Continents, oceans and the world's countries

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What is a continent?

A continent is a large terrestrial geographical region, generally identified by convention rather than strict criteria.
A continent can be a single large landmass, a landmass with nearby islands on or beyond its continental shelf, or part of a larger landmass (as with Asia and Europe within Eurasia).
Because definitions vary, the number of continents ranges from as few as four to as many as seven.
Most English-speaking countries recognise seven continents.
In order from largest to smallest in area, the seven are: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia (also called Oceania or Australasia).
Some schemes merge continents: Asia and Europe become Eurasia; North America and South America become the Americas; Africa, Asia and Europe become Afro-Eurasia.

The seven continents

Asia is the largest continent by area.
Africa is the second largest and is joined to Asia by land.
North America and South America are joined by a narrow land bridge.
Antarctica is the coldest continent and lies around the South Pole.
Europe is joined to Asia, forming the western part of Eurasia.
Australia is the smallest continent, at about 7,617,930 square kilometres.
Oceania is a geographical region that groups Australia with many Pacific island countries and territories.

Oceans and seas

Earth's major landmasses all have coasts on a single, continuous World Ocean.
The World Ocean is divided into several principal oceanic components by the continents and other geographic criteria.
The five oceans are the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern (Antarctic) and Arctic.
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean.
The Atlantic Ocean separates the Americas from Europe and Africa.
The Indian Ocean lies between Africa, Asia and Australia.
The Arctic Ocean surrounds the North Pole, and the Southern Ocean surrounds Antarctica.

Lines of latitude and longitude

The Equator is an imaginary line of latitude at 0° that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
The Tropic of Cancer is at about 23.5°N, and the Tropic of Capricorn is at about 23.5°S.
The Arctic Circle is at about 66.5°N, and the Antarctic Circle is at about 66.5°S.
The Prime Meridian is the line of longitude at 0° that divides Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
Lines of latitude run east–west and measure distance north or south of the Equator.
Lines of longitude run north–south and measure distance east or west of the Prime Meridian.

Hemispheres

The Equator divides Earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere.
The Prime Meridian divides Earth into the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere.
The Northern Hemisphere contains most of the world's land and population.
The Southern Hemisphere contains Antarctica, Australia, most of South America and part of Africa.
The Western Hemisphere includes North and South America; the Eastern Hemisphere includes Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Locating major features

Major countries include Russia, Canada, China, the United States, Brazil, Australia and India.
Capital cities include London (United Kingdom), Washington, D.C. (United States), Beijing (China), Moscow (Russia), Brasília (Brazil), Canberra (Australia) and New Delhi (India).
Major mountain ranges include the Himalayas (Asia), the Andes (South America), the Rockies (North America) and the Alps (Europe).
Major rivers include the Nile (Africa), the Amazon (South America), the Yangtze (Asia) and the Mississippi (North America).
Major deserts include the Sahara (Africa), the Arabian (Asia), the Gobi (Asia) and the Kalahari (Africa).
Continental Europe (often called 'the Continent' in Britain) means mainland Europe, excluding islands such as Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland and Malta.
The continental United States refers to the 49 states on the continent of North America (including Alaska but excluding Hawaii) plus the District of Columbia.

Time zones

Time zones exist because Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours.
As Earth rotates, different places face the Sun at different times, so local time varies.
The world is divided into about 24 time zones, each roughly 15° of longitude wide.
The Prime Meridian (0° longitude) is the reference line for Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Crossing a time zone boundary means changing your clock by one hour, usually forwards when travelling east and backwards when travelling west.
Some countries use half-hour or quarter-hour offsets, and some large countries such as Russia and the United States span many time zones.

Geological ideas about continents

In geology, a continent is one of Earth's major landmasses, including both dry land and continental shelves.
Geological continents correspond to seven large areas of continental crust found on tectonic plates.
Small continental fragments such as Madagascar are called microcontinents.
Continental crust is only known to exist on Earth.
The geological definition of a continent has four criteria: high elevation relative to the ocean floor; a wide range of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks rich in silica; a crust thicker than the surrounding oceanic crust; and well-defined limits around a large enough area.
The idea of continental drift gained recognition in the 20th century.
Continental drift proposes that today's continents formed from the break-up of a supercontinent called Pangaea, which formed hundreds of millions of years ago.

