The largest continent is Eurasia. Its area is 54,759,000 km² - this is approximately 36% of the landmass. It contains two whole parts of the world - Europe and Asia. There are 4 of them here, including the largest - Russia, which occupies 30% of the territory of Eurasia. 75% of the world's population lives in Eurasia in 102 states. Here is located - Chomolungma (Everest)
Eurasia is the largest continent on planet Earth
Part of the world - regions of land that include continents or large parts of them along with nearby islands.
The second largest continent by area is Africa. Its area is 30,221,532 km² - this is approximately 20% of the landmass. There are 55 countries in Africa, the largest of which is Algeria, one of the 10 largest. Africa has the largest number.
Africa is the second largest continent by area
The third largest continent by area is North America. Area - 24,250,000 km² (16% of land). North America is home to 23 countries, home to just over half a billion people. 2 North American countries (Canada and the USA) are among the 10 largest.
North America is the third largest continent by area
The fourth largest continent by area is South America. Area - 17,840,000 km² (just under 12% of the land area). South America is home to 12 countries, home to almost 400 million people. 2 South American countries (Argentina and Brazil) are among the ten largest.
South America is the fourth largest continent by area
Antarctica is the continent with the highest proportion of Russian citizens - from 4% in summer to 10% in winter, in Eurasia only - 3%
Antarctica is the fifth largest continent by area
The sixth and last continent by area is Australia. Area - 7,659,861 km² (5% of the land area). There is only one country on the mainland - Australia, whose population is only 23 million people.
Australia is the smallest continent by area
How to easily remember the order of reduction of continents
In order to remember in what descending order the continents are located, it is enough to imagine how they are located on the map and remember this diagram:
Continents in decreasing order - from largest to smallest
Before finding out which continent is the largest, you need to decide what, in fact, the very concept of “continent” is. In fact, there is no strict definition - this is what a significant land mass is called. There are many islands in the world, but if you look at the world map, particularly large territories surrounded by the World Ocean immediately stand out. These are the continents, and there are six of them in the world - Antarctica, North and South America, Africa, Australia and Eurasia. Although in European countries it is believed that there are five continents, North and South America are considered one continent.
At first, when “God created the earth,” or rather, in the youth of our planet, there was only one continent - Pangea. Geophysicist Alfred Wegener reported this back in 1912. He also suggested that all modern continents are fragments of Pangea, which have moved away from each other over billions of years, because the lithospheric plates, parts of the earth’s crust, are constantly in motion. At first this theory was not taken seriously, but in 1968, both geophysicists and geologists finally came to agreement. The speed of movement of the continents, and even their direction, was not only proven, but also measured. Continents, according to measurements, move at a speed of 6 - 8 centimeters per year.
Pangea, having split about 200 million years ago, did not form all the modern continents. From it only two large pieces emerged - the continents - Laurasia and Gondwana. And only 180 million years ago, during the Jurassic period, they split into smaller parts. From Laurasia came North America and Eurasia, and from Gondwana came Hindustan, a single continent with South America and Africa, and a single Antarctica with Australia. By the way, South America later separated from Africa and joined the united Australia and Antarctica. And only very recently it connected with North America, so these two continents have practically nothing in common either in flora or fauna. Everything developed on them in its own way; mixing occurred only in the modern era.
The largest continent, which came out of all these “stray” pieces - Eurasia. Ancient Laurasia gave birth to two continents - Eurasia and North America. And although over time Greenland moved away from Eurasia, an even larger Hindustan joined, which was also once a separate continent.
As a result, the territory of Eurasia is the largest of the modern continents - almost 54 million square kilometers, or more than a third of all land on Earth. It is in Eurasia that about 75% of the population of our planet lives. It contains the most populated states - China and India. Russia too, by the way.
The name “Eurasia” itself comes, as you might guess, from two words – “Europe” and “Asia”. At different times, the continent was called differently - simply Asia, and Europe-Asia. The ancient Greeks called the land east of the Bosphorus Asia, and to the west - Europe. The name “Eurasia” was first used by geologist Eduard Suess in 1883. Since then this name has become generally accepted.
