no rain in Antarctica: precipitation here falls in the form of snow. The climate of the center of the continent and its coasts is very different: in the center there is no wind almost all year round and clear sky, and strong winds and snowstorms reign on the shores. The wind speed there can reach 90 m/s. Such winds can easily carry heavy objects over considerable distances. Dry snow, rushing at high speed, is capable of sawing through thick ropes and polishes metal to a shine.
Icy Antarctica is considered the main “refrigerator” of our planet and affects its climate. The continent receives a very large amount of solar heat. It turns out that in the south polar summer you can’t leave the room without sunglasses; skin tans quickly. But Antarctica's ice reflects up to 90% of solar radiation, and the continent does not warm up. And during the polar night it becomes very cold.
Most of Antarctica is an icy desert, only life glimmers near the coast. Where a few rocks protrude from under the ice, there are oases of life on the mainland. This is only 0.02% of its territory. The organic world of Antarctica is poor; only rare mosses, lichens and algae inhabit it. Penguins are the main decoration of the continent. Whales and seals live in the waters of the seas.
Antarctica does not belong to any state; no one lives there permanently. Nevertheless, 16 countries founded their own here scientific stations, where are conducted various studies nature of this continent. Antarctica is a continent of peace and cooperation. Any military preparations are prohibited within its borders. No country can claim it as their land. This is legally fixed international treaty, which was signed on December 1, 1959.
The discovery of Antarctica occurred in 1820 by Russian navigators F.F. Bellingshausen and M.P. Lazarev, and in December 1911, the Norwegian expedition of R. Amundsen, followed by the English expedition of R. Scott, reached the South Pole.
Geographical location: the southern polar region of the Earth, inside the Antarctic Circle.
Area: 13,975 thousand sq. km.
Climate types: extreme Antarctic with average temperatures 30-50˚ below zero.
Antarctica is the most cold continent on the ground. With the exception of the coast of the northern part of the Antarctic Peninsula, the entire continent lies in the Antarctic climate zone. Despite the fact that the polar night continues for several months in winter in Central Antarctica, the annual total radiation approaches the annual total radiation equatorial zone(Vostok station - 5 GJ / (m2-year) or 120 kcal / (cm2-year)), and in summer it reaches very high values - up to 1.25 GJ / (m2-month) or 30 kcal / (cm2- months). However, up to 90% of the incoming heat is reflected by the snow surface back into outer space and only 10% goes to heating it. That's why radiation balance Antarctica is negative and the air temperature is very low. Our planet's pole of cold is located in Central Antarctica. At Vostok station on August 24, 1960, a temperature of -88.3oC was recorded. average temperature winter months from -60 to -70oC, in summer from -30 to -50oC. Even in summer the temperature never rises above -20oC. On the coast, especially in the area of the Antarctic Peninsula, the air temperature reaches 10-12oC in summer, and on average in the warmest month (January) it is 1oC, 2oC. In winter (July) on the coast, the average monthly temperature ranges from -8 on the Antarctic Peninsula to -35oC at the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. Cold air rolls down from the central regions of Antarctica, forming katabatic winds that reach high speeds near the coast (the annual average is up to 12 m/sec), and when merging with cyclonic air flows, they turn into hurricane winds (up to 50-60, and sometimes 90 m/sec). Due to the predominance of downdrafts, the relative air humidity is low (60-80%), near the coast and especially in the Antarctic oases it decreases to 20 and even 5%. There is also relatively little cloud cover. Precipitation falls almost exclusively in the form of snow: in the center of the continent its amount reaches 30-50 mm per year, in the lower part of the continental slope it increases to 600-700 mm, decreases slightly at its foot (up to 400-500 mm) and increases again by some ice shelves and on the northwestern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula (up to 700-800 and even 1000 mm). Due to strong winds and due to heavy snowfall, blizzards are very frequent.
Large areas of exposed rocks near the coast, with specific natural conditions, are called Antarctic oases; summer temperatures here are 3-4 higher than above the surrounding glaciers. Antarctic lakes are unique, located mainly in coastal oases. Many of them are drainless, with high salinity waters, even bitterly salty. Some lakes are not free of ice cover even in summer. Lagoon lakes are very characteristic, located between the coastal cliffs of the oasis and the surrounding ice shelf, under which they are connected to the sea.
Geology: ancient Antarctic platform.