The word 'continent'

The English noun continent comes from the 16th-century term continent land, meaning continuous or connected land, translated from the Latin terra continens.
It was first used to mean 'a connected or continuous tract of land' or 'mainland'.
In the 17th century it was applied to relatively small areas, such as the 'continents' of the Isle of Man, Ireland and Wales, and in 1745 to Sumatra.
The word was used in translating Greek and Latin writings about the three 'parts' of the world, though those languages had no exact equivalent word.
In the mid-17th century, Peter Heylin wrote that 'A Continent is a great quantity of Land, not separated by any Sea from the rest of the World'.
In 1727, Ephraim Chambers wrote that 'The world is ordinarily divided into two grand continents: the Old and the New'.
In 1752, Emanuel Bowen defined a continent as 'a large space of dry land comprehending many countries all joined together, without any separation by water'.
The old idea of Europe, Asia and Africa as separate 'parts' of the world eventually persisted, and they are now regarded as separate continents.

Slides

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Practice questions

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1.How many continents do most English-speaking countries recognise?
Easy
- AFour
- BFive
- CSix
- DSeven
2.Which is the largest continent by area?
Easy
- AAfrica
- BAsia
- CNorth America
- DEurope
3.Which is the smallest continent by area?
Easy
- AEurope
- BAntarctica
- CAustralia
- DSouth America
4.Which ocean lies between Africa and Australia?
Easy
- AAtlantic Ocean
- BIndian Ocean
- CPacific Ocean
- DSouthern Ocean
5.Which line of latitude passes through the centre of the Earth?
Easy
- ATropic of Cancer
- BPrime Meridian
- CEquator
- DArctic Circle
6.What is the name of the supercontinent that began to break up to form today's continents?
Easy
- AEurasia
- BPangaea
- CGondwana
- DLaurasia
7.Which of these is a continent according to most English-speaking countries?
Medium
- AGreenland
- BAntarctica
- CMadagascar
- DSumatra
8.Why do time zones exist?
Medium
- ABecause the Earth rotates on its axis
- BBecause the Earth revolves around the Sun
- CBecause the Earth is tilted
- DBecause the Moon orbits the Earth

Revision notes

## Continents, Oceans and the World's Countries ### Continents - A **continent** is a large terrestrial geographical region, identified by **convention** rather than strict criteria. - Most English-speaking countries recognise **seven continents**. In order from largest to smallest in area: **Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Australia** (or Oceania/Australasia). - Different definitions merge continents: **Eurasia** (Asia + Europe), the **Americas** (North + South America), **Afro-Eurasia** (Africa + Asia + Europe). - **Oceania** groups most Pacific island countries and territories with Australia. - **Geological definition**: a continent is "one of Earth's major landmasses, including both dry land and continental shelves". Geological continents correspond to seven large areas of continental crust on tectonic plates; small fragments like Madagascar are **microcontinents**. - Geological criteria: high elevation relative to the ocean floor; a wide range of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks rich in silica; a crust thicker than surrounding oceanic crust; well-defined limits around a large enough area. - **Continental drift**: continents formed from the break-up of the supercontinent **Pangaea** hundreds of millions of years ago. ### Oceans - Earth's major landmasses all have coasts on a single, continuous **World Ocean**, divided into several principal oceanic components by the continents and geographic criteria. - The **five oceans** are the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern (Antarctic) and Arctic. ### Lines of latitude and longitude - **Equator**: 0° latitude, divides Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres. - **Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn**: 23.5°N and 23.5°S. - **Arctic and Antarctic Circles**: 66.5°N and 66.5°S. - **Prime Meridian**: 0° longitude, divides Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres. ### Locating places - Be able to locate major **countries, capital cities, mountain ranges, rivers and deserts**. - **Time zones** exist because Earth rotates; different longitudes experience noon at different times. ### Key distinctions - **Continental Europe** ("the Continent") = mainland Europe, excluding islands such as Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland and Malta. - **Continent of Australia** may mean mainland Australia, excluding New Guinea, Tasmania and nearby islands. - **Continental United States** = the 49 states on the continent of North America (including Alaska but excluding Hawaii) plus the District of Columbia. - **Greenland** (2,166,086 km²) is the world's largest **island**; **Australia** (7,617,930 km²) is the smallest **continent**.

