Large massifs earth's crust rising above the level of the World Ocean are called continents(or continents). Continents include shallow water coastal zones seas (shelves) and the islands closest to them. Once upon a time, all parts of the world made up one continent - Pangea. And in modern times geological epoch there are six of them, separated by oceans: Eurasia - 55 million km2, Africa - 30 million km2, South America - 18 million km2, North America - 20 million km2, Antarctica - 14 million km2, Australia - 8.5 million sq. km. These figures are rounded and include the area of islands near the continents.
Most big continent- Eurasia. It is washed by all the oceans of the globe and is located in all geographical zones of the northern hemisphere. Within its borders lie two parts of the world - Europe and Asia.
Africa is the second largest continent on Earth. The extreme northern and southern points of the island are located almost the same distance from the equator. The continents of North and South America are located in western hemisphere on both sides of the equator. United by the narrow Isthmus of Panama, they essentially form one continent, strongly elongated along the meridian. Australia is the smallest of the continents, almost entirely located in the hot zone of the southern hemisphere.
Almost in the middle it is crossed by the Southern Tropic.
There are also six parts of the world, but the two continents of America make up one part of the world, and the single continent of Eurasia, on the contrary, is divided into two parts of the world - Europe and Asia.
Most high continent- Antarctica. His average height 2040 m above sea level, the lowest is Europe (300 m above sea level). Asia rises an average of 950 m. In its central part there are the most high mountains Lands - Himalayas highest peak Chomolungma (Everest).
Rivers flow from each continent into the oceans and they discharge the most water into the seas surrounding Eurasia - about 16 km3 per year, and Antarctica (although it almost entirely consists of water, only frozen) and Australia give the least water to the World Ocean - 8 times less than Eurasia.
^ General information about continents
| Name of the continent | Area (thousand km) with islands | ^ Average altitude above sea level (m) | Highest height above sea level (m) | Lowest altitude above sea level (m) |
| Eurasia | 561901 | +840 | +8848 Chomolungma (Everest) | -395 dead sea level |
| Africa | 30320 | +650 | +5895 Mount Kilimanjaro | -153 Lake Assal level |
| North America | 20360 | +720 | +6193 McKinley | -85 Death Valley |
| South America | 18280 | +580 | +6960 Aconcagua | -40 peninsula Valdez |
| Australia | 8890 | +215 | +2230 Kosciuszko | -16 lake level Air |
| Antarctica | 1398 | +2040 | +5140 Vinson Massif | -2555 Bentley's depression |
Test on the topic “Continents of the Earth”
Option 1.
Scientists claim that Antarctica is rich in minerals, but natural features this continent makes it difficult to develop. What are these features? How the level of development of science and technology affects the possibilities of using the resources of Antarctica.
South America: relief, minerals, their connection with the structure of the earth's crust.
Climate of Africa: climate-forming factors, climate zones.
One of global problems modern times - reduction in the area of wet equatorial forests. Why is this problem important not only for individual countries, but also for all humanity?
Option 3.
Rivers North America: differences in the nature of the course, type of nutrition and regime. Economic use rivers, environmental problems
Australia. General physical geographical characteristics.
Option 4.
Eurasia is the largest continent on Earth by area. Using atlas maps, prove that in the location natural complexes In Eurasia, the law of latitudinal zoning appears.
The Sahara nomads say: "In the desert more people died from floods than from heat.” Can you give an explanation for this fact?
Option 5
Compare the regime of two rivers (Amazon and Parana) using maps and explain the reasons for the differences.
Identify the relationship between the tectonic structure, relief and distribution of the main groups of minerals of the Australian mainland.
Option 6.
Arrange the continents in order of their discovery, starting with the earliest.
Comprehensive geographical characteristics of the United States using atlas maps.
Option 7.
Scientists have discovered in rocks, making up Antarctica, the fossilized remains of ferns, forest trees and even dinosaurs. How do you think this can be explained and what a natural phenomenon could be the reason for their death?