Relief: average height of the mainland 2350 m; an extensive glacial plateau, the IGY valley, the Queen Maud Land and Prince Charles mountains, the Gamburtsev and Vernalsky subglacial mountains; Transantarctic Mountains
Additional information: Antarctica is washed by the Southern (Antarctic) Ocean; only 0.3% of the land is not covered with ice; the average thickness of the ice cover is 1800 m; There is no permanent population on the mainland.
Africa
Africa is the hottest continent on Earth.
The name "Africa" appeared in the 2nd century BC, but then it was not yet a name huge continent located in the Northern and Southern, Western and Eastern hemispheres. In 146 BC. The Romans captured land in what is now Tunisia. They founded a colony there, calling it Africa, apparently after the Afarik tribes who lived over a vast territory as far as Gibraltar. Other areas of this continent were long called Libya and Ethiopia. In the 16th century, the scholar Muhammad al-Wazan wrote that the name "Africa" (Arabic "Ifriqiya") comes from the word "faraqa", which means "to divide". It is possible that this is precisely the content contained in the name of the continent, since the Red Sea separates Africa from Asia.
Africa is the second largest continent after Eurasia. Its area is 30.3 million km2. Most of the continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Africa, like other Gondwana fragments, has a massive outline. It does not have large peninsulas or deep bays off its coast.
The relief of this continent, like any other, depends on the history of the development of the earth's crust, the action of internal and external processes. Africa is based on an ancient platform, so the continent is dominated by plains. Lowlands are quite rare, they are located along the shores of the mainland. The interior of Africa is occupied by high plains, occasionally dissected by deep gorges - river valleys. The continent is like a high table among the ocean surrounding it. Above this “table” rises a series of even higher peaks and mountain ranges, many of which are of volcanic origin. Influenced internal processes Some sections of the platform rose, forming high plateaus (East African), others sank, which led to the formation of large basins (Chad, Congo, Kalahari). The movements were accompanied by faults in the earth's crust. East Africa is home to the largest rift on land. It stretches along the Red Sea, through the Ethiopian Highlands to the mouth of the Zambezi River. The African lithospheric plate is moving apart here, which is why earthquakes and volcanic activity are frequent.
Africa is rich in mineral resources: various ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals (the states of Zaire and Zambia are especially notable for their copper reserves; bauxite is found in Guinea, iron ores in Mauritania, Liberia, Angola); diamonds (Africa produces 98% of the total diamond production in the capitalist world); gold, the production of which Africa ranks first in the world; uranium ores are mined in South and Central Africa. Oil and gas reserves lie in the sedimentary cover of the platform in the north of the continent.
Africa is the hottest continent. It is home to the world's largest desert, the Sahara, in the north of which, in Libya, the world's largest desert has been recorded. heat on the planet: +58°С. The center of Africa receives high rainfall throughout the year. This is due to the fact that it is crossed in the center by the equator, where the region is formed low pressure and precipitation falls. To the north and south of the center there are areas with seasonally humid savannas and arid desert climates. The northern and southern ends of the continent have a subtropical climate. The southern part of the continent receives precipitation from the Indian Ocean through the trade winds throughout the year. In the northern part of the continent there is little precipitation, this is due to areas of high pressure that form above 30° latitudes, as well as the peculiarity of the trade winds. In the Northern Hemisphere, they form over Asia and arrive dry in the Sahara.
The Congo, Zambezi, Niger, Senegal, Orange, Nile and other rivers flow through the mainland. Neil is the most long river in the world. The rivers of Africa are high-water only in its equatorial part, since there is a lot of precipitation there. Many rivers in Africa are fast, rapids, and abound with waterfalls; lakes are concentrated mainly in the east, where water fills the cracks of faults.
Rich and diverse animal life and vegetable world mainland: elephants, rhinoceroses, hippos, lions, monkeys, ostriches; palm trees, acacias, ficuses and others. Many “our little brothers” live in national parks, the size of which in Africa exceeds the size of some European states. The bulk of the continent's population is the indigenous population - Negroids - the African branch of the equatorial race. The north of the mainland is inhabited by representatives Arab peoples. The population of the mainland exceeds 600 million people, and it increases every year.
Geographical location of Africa: most of Africa is located in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, the smaller part is in the Southern and Western.
Area of Africa: 30 million square meters. km.
Extreme points of Africa:
The extreme northern point is Cape El Abyad, 37°20? With. sh.;
The southernmost point is Cape Agulhas, 34°52? Yu. sh.;
The westernmost point is Cape Almadi on the Cape Verde Peninsula, 17°32? h. d.;
The easternmost point is Cape Hafun on the Somali Peninsula, 51°23? V. d.
African climate types: subtropical, tropical, subequatorial, equatorial.