The name suggests that there are two parts of the world on the mainland - Europe and Asia. Indeed, they are separated historically, although there is no strict division between them - they are one continent. The “border” was drawn along the Ural Mountains, the northwestern shore of the Caspian Sea, the eastern and southern shores of the Black Sea, and further along the Bosporus Strait and to the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Eurasia from Africa.
Europe and Asia have differences in climate, flora and fauna, geological structure, and finally, even the cultures of the population are different. In Asia, most of the territory is occupied by mountains and plateaus, while in Europe there are relatively few mountains. The Tibetan Plateau is the highest on Earth, with the world's highest peak, Everest, located in Asia. The deepest lake, Baikal, is also located in Asia.
Eurasia is washed by four oceans - the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic and Arctic. No continent can boast of this anymore. The vast territory of the continent is the reason for the very different climate on its territory - from polar to tropical.
Russia occupies a huge part of Eurasia, although its population is not very large. Most of the territory of Russia is occupied by inaccessible and difficult to develop northern regions. On the territory of Russia there is the largest natural zone - Siberia. Its vast territory has many undiscovered riches and unexplored territories.
Each continent has its own unique properties. But Eurasia, as the largest, has the most of them. And although it would seem that they began to study the world with her, it will not be possible to comprehend all the secrets very soon.
A continent is a significant landmass washed by seas and oceans. In tectonics, continents are characterized as sections of the lithosphere that have a continental structure.
Continent, continent or part of the world? What is the difference?
In geography, another term is often used to designate a continent - a continent. But the concepts “mainland” and “continent” are not synonymous. Different countries have different views on the number of continents, called continental models.
There are several such models:
- In China, India, as well as in the English-speaking countries of Europe, it is generally accepted that there are 7 continents - they consider Europe and Asia separately;
- In Spanish-speaking European countries, as well as in the countries of South America, they mean division into 6 parts of the world - with a united America;
- in Greece and some countries of Eastern Europe, a model with 5 continents has been adopted - only those where people live, i.e. except Antarctica;
- in Russia and the neighboring Eurasian countries they traditionally designate 4 continents, united in large groups.
(The figure clearly shows different representations of continental patterns on Earth, from 7 to 4)
Continents
There are 6 continents in total on Earth. We list them in descending order by area size:
- - the largest continent on our planet (54.6 million sq. km)
- (30.3 million sq. km)
- (24.4 million sq. km)
- (17.8 million sq. km)
- (14.1 million sq. km)
- (7.7 million sq. km)
All of them are separated by the waters of the seas and oceans. Four continents have a land border: Eurasia and Africa are separated by the Isthmus of Suez, North and South America by the Isthmus of Panama.
Continents
The difference is that the continents do not have a land border. Therefore, in this case we can talk about 4 continents ( one of the continental models of the world), also in descending order by size:
- AfroEurasia
- America
Parts of the world
The terms “mainland” and “continent” have a scientific meaning, but the term “part of the world” divides the land according to historical and cultural criteria. There are 6 parts of the world, only unlike the continents, Eurasia differs in Europe And Asia, but North and South America are defined together as one part of the world America:
- Europe
- Asia
- America(both Northern and Southern), or New World
- Australia and Oceania
When we talk about parts of the world, we also mean the islands adjacent to them.
Difference between a mainland and an island
The definition of a continent and an island is the same - a part of land washed by the waters of the ocean or seas. But there are significant differences.
1. Size. Even the smallest continent, Australia, is significantly larger in area than the world's largest island, Greenland.
(Formation of the Earth's continents, a single continent Pangea)
2. Education. All continents are of tiled origin. According to scientists, there once existed a single continent - Pangea. Then, as a result of the split, 2 continents appeared - Gondwana and Laurasia, which later split into 6 more parts. The theory is confirmed by both geological research and the shape of the continents. Many of them can be put together like a puzzle.
Islands are formed in different ways. There are those that, like continents, are located on the fragments of ancient lithospheric plates. Others are formed from volcanic lava. Still others are a result of the activity of polyps (coral islands).
3. Habitability. All continents are inhabited, even the harsh climatic conditions of Antarctica. Many islands still remain uninhabited.
Characteristics of the continents
- the largest continent, occupying 1/3 of the land. There are 2 parts of the world located here: Europe and Asia. The border between them runs along the line of the Ural Mountains, the Black and Azov Seas, as well as the straits connecting the Black and Mediterranean Seas.