Option 8.
1. Describe the geographical location of the North American continent.
2. In one of the Australian states, a geological exploration expedition was organized to search for gold and precious metals. Her journey began in the city of Alice Springs, and the final destination of the route was a point with coordinates 200S. and 1300E. What difficulties did the expedition participants encounter?
Option 9
Why does only one representative of ungulates live in the Amazonian jungle - the tapir? Which natural zone, on the contrary, can be called the “kingdom of ungulates”?
2. As is known, the pole of cold is located in the central part of Antarctica, at a distance of 1260 km from the coast, on the top of an ice dome 3488 m above sea level. It was here, at the Russian inland station "Vostok", on July 21, 1983, that the lowest air temperature on Earth was recorded - 89°C.
Is it possible to say that there is currently no place on the planet below this temperature? Justify your answer.
Option 10.
1. Here is an excerpt from the memoirs of one traveler about his trip to India: “... I made my way between the thorny cactus bushes, from the branches of which predatory anacondas hung, ready to gnaw on the next victim. Against the background of the general monotony, they stood out bright flowers olives - the main food local residents. A couple of times the path was crossed by the tracks of lions and gorillas - terrible enemies of forest bison. A shaggy armadillo ran out of a rotten swamp in the thickets of cypress trees and rushed into the thicket with a stomp. A predatory marsupial bear looked at me from the branches of a local variety of sequoia.”
What errors did you find in the description?
2. Identify the relationship between the tectonic structure, relief and distribution of the main groups of minerals of the South American continent.
Option 11.
1. Are the following statements correct or incorrect?
A. The Equator crosses the territory of Russia.
B. The Equator crosses the territory of Ecuador.
V.Northern Dvina crosses the Arctic Circle.
G. The mouth of the Nizhnyaya Tunguska River lies north of Severny Arctic Circle.
D. The territory of the Republic of Korea is entirely located south of the Tropic of North.
E. The Congo River crosses the Equator.
Climate of North America: climate-forming factors, climate zones.
1. Cross out " white crow" in each of the following rows geographical terms, name them:
A. Taiga, desert, steppe, tundra, soil.
B.Ruslo, flood, oxbow lake, floodplain.
B. Natural gas, coal, gasoline, peat, oil shale.
G. Snow, cyclone, rain, dew, hail, frost.
D. Ridge, plain, desert, hill, highland.
E. Palm, jungle, sequoia, cedar, larch
2.Describe geographical position Africa.
Option 13.
Explain how the living conditions of the following animals are similar: reindeer, saiga, zebra, camel. How did these living conditions affect their appearance?
Climate of South America: climate-forming factors, climate zones.
1. Finnish children from a small village located near the Arctic Circle wanted to correspond with schoolchildren from other countries living in the same area as them geographical latitude. They sent letters to Norway, Sweden, Russia, Canada and the USA. Which country did they forget to write to? What types of transport can a letter be delivered there?
2. Identify the relationship between the tectonic structure, relief and location of the main groups of minerals of the continent of Australia
Option 15.
Where is the climate harsher: the North or South Pole? Why?
Rivers of Africa: differences in the nature of the flow, type of nutrition and regime. Economic use of rivers, environmental problems
Did you know that the Dead Sea has lowest height above sea level and is the lowest point in Eurasia? This natural wonder is also known as the Salt Sea. on his west bank Israel and Palestine are located, and Jordan is in the east. It receives almost all its water from the Jordan River. We have made a selection especially for you interesting facts about the lowest point in Eurasia.
- We traditionally call the lowest point of Eurasia Dead Sea. However, it has nothing to do with the sea - in fact it is a lake.
- The Dead Sea is the world's deepest salt lake, reaching a depth of 306 meters.
- The Dead Sea has the greatest depth relative to sea level on the planet. Its banks and water surface located at an altitude of 427 meters below sea level, making it the lowest altitude point on Earth.