Geology of Africa: predominantly ancient Precambrian platform.
Relief of Africa: mostly flat; mountains: Atlas, Cape, Drakensberg Mountains; highlands: Ahaggar, Tibesti, Ethiopian Highlands; East African plateau; the vast Sahara plateau; Congo Trench; high plains Kalahari.
Additional information about Africa: the coast of Africa is washed by the waters of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean and Red Seas; the length of the continent from north to south is about 8,000 km, from west to east – 7,500 km; Africa's population is 933 million.
Eurasia
Eurasia is the greatest continent on Earth. It occupies 1/3 of the entire landmass. The area of Eurasia is 53.4 million km2. It is formed by two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. Conditional boundary between them it is customary to carry out along the Ural Mountains, sea border passes through the Black and Azov Seas, as well as through the straits connecting the Black and Mediterranean Seas. 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 the Aegean Sea, as they were 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 peninsulas are the Arabian and Hindustan. The continent is washed by the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic and Indian oceans. 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. Przhevalsky.
The relief of Eurasia is complex. The mainland is significantly higher than the others. The highest mountain in the world is located in the Himalayan Mountains - Chomolungma (Everest) with a height of 8848 m. 14 peaks of Eurasia exceed the highest peaks of other continents. The plains of Eurasia are enormous in size and stretch for thousands of kilometers, the largest of which are: East European, West Siberian, Central Siberian Plateau, Indo-Gangetic, East Chinese. 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 the Eurasian lithospheric plate. It contains more ancient sections of the earth's crust - platforms to which the plains are confined, and folding zones that connected these platforms, expanding the area of the continent.
On southern borders On the Eurasian plate, where it meets other 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 volcanic activity and earthquakes. One of them in 1923 destroyed the capital of Japan, Tokyo. 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 mineral resources of both sedimentary and igneous origin.
Eurasia is a continent of great contrasts. This is the only continent where all climatic zones are represented: from the Arctic to the equatorial. Over 1/4 of the territory in the north of the continent is occupied by permafrost, about the same - sultry deserts and semi-deserts. The pole of cold is located in Eurasia - in the northeast of the continent, on the Oymyakon Highlands. Here the air is cooled to -70°C. At the same time, in the deserts of India, 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. These are the Yangtze, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur, Yellow River, Mekong. The largest lake in the world - the Caspian Sea - is also located on the mainland. The deepest lake, Baikal, is also located here. It contains 20% of the fresh water on Earth. Continental ice- an important custodian of fresh waters.
The natural zones of Eurasia are more diverse than on other continents of the globe: from Arctic deserts to equatorial forests.
Eurasia is the most populated continent. More than 3/4 of all the world's inhabitants live here. The eastern and southern regions mainland. In terms of the diversity of nationalities living on the mainland, Eurasia differs from other continents. Slavic peoples live in the north: Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles, Czechs, Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats 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 square meters. km.
Extreme points of Eurasia:
Far northern island point– Cape Fligeli, 81°51` N. sh.;
The northernmost continental point is Cape Chelyuskin, 77°43` N. sh.;
The easternmost point of the island is Ratmanov Island, 169°0` W. d.;
The easternmost continental point is Cape Dezhnev, 169°40` W. d.;
The southernmost point of the island is South Island, 12°4` S. sh.;
The southernmost continental point is Cape Piai, 1°16` N. sh.;
The westernmost point of the island is the Monchique rock, 31°16` W. d.;
The westernmost continental point is Cape Roca, 9°30` W. d.
Climatic zones of Eurasia: Arctic, subarctic, temperate, subtropical, Mediterranean, tropical, subequatorial, equatorial.
Geology of Eurasia: the East European, Siberian, Sino-Korean, South China, and Indian platforms are located on the territory of Eurasia.
Relief of Eurasia: the average height of the continent is 830 m; on the territory of Eurasia there are mountain systems: the Himalayas, Hindu Kush, Tien Shan, Altai, Alps, Caucasus, Karakorum, Kun-Lun, Tibet, Ural Mountains, Pamir, Carpathians, mountains of Southern Siberia, mountains North-Eastern Siberia; Sayano-Tuva Plateau, Deccan Plateau, Central Siberian Plateau; plains: East European, West Siberian, Great Chinese, Indo-Gangetic; Turanian lowland.
Additional information on Eurasia: Eurasia is washed by the Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans; the length of the continent from west to east is 16 thousand km, from north to south – 8 thousand km; More than 4.3 billion people live in Eurasia.