Continent: A large terrestrial geographical region, generally identified by convention rather than strict criteria; could be a single large landmass, a landmass and nearby islands on or beyond its continental shelf, or part of a larger landmass.
Seven continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia (or Oceania or Australasia), in order from largest to smallest in area.
Eurasia: The merging of Asia and Europe into one continent.
Afro-Eurasia: The merging of Africa, Asia, and Europe into one continent.
Oceania: The geographical region formed by grouping most island countries and territories in the Pacific Ocean with the continent of Australia.
Geological continent: "One of Earth's major landmasses, including both dry land and continental shelves"; corresponds to seven large areas of continental crust found on tectonic plates, excluding microcontinents such as Madagascar.
Microcontinent: A small continental fragment, such as Madagascar, that is generally not counted as a full continent.
Continental drift: The idea, recognised in the 20th century, that current continents formed from the breaking up of a supercontinent (Pangaea) that formed hundreds of millions of years ago.
Pangaea: The supercontinent from whose break-up the current continents formed.
World Ocean: The single, continuous ocean on which Earth's major landmasses all have coasts; divided into several principal oceanic components by the continents and various geographic criteria.
Equator: The line of 0° latitude that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn: The lines of latitude at 23.5°N and 23.5°S respectively.
Arctic and Antarctic Circles: The lines of latitude at 66.5°N and 66.5°S respectively.
Prime Meridian: The line of 0° longitude that divides Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
Hemisphere: A half of Earth, such as the Northern, Southern, Eastern or Western Hemisphere.
Time zones: Zones of the world with the same standard time, existing because Earth rotates and different longitudes experience noon at different times.
Continental Europe: Mainland Europe, excluding islands such as Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland, and Malta; sometimes referred to in Britain as "the Continent".
Continental United States: "The 49 States (including Alaska but excluding Hawaii) located on the continent of North America, and the District of Columbia."
Greenland: The world's largest island, with a surface area of 2,166,086 square kilometres (836,330 sq mi).
Australia: The smallest continent, with an area of 7,617,930 square kilometres (2,941,300 sq mi).

Flashcards

How many continents do most English-speaking countries recognise, and what are they?

Seven: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia (also called Oceania or Australasia).

List the seven continents in order from largest to smallest by area.

Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Australia.

What are the five oceans of the world?

Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern (or Antarctic), and Arctic Oceans.

What is a continent?

A large, continuous, discrete mass of land, ideally separated by expanses of water. Continents are generally identified by convention rather than strict criteria.

Why does the number of continents vary between four and seven?

Because continents are defined by convention, not strict criteria. Some schemes merge regions, e.g. Asia and Europe into Eurasia, North America and South America into the Americas, or Africa, Asia and Europe into Afro-Eurasia.

What is Eurasia?

The combined landmass of Asia and Europe, sometimes treated as a single continent.

What is Afro-Eurasia?

The combined landmass of Africa, Asia and Europe, sometimes treated as a single continent.

What is Oceania?

A geographical region that groups most Pacific island countries and territories with the continent of Australia.

What is the geological definition of a continent?

One of Earth's major landmasses, including both dry land and continental shelves. Geologically, continents correspond to seven large areas of continental crust on tectonic plates.

What is a microcontinent? Give an example.

A small continental fragment that is not considered a full continent. Madagascar is a microcontinent.

What is Pangaea?

A supercontinent that formed hundreds of millions of years ago and later broke up to form the current continents.

What is continental drift?

The idea that continents have moved over time, formed from the breaking up of the supercontinent Pangaea. It gained recognition in the 20th century.

What is the Equator?

An imaginary line around the middle of the Earth, dividing it into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

What are the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn?

The Tropic of Cancer is about 23.5° north of the Equator; the Tropic of Capricorn is about 23.5° south of the Equator. They mark the limits of the tropics.

What are the Arctic and Antarctic Circles?

The Arctic Circle is at about 66.5° north; the Antarctic Circle is at about 66.5° south. They mark the boundaries of the polar regions.

What is the Prime Meridian?

The line of longitude at 0°, passing through Greenwich, London. It divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

What is a hemisphere?

Half of the Earth. The Equator divides it into Northern and Southern Hemispheres; the Prime Meridian divides it into Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

What is a time zone and why do time zones exist?

A region of the Earth that observes a uniform standard time. Time zones exist because the Earth rotates, so different places experience daylight at different times.

What is the world's largest island, and why is it not a continent?

Greenland, with an area of 2,166,086 km². It is considered an island, not a continent, because continents are defined by convention and Greenland is much smaller than Australia.

What is the world's smallest continent?

Australia, with an area of 7,617,930 km².

What is the World Ocean?

The single, continuous body of water that surrounds Earth's major landmasses. It is divided into several principal oceanic components by the continents and other criteria.

What is continental Europe (often called 'the Continent' in Britain)?

Mainland Europe, excluding islands such as Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland and Malta.

What does 'the continental United States' refer to?

The 49 states (including Alaska but excluding Hawaii) located on the continent of North America, plus the District of Columbia.

What is a continental shelf?

The shallow, submerged area adjacent to a continent. Geologically, it is considered part of the continent.

What are the four geological criteria for a continent?

High elevation relative to the ocean floor; a wide range of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks rich in silica; a crust thicker than surrounding oceanic crust; and well-defined limits around a large enough area.

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