- The Dead Sea is one of the saltiest lakes in the world. The salt concentration in it is 33.7%. But this does not make it the saltiest body of water, because the Caspian Sea lagoon Kara-Bogaz-Gol contains 35% salt, Lake Assal in the central part of Western Djibouti - 34.8%, Lake Wanda of Antarctica - 35% and Don Juan Pond, located in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica – 44%!
- The length and width of the Dead Sea can be measured. The widest point reaches 15 km, and the total length of the lake is 50 km.
- Its salinity is much higher than that of the ordinary sea - 9.6 times compared to the oceans, and contains a very high concentration of sodium chloride along with other minerals.
- Due to the extreme salinity, no life form can live in its waters. This is why the lake is known to the world as the Dead Sea. However, during the monsoon season, the salinity decreases, making the water suitable for some bacteria.
- The Dead Sea is useful for relaxation and treatment. The pollen count in this lake is very low. It does not contain other allergens. Also, the Dead Sea is home to various types mineral.
- Ultraviolet radiation is significantly reduced near the lake. Atmosphere pressure is tall due to its low height. These factors together make it beneficial to human health.
- Very unusual phenomenon, known since antiquity, comes from the Dead Sea. For several thousand years, it constantly spits out asphalt, which was used in Ancient Egypt for mummification. Because of this unusual phenomenon, the Greeks called the Dead Sea Lake Asphaltites.
- Water never flows out of the lake because it is surrounded by land on three sides. The only open side is the route that brings water to the Dead Sea from the Jordan.
- Unlike ours table salt, its salt is very bitter. This bitter salt helps heal various diseases skin conditions such as psoriasis, cellulite, acne, acne. Salt also helps reduce stress levels, eliminate dandruff and muscle pain, reduce painful sensations caused by osteoarthritis. It is also used to treat rhinosinusitis.
- The lake is located in the Great Rift Valley. This location increases its attractiveness because rift valley is a natural wonder in itself: it passes through 20 countries and is the longest in the world.
- The lake is the main source of potassium used worldwide in agriculture.
- The area around the Dead Sea consists of 618 acres of date palms.
- 50% of the local economy is derived from agricultural products in the Dead Sea area.
- A large number of bird species live in the lake area throughout the year.
- Throughout the year, the climate in this natural wonder remains dry and sunny. The annual precipitation is 50 mm.
- The Dead Sea is a prehistoric lake whose history dates back between 2 and 3.7 million years.
- The Dead Sea was one of my favorite places. She loved the lake so much that resorts and cosmetic factories were to be built along its shores.
- The lake is mentioned more than once in the Bible. Bible scriptures John the Baptist is also closely associated with the Dead Sea. The Bible also says that there will come a day when it will return to life.
- Mentions of him can also be found in the works.
- According to legend, King David, hiding from King Saul, took refuge off the shores of the Dead Sea.
- For Herod the Great it became the world's first sanatorium.
- Today, minerals and salts from the Dead Sea are widely used to make cosmetics and medicines.
- Many centuries ago it was known as the “Smelly Sea”. The lake received such an unpleasant nickname due to large quantity dirt in the pool bed.
There is one more thing that is definitely worth mentioning. Have you ever heard people say, “No one can drown in the Dead Sea”? This is absolutely true, but it does not mean that a person cannot drown. The Dead Sea is extremely salty.
The high concentration of salt makes the water density in the Dead Sea 1,240 kg/l. This is many times greater than the density human body. As a result, a person can stay afloat in the waters of a salt lake and will never drown due to his natural buoyancy. Feeling safe already?
Enough high density water makes any movement on it very difficult. As long as you float in the sea on your back, admiring the clear azure sky, you are completely safe. All you have to do at this time is keep your head above water. But if you roll over onto your chest, you find yourself in great danger. A fairly experienced and physically strong swimmer can easily roll over onto his back. But a bad swimmer cannot return to initial position.