North America
North America is the third continent of our planet in terms of area, which is 24.2 million km2. It is washed by the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. The continent is heavily indented, which is the result of movement lithospheric plates. There are many islands and archipelagos near the mainland, the largest of which are Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. coastline consists of numerous bays and peninsulas.
The Vikings took part in the discovery and exploration of the mainland (10th century); Englishman D. Cabot, who explored the eastern and northern shores of the mainland (XV century); Englishman G. Hudson (XVII century), Englishman A. Mackenzie (XVHI century); Norwegian R. Amundsen (XX century). The Russians also made a big contribution. They discovered and developed large areas of the northwestern part of the continent: they were V. Bering, G. Shelekhov, ALIrikov.
The western part of the continent is occupied by mountains - the Cordilleras, in the northern part of which rises their highest peak - Mount McKinley (6193 m), covered with snow and glaciers. The mountains are incredibly beautiful: deep depressions are adjacent to huge ridges and volcanoes, the mountains are dissected by deep valleys. The central and eastern part of the continent is occupied by plains. In the east of the continent are the low Appalachian Mountains. They are badly damaged.
North America is rich in mineral resources: there is a lot of oil, natural gas, and coal in the sedimentary rocks of the plains. The northern part of the plains is distinguished by deposits of metal ores: iron, copper, nickel. The Cordillera is rich in non-ferrous ores and noble metals, oil, coal.
North America is located in all climate zones except the equatorial one. This creates great differences in its climate. In the north of the continent in winter there are low temperatures, solar heat does not reach the earth, since it is polar night there. There are frequent fogs, large clouds, and snow storms. The center of the continent is characterized cold winter and comparatively warm summer. The large extent of the continent from west to east leads to the formation of significant climatic differences: changes in temperature, amount and season of precipitation. In the south of the mainland it is hot all year round; there is a lot of rainfall on the coast and islands.
The climate of the continent is significantly influenced by the relief: the absence of mountain ranges in the north creates conditions for the penetration of Arctic air masses to the southern latitudes; The absence of mountains also helps tropical air masses sometimes penetrate far to the north. The differences between these air masses create the conditions for the formation of hurricanes, which bring many disasters. The Arctic ice cover also has a cooling effect on the climate of the continent.
The largest river in North America is the Mississippi with its tributary Missouri. In terms of its role in the life of the American people, it has the same significance as the Volga for the Russians. There are many rivers in the northern part of the mainland. The largest river in the Cordillera is the Colorado, which carved a 320 km long canyon in the mountains. It has steep walls composed of different rocks. The depth of the canyon is 1.5 km. The continent is distinguished by an abundance of lakes, especially its northern part, which was repeatedly covered by glaciers in the recent geological past. The group of Great Lakes stands out here, occupying a record area of 250 thousand km.
The mainland contains almost all natural areas: from arctic deserts to deserts. Black and white spruce, balsam fir, pine, and various deciduous forests grow there; the abundance of heat creates favorable conditions for the growth of herbs, among which cereals predominate.
The fauna is also diverse: musk oxen, bison, coyotes (steppe wolves), foxes, bears, lynxes, American martens, skunks, moose. The most famous trees North America - sequoias - coniferous trees more than 100 meters high, with a diameter of up to 9 meters.
The indigenous population is Indians and Eskimos. They inhabited the continent long before Europeans penetrated it. Scientists have found that Indians and Eskimos come from Eurasia. With the arrival of the colonialists, the fate of the Indians was tragic: they were exterminated and driven away from fertile lands. In the 17th-18th centuries, blacks were brought from Africa to work on plantations; many of them, after the abolition of slavery, wanted to stay here. The bulk of the population comes from different countries Europe.
Geographical location of North America: Western Hemisphere, Northern Hemisphere, northern part of America.
Area of North America: 20.36 million square meters. km.
Extreme points of North America:
The extreme northern point is Cape Murchison, 71°50′ N. sh.;
Westernmost point - Cape Prince of Wales, 168° W. d.;
Easternmost point – Cape St. Charles, 55°40′ W. d.
Climate types in North America: arctic, subarctic, temperate, sharply continental, oceanic, subtropical, tropical, subequatorial.
Geology of North America: Most of North America is occupied by the Precambrian North American (Canadian) platform.
Relief of North America: the average height of the continent is 720 m; mountain belt of the Cordillera, hills, plateaus and lowlands of Labrador and the Appalachians, Laurentian Uplands, Great Plains, Atlantic and Mexican lowlands.
Additional information: North America is bordered by the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans; North America's population is about 475 million.