This is the only continent that is washed by all the oceans. The coastline is indented; it forms a large number of bays, peninsulas, and islands. The continent itself is located on six tectonic platforms at once, and therefore the relief of Eurasia is incredibly diverse.
Here are the most extensive plains, the highest mountains (the Himalayas with Mount Everest), the deepest lake (Baikal). This is the only continent where all climatic zones (and, accordingly, all natural zones) are represented at once - from the Arctic with its permafrost to the equatorial with its sultry deserts and jungles.
The mainland is home to ¾ of the planet's population; there are 108 states, of which 94 have independent status.
- the hottest continent on Earth. It is located on an ancient platform, so most of the area is occupied by plains, mountains form along the edges of the continent. Africa is home to the longest river in the world, the Nile, and the largest desert, the Sahara. Climate types present on the mainland: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical and subtropical.
Africa is usually divided into five regions: North, South, West, East and Central. There are 62 countries on the mainland.
It is washed by the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans. The result of the movement of tectonic plates was a highly indented coastline of the mainland, with a huge number of bays, straits, bays and islands. The largest island is in the north (Greenland).
The Cordillera Mountains stretch along the western coast, and the Appalachians along the eastern coast. The central part is occupied by a vast plain.
All climatic zones are represented here, except the equatorial one, which determines the diversity of natural zones. Most rivers and lakes are located in the northern part. The largest river is the Mississippi.
The indigenous population is Indians and Eskimos. Currently, there are 23 states here, of which only three (Canada, USA and Mexico) are on the mainland itself, the rest are on the islands.
It is washed by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Along the western coast stretches the longest mountain system in the world - the Andes, or South American Cordillera. The rest of the continent is occupied by plateaus, plains and lowlands.
This is the rainiest continent, since most of it is located in the equator. The largest and most abundant river in the world, the Amazon, is also located here.
The indigenous population are Indians. Currently, there are 12 independent states on the mainland.
- the only continent on whose territory there is only 1 state - the Commonwealth of Australia. Most of the continent is occupied by plains, mountains are located only along the coast.
Australia is a unique continent with the largest number of endemic animals and plants. The indigenous population is the Australian Aborigines, or Bushmen.
- the southernmost continent completely covered with ice. The average thickness of the ice cover is 1600 m, the greatest thickness is 4000 meters. If the ice in Antarctica melted, the level of the world's oceans would immediately rise by 60 meters!
Most of the continent is occupied by an icy desert; life glimmers only on the coasts. Antarctica is also the coldest continent. In winter, temperatures can drop below -80 ºC (record -89.2 ºC), in summer - down to -20 ºC.
Guess which continent is the largest on Earth? The answer is very simple - this is Eurasia, which is the largest continent in the world, both in size and population. But what about the other continents: North America and South America? Here you will learn the area and population of these continents, as well as some interesting facts about each of them.
Distribution of the Earth's continents by area
If we take into account the area of the territory, then all the continents of the world, from largest to smallest, are located in the following order:
- Eurasia: about 55,000,000 square kilometers (21,000,000 sq mi), of which Asia accounts for approximately 44,391,162 square kilometers (17,139,445 sq mi) and Europe approximately 10,354,636 square kilometers (3,997,929 sq mi);
- Africa: 30,244,049 square kilometers (11,677,239 sq mi);
- North America: 24,247,039 square kilometers (9,361,791 sq mi);
- South America: 17,821,029 square kilometers (6,880,706 sq mi);
- Antarctica: 14,245,000 square kilometers (about 5,500,000 square miles);
- Australia: 7,686,884 square kilometers (2,967,909 sq mi).
Distribution of the Earth's continents by population
If we take into account population size, the distribution of the continents of our planet, from most to least populated, is as follows:
- Eurasia: more than 5.2 billion people, of which about 4.5 billion live in Asia and about 742 million in Europe;
- Africa: more than 1.2 billion people;
- North America: about 575 million people (including in Central America and the Caribbean);
- South America: more than 420 million people;
- Australia: about 23.2 million people;
- Antarctica: there are no permanent residents, but approximately 5,000 researchers and workers live in the summer and about 1,000 in the winter.
