Click here for free, printer-friendly "continents" worksheet (2nd, 3rd, 4th grade).
7 Continents of the World
The seven continents are the seven main land areas on the Earth. These continents are: Europe, Asia, North America, South
America, Australia, Antarctica, Africa. Some are joined to each other, for example, North and South America or Europe and Asia,
and some are completely surrounded by water. Some continents have a lot of countries, but others have only a few.
It is believed that in past, all continents were joined, this land area was called Pangaea. This area started to break up and got divided
into 7 parts, so today we have 7 continents. These continents are still moving away or moving close to each other. This is called
continental drift or plate tectonics theory.
Oceania
Oceania is not a continent, it is a geographical region, although more and more people seem to be using it as a
continental term.The region of Oceania includes Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, New Guinea, and New Zealand, and when it is used
as the name of a continent it also includes Australia. It is sometimes used as a geopolitical term as well.
| continent | area (km²) | area (mi²) | % total landmass | population | % total pop. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | 43,820,000 | 16,920,000 | 29.5% | 4,164,252,000 | 60% |
| Africa | 30,370,000 | 11,730,000 | 20.4% | 1,022,234,000 | 15% |
| North America | 24,490,000 | 9,460,000 | 16.5% | 542,056,000 | 8% |
| South America | 17,840,000 | 6,890,000 | 12.0% | 392,555,000 | 6% |
| Antarctica | 13,720,000 | 5,300,000 | 9.2% | 4,490 | 0% |
| Europe | 10,180,000 | 3,930,000 | 6.8% | 738,199,000 | 11% |
| Australia | 9,008,500 | 3,478,200 | 5.9% | 29,127,000 | 0.4% |
List of Continents (from largest in size to the smallest):
Asia
Is the only continent joined to two others. Asia is the world’s largest and most populous continent on Earth. It covers 30% of the Earth’s land area. Asia hosts about 60% of the world’s current human population. It contains the world's biggest nation (China). The continent of Europe along with Asia form the world’s largest landmass, Eurasia, however these two continents on land are divided by the Ural mountains which stretch right up to the Caspian Sea. Asia contains the highest point on Earth (Mount Everest). By water, it is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the South by the Indian Ocean and on the north by the Arctic Ocean.
Africa
Africa is the second-largest and also the second most populated continent in the world, after Asia. The continent of Africa covers 20.4% of the world’s total land area. Africa has a population of 1 billion which accounts for about 14.72% of the world’s human population. Africa is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to its north, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Suez Canal and the Red Sea in the northwest. Of the continents of the world, Africa is unique in that it stretches between the northern and southern temperate zones. It is also home to one of the world's largest desert, Sahara, as well as the longest river, Nile, which passes through several countries. Africa is also attributed with being the birthplace of mankind. The oldest fossil evidence of Homo sapiens was found in the eastern part of the continent.
North America
North America is the third largest continent. It includes the countries of Canada, United States, Greenland, Mexico and the Latin American regions that serve as a connection between North and South America. North America makes up about 17 percent of the world’s landmass and is home to about 8 percent of the people. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean, and to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea. North America has a very diverse climate, wildlife, and geography. From extreme desert temperatures in Death Valley to the snow-covered mountains of Mount McKinley to the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. (2nd largest in the world), Lake Superior.
South America
South America is the fourth largest continent in terms of area. It is also the fifth most populous continent after Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. South America is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and to the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean. This continent is the fourth largest of the 7 continents and is made up of twelve countries with Brazil being the largest in terms of both land mass and population. South America is home to incredible biodiversity. South America includes the Andes Mountains which comprise the longest range of peaks in the world. It is home to the Amazon River, which passes the largest volume of water of any river in the world. You can also find the Amazon rainforest which is the world’s largest rainforest and is host to some of the most unique plants and animals on Earth.
Antarctica
Antarctica is the fifth largest continent in area. The continent of Antarctica is positioned as the southernmost land mass on Earth. The South Pole can be found here among its large permanent glaciers and frigid weather. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages about 1.6 kilometers in thickness. It is the coldest, driest and windiest continent. Antarctica is considered a desert, with only 8 inches of rainfall in a year. There are no permanent residents on this island, but only a few thousands of people, who live here at the research stations found across the continent. Temperatures in Antarctica can drop to as low as -89 degrees Celsius. Antarctica is home to a variety of penguin species who have adapted to these harsh conditions. You can also find seals, plants, and fungi in Antarctica.
Europe
Also known as Europa, Europe is the sixth largest continent in the world and is famous for having a long diversified history, rich traditions, historical languages and ancient civilizations. It is divided from Asia by the Ural mountains stretching right up to the Caspian Sea. It is the world’s second-smallest continent by surface area. It covers about 6.8% of the Earth’s surface area. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the Black Sea to the south east. It has a population of 733 million, about 11% of the world’s population.
Australia
Australia is the smallest and lowest-lying human-inhabited continent on Earth. As Australia is mostly on a single landmass, it is also referred to as an “island” continent, surrounded by oceans. The continent of Australia includes the mainland of the country Australia and the island regions of New Guinea, Tasmania, and Seram. It is the most isolated and remote continent of the 7 continents and has been least influenced by migrations of people, plants, and animals. This had led to Australia having a wide variety of animals and plants which are unique in the world such as the kangaroo, koala, dingo, wallaby, and wombat.