South America
South America is one of two continents located in the Western Hemisphere of the Earth. The continent is washed by the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The outlines of the shores of the mainland, like other fragments of Gondwana, are quite simple: there are few islands and peninsulas. Archipelago only Tierra del Fuego, located in the south of the mainland, claims to be more or less significant. In terms of area, the continent ranks fourth - 18.3 million km2.
In the study of South America big role played by H. Columbus, A. Vespucci, A. Humboldt.
The relief of South America allows it to be divided into two parts: the mountainous region of the Andes in the west of the continent, narrow strip stretching along the Pacific coast, and a vast plain, with plateaus (Guiana and Brazil) and lowlands (Orinoco, Amazon, La Plata). The Andes, or South American Cordillera, is the longest in the world mountain system, stretching for 9 thousand km from north to south. The Andes separated the continent from the Pacific Ocean with a huge wall. The highest peak of the Andes is Mount Aconcagua (6960 m). Earthquakes occur frequently in the Andes. In May 1960 there was catastrophic earthquake in Chile. Tremors shook the entire coast. In 7 days, 35 cities were destroyed, at least 10 thousand people died. Volcanoes began to erupt, giant waves formed - tsunamis, washing away everything from the coast.
The earth's crust under the plains undergoes slow vibrations; the flat lowlands of South America were formed in its troughs, and plateaus formed in the elevated areas. Vertical movements of the crust were accompanied by its fractures. They divided the plateaus of the mainland into separate massifs, cut by gorges.
The continent is very rich in minerals: oil, iron ore, ores of non-ferrous and precious metals.
South America is the rainiest continent, since most of it is located in equatorial latitudes, where moist air comes from the oceans. The continent is the wettest place on Earth. On the western slopes of the Andes, near their northern end, the rains pour out so much water per year that, without draining, it could cover the ground with a layer of up to 15 meters. But not far from this place is the Atacama Desert. This is one of the driest places on Earth: not a single drop of rain falls there for years. The continent is located in the subequatorial, equatorial, subtropical, tropical and temperate climatic zones.
The largest river on Earth, the Amazon, flows through South America. River basin its area is equal to Australia. The second largest river of the mainland is the Paraná. Flowing from the Brazilian plateau, it forms the Iguazu Falls, 72 m high. It is a whole system of waterfalls stretching for 3 km. Their roar can be heard 20-25 km away. In its lower reaches, the Paraná is called La Plata, which means “silver river” in Spanish. The third largest river on the mainland is the Orinoco. On one of the tributaries of this river is the tallest waterfall in the world - Angel, which means “angel” in Spanish. Its height is 1054 m. South America is rich in lakes. The most remarkable thing is Lake Titicaca. This is the largest alpine lake, located in the Andes. This lake contains more salt than other freshwater lakes, since 45 rivers and streams flow into it, but only one flows out. The water temperature in the lake is constant (+14°C).
The main wealth of the continent is the flora. He gave humanity such valuable crops as potatoes, chocolate trees, and Hevea rubber plants. The main decoration of the mainland is tropical rainforests, where various types of palm trees, melon tree, and ceiba grow. The crowns of trees, grass, and shrubs are located in 12 tiers, and the highest of them sometimes rise above the ground up to 100 m. In South America you rarely see a large animal. Sloths, armadillos, anteaters, exotic birds, snakes, countless hordes of insects - this is the basis of the animal world of this continent. The Amazon rivers are dangerous; they abound with crocodiles and predatory fish piranhas.
More than 300 million people live in South America, and the population consists of indigenous people - Indians, blacks who were brought as slaves from Africa, and Europeans. The mainland's colonial past is reflected in the dominance of Spanish and Portuguese languages and in the socio-economic backwardness of many countries on the continent.
Geographical location: Western Hemisphere, South part America.
Area: 17.65 million sq. km.
Extreme points:
The extreme northern point is Cape Gallinas on the Guajira Peninsula, 12° 28′ N. sh.;
The southernmost point is Cape Forward on the Brunswick Island, 53° 54′ S. sh.;
Westernmost point – Cape Parinhas, 81° 20′ W. d.;
The easternmost point is Cape Cabo Branco, 34° 47′ W. d.
Climate types: subequatorial, equatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate.
Geology: South American Platform.
Relief: the average height of South America is 580 m; the Andes Mountains, the Guiana Highlands, the Brazilian Plateau, the Amazonian Lowland, the Orinoco and Laplata Lowlands, the Patagonia Plateau.
Additional information: South America is washed by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, Caribbean Sea; the largest river in the world, the Amazon, flows here; More than 355 million people live in South America.