In addition, more than 15 million people do not live on mainland territory. Almost all of these people live in the island countries of Oceania, which is a region of the world but not a continent. Drawing a conclusion from the lists presented above, Eurasia is the leader among all the continents of the world, both in area and in population.
Some interesting facts about each continent
- Eurasia includes the largest and smallest countries in the world. Russia is the largest with an area of over 17 million square kilometers, while the Vatican City, with an area of 0.44 square kilometers, is the smallest state on the planet. Asia contains the highest and lowest points on Earth. Mount Everest is the highest point on the planet - 8,848 meters above sea level. The lowest point is the Dead Sea, which is 430 meters below sea level.
- Africa is home to the longest river in the world, the Nile. It extends approximately 6,853 km from Sudan to the Mediterranean Sea.
- North America has the largest freshwater lake in the world by area - Lake Superior. It is part of
What continents are there on the planet?
Those for whom the school geography course was not in vain remember that there are only six continents on our planet: Eurasia, Australia, Antarctica, North America and South America. Which of them is the largest and what is its area?
The continent is a huge expanse of land that is washed by seas and oceans. The word “continent” is also used to designate it. The boundaries between continents on earth pass along isthmuses: between North and South America - along the Isthmus of Panama, between Asia and Africa - along the Suez Canal.
The largest continent is Eurasia, which is washed by 4 oceans at once: Indian (south), Arctic (north), Pacific (east) and Atlantic (west). Eurasia is located in the Northern Hemisphere, but some of the islands belonging to it are located in the Southern Hemisphere.
The area occupied by the largest continent on Earth is 3.3 million km², which is more than 1/3 of the planet's total land area, or, more precisely, 36%. The area of all the islands of Eurasia is almost 2.5 million km².
From a geological point of view, the largest continent is different from all other continents. It is composed of several platforms and plates that were formed during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic periods, which suggests that Eurasia is also the youngest of the six continents. In addition, on the territory of Eurasia there is an incredible number of fairly large faults, as well as cracks, which are concentrated mainly in Siberia, Tibet and other areas.
The continent's topography is extremely diverse; the largest mountain systems and plains in the world (West Siberian Plain, East European Plain, Tibetan Plateau) are located in Eurasia.
Highest continent
In addition, Eurasia is also the highest continent: its average height is 830 m. The highest mountains, the Himalayas, are also located in Eurasia, and the mountain systems of the Himalayas, Tien Shan, Pamir, Hindu Kush, etc. form the largest mountain region on the planet . In general, the mountains of this continent, together with its plateaus, occupy almost 65% of the entire territory of the continent. There are active volcanoes in Iceland, Kamchatka, some islands of Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean Sea, as well as some other areas.
The relief of some mountainous and northern regions of the continent was affected by ancient glaciation, as a result of which almost 11 million km² are occupied by permafrost (mainly in Siberia). In the highlands, in Iceland and on the Arctic islands, glaciers remain. In the northeast of the continent, in Oymyakon, as well as Verkhoyansk, there are poles of cold.
Other continental records include: the deepest lake - Baikal, the largest lake - the Caspian Sea, the largest peninsula - the Arabian, the highest mountain - Chomolungma, the largest geographical area - Siberia and the lowest point - the depression in the Dead Sea.
Eurasia is the only continent on which absolutely all climatic zones and climatic zones are represented, as well as all natural zones, which is due, first of all, to the incredibly large size of the continent, as well as its length. And all 4 types of air masses dominate here.
Eurasia is also the most populated continent. According to 2010 data, more than 4.7 billion people live here, which is almost 3/4 of the entire population of the Earth. The largest continent on Earth is also distinguished by the diversity of the peoples inhabiting it. Basically, all peoples belong to one of two races - Caucasian (residents of Europe, most of India and South-West Asia) or Mongoloid (all inhabitants of Asia except the South-Western part). In general, the racial and ethnic composition of Eurasia is quite diverse and this is connected, first of all, with the centuries-old migration of people that occurred as a result of wars, aggressive campaigns, natural disasters, etc. The most numerous nationality is the Chinese.
Population of Eurasia
On the largest continent, as well as the adjacent islands, there are two largest countries in terms of population - China and India. In addition, there are five countries in Eurasia, each with a population well over 100 million people: Russia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Japan and Indonesia.