Finding yourself face-first in the water puts your life in great danger. If you choke on this deadly solution, you may find yourself between life and death. A huge concentration of salt in the body destroys its electrolyte balance and thereby completely destroys the functions of the kidneys, adrenal glands and heart.
If we consider drowning from the point of view of complete immersion of the body in water, it is impossible to drown. And if from the side of consequences, then it’s possible. In any case, there is nothing critical about swimming in the salty waters of the lake. You just need to follow all precautions and everything will be fine.
The best in terms of geography.
Land surface - 149.1 million sq. km. Water surface - 361.2 million sq. km. The average height of land above ocean level is 875 m. The average depth of the World Ocean is 3800 m. The age of the earth is 4.7 billion years.
Equator length - 40,075,696 m Meridian length - 40,008,550 m Average radius of the Earth, taken as a sphere - 6378.15 km
The largest continent on Earth is Eurasia, its area is 50.6 million km2.
Most small continent Lands - Australia. Its area is 7.6 million km2, which is 7 times less area Eurasia.
The most northern point sushi is located on the Eurasian mainland. This is Cape Chelyuskin (77°43").
The most southern point — South Pole in Antarctica.
The highest average height of the continent above sea level is in Antarctica with ice shelves - 2040 m.
The average land height above sea level is 875 m.
The average depth of the world's oceans is 3800 m.
The highest land height above ocean level is Mount Chomolungma (Everest) - 8848 m.
The greatest depth of the world's oceans is the Mariana Trench - 11,022 m.
The highest air temperature was observed in the Tripoli area ( North Africa): +58 °С; in Death Valley (USA, California): +56.7 "N.
Most low temperature air was observed in Antarctica at the Vostok station: -89.2 °C; in the Oymyakon area: -71 °C.
Lowest average annual quantity precipitation falls in the areas of Dakhla (Egypt) - 1 mm; Iquica (Chile) - 3 mm. The highest average annual precipitation falls in the regions of Cherrapunji (India) - 10,854 mm; Debunja (Cameroon) - 9655 mm.
The largest island on Earth is Greenland - 2176 thousand km2.
The most long river— Nile (with Kagera) — 6671 km.
The most high point Earth - the peak of Chomolungma, or Everest, - 8848 m above sea level and the lowest - coast of the Dead sea, lying 408 m below sea level; located on the Eurasian continent.
Most cold continent Lands - Antarctica. Here at earth's surface the lowest temperature was observed.
The hottest continent is Africa. Africa has the largest daily temperature fluctuations - more than 50 ° C in the Sahara region.
The largest annual amplitude of temperature fluctuations is in Eurasia. Here, in Oymyakon, is the pole of cold Northern Hemisphere. Frosts in winter sometimes reach -70 °C, average January temperature: -50 °C, average July temperature: + 18.8 °C. Nowhere in the world is there such a warm summer at such a latitude.
The most large lowland The Amazonian land (area over 5 million km2) is located in South America.
The highest waterfall in the world is Angel on the Churun River (Guinea Plateau, Venezuela). Its height is twenty centimeters one more time bigger than Niagara Falls. It is a foamy white column of water more than a kilometer high, which falls into the abyss. Before reaching approximately 300 m of the bottom of the abyss, this stream turns into water dust, settling on the stones in a continuous rain.
The highest volcano is Llullaillaco (in South America) - 6723 m above sea level.
The most big lake— Caspian; its area is 371 thousand km2.
The deepest lake is Baikal; its depth is 1620 m.
The largest and most abundant river on Earth is the Amazon. The area of its basin could accommodate the entire continent of Australia. It collects from this basin as much water as 28 rivers such as the Volga can collect. Its amazing feature - high water throughout the year - is explained by the fact that the rainy season at the basin of the left and right tributaries occurs alternately, since they are located respectively in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
The largest and highest plateau is the Tibetan Plateau (area about 2 million km2, average height - 4000 m above sea level) - located in Eurasia.
The wettest place on Earth is Cherrapunji: annual precipitation is about 12 thousand mm; a village in North-East India, located on the Shillong plateau (at an altitude of 1300 m above sea level).
One of the deepest canyons in the world is the Grand Canyon of Colorado in the USA, its length is 320 km, depth - 1800 m, width - from 8 to 25 km.
Mammoth Cave on the Cumberland Plateau in the USA - unique natural object. the largest karst cave in the world. This is a complex five-tier system of cavities up to 300 m deep, with a total length of 240 km. In the explored part of the cave there are rivers, waterfalls, lakes and even “seas”, many stalactites and stalagmites.
The record holder among geysers is the Giant Geyser in Yellowstone. national park USA. The height of the column of boiling water that this geyser throws out reaches 91 m!
Lake Chad is unique in Africa. Over the history of its existence, it has changed its shape and size many times. Although this lake is drainless, it is fresh, since there is an underground drainage that feeds groundwater adjacent territory.
At the equator, day is always equal to night, and the Sun is at its zenith twice a year - on the day of the spring and on the day of the autumn equinox.
The North Pole is the only point in the Northern Hemisphere that does not participate in daily rotation Earth around its axis. Any point on the Earth's surface is always located in relation to it only in the southern direction.
The longest day - the polar one - lasts from the spring to autumn equinox, when the Sun does not fall below the horizon, i.e. summer period time. IN Southern Hemisphere Polar day occurs when winter sets in in the Northern Hemisphere.
The longest night - the polar night - lasts six months at the North Pole, replacing the polar day.
The Valley of Geysers, located in the valley of the Geysernaya River in Kamchatka, holds the record for the number of large and small geysers. There are more than a hundred of them here! The water temperature in the geysers is from +94 to +99 °C, the duration of the water eruption is from 1 to 20 minutes. Most big geyser— A giant, the height of its fountain reaches 50 m, the column of steam above it rises above 400 m. Due to endless eruptions, the entire valley is in clouds of steam. This unique valley was discovered in 1941 by geologist T.I. Ustinova.
Equatorial rain forests are different from others natural areas the fact that here every day combines spring, summer and autumn, since leaves or flowers bloom on some trees, fruits grow and ripen on others, and others shed their leaves. These regions of the Earth are characterized by almost complete absence seasonal rhythms natural processes, constantly high temperatures and precipitation.
The record holder among trees in size and age are sequoias. This is the tallest giant tree on Earth, reaching a height of one hundred meters or more, and a diameter of 6-10 m. Sequoias live up to 2 thousand years, and sometimes up to 4 thousand. The homeland of these trees is North America.
A unique pump tree is eucalyptus. Planted in swampy areas, they contribute to their rapid drainage. Thanks to its valuable wood and ability to rapid growth Eucalyptus trees are grown in almost all countries of the subtropical and tropical zones. The homeland of eucalyptus is Australia. There are more than 500 species of eucalyptus in Australia and Tasmania.
The Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia is the largest structure created by living things on Earth. The Great Barrier Reef is a huge strip stretching for 2000 km, reaching a width of 150 km.
On globe More than 2,900 coal deposits and basins are known. “Champion” in coal resources - Tunguska basin - 2.2 trillion. tons, followed by Lensky - 1.6 trillion. tons The reserves of the five giant basins exceed 0.5 trillion. tons (Kuznetsk, Kansko-Achinsk, Taimyr, Appalachian, Alta-Amazona).
The thickest coal seam (450 m) is located in the Canadian Hat Creek field, in second place is the Latros Valley basin in Australia (330 m), and in third place is Ekibastuz in Kazakhstan (200 m). Scientists have found that plant material, when transitioning into fossil coal compacts 20 times. This means that the formation of the coal seam at Hat Creek required a nine-kilometer layer of plant debris.
From 1 ton of coal, approximately 500 kg of coke is obtained, which ensures the smelting of 1 ton of pig iron