Continents of The World

⇒ Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Antarctica are the seven continents.

⇒ Asia: The word ‘Asia’ is derived from the word ‘Asu’ (of Hibru language), which literally means ‘the rising sun’.

⇒ Asia is the largest of all the seven continents of the world.

⇒ With 44.6 million sq km area, it covers 30% (about onethird) of the land surface of the world.

⇒ With 4,299 million people, it contains about 60% of the world population and emerges as the most populous continent of the world.

⇒ This vast continent comprises the greatest diversity in terms of physical features, climate, vegetation, wildlife and people.

⇒ It has the highest mountain peak on the Earth, Mount Everest (8850 m) and the lowest point, the Dead Sea (396.8 m below sea level).

⇒ Mawsynram, near Cherrapunji (India) has the world’s highest average rainfall of 11,873 mm. Simultaneously, it has desert areas of central Asia.

⇒ Asia has the world’s oldest, deepest and largest (by volume) fresh water lake, i.e. Lake Baikal (Russia) which is 1637 metres deep.

⇒ It has the largest delta ‘Sunderbans’, the most fertile river valleys (Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra, Yangtse kiang and Huang-Ho etc.) and the extensive barren lands of Baluchistan.

⇒ It has rich and varied wildlife which is peculiar to this continent.

⇒ Asia has been the cradle of ancient civilizations like the Mesopotamian Civilization, the Indus Civilization and the Chinese Civilization which sustained in the fertile river valleys of Asia.

⇒ Asia has the privilege of being the birthplace of major religions of the world Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism, Shintoism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism etc.

⇒ Asia wholly lies in the Northern Hemisphere. Latitude: It lies between 10°S to 80°N latitudes, i.e. it spans over 90° of latitudes.

⇒ Longitude: It lies almost entirely in the Eastern Hemisphere.

⇒ It extends from 25°E to 170°E. This large longitudinal extent brings about a difference of 11 hours between the local times of the easternmost part and the westernmost part of Asia.

⇒ Boundaries: The continent is bounded by oceans on three sides-Arctic Ocean in the north, Pacific in the east and the Indian Ocean in the south.

⇒ In the west, Asia is separated from Europe by the low Yural Mountains, the Yural river and the Caspian Sea. The Red Sea and Suez Canal separate it from Africa.

⇒ In the north-east, the Bering strait separates it from North America.

⇒ The combined landmass of Europe and Asia is called the Eurasia (Europe + Asia).

⇒ Europe: Europe is much smaller than Asia. The continent lies to the west of Asia. The Arctic Circle passes through it. It is bound by water bodies on three sides.

⇒ Africa Africa is the second largest continent after Asia. The Equator or 0° latitude runs almost through the middle of the continent. A large part of Africa lies in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the only continent through which the Tropic of Cancer, the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn pass.

⇒ The Sahara Desert, the world’s largest hot desert, is located in Africa. The continent is bound on all sides by oceans and seas. The world’s longest river the Nile, flows through Africa.

⇒ North America North America is the third largest continent of the world. It is linked to South America by a very narrow strip of land called the Isthmus of Panama. The continent lies completely in the Northern and Western Hemisphere. Three oceans-Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean surround this continent.

⇒ South America South America lies mostly in the Southern Hemisphere. Two oceans-Atlantic and Pacific oceans surround it on the east and the west. The Andes, world’s longest mountain range, runs through its length from north to south. South America has the world’s largest river, the Amazon.

⇒ Australia : Australia is the smallest continent that lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. It is surrounded on all sides by the oceans and seas. It is called an island continent. [Source: NCERT]

⇒ Antarctica: Antarctica is the fifth largest continent of the world.

⇒ Antarctica is the only continent which is isolated and zero populated and is completely covered with snow. It is also called the White Continent.

⇒ For the first time James Cook, the English sailor, attempted to discover this continent but, he could not able to land on the mainland Antarctica even though he crossed the Antarctic Circle.

⇒ The first person to discover the mainland of Antarctica was Fabian Welling Shawson, who came here in 1820 on his ship named Vostok.

⇒ The first person who reached to the South Pole was Roald Amundson, a Norwegian (in 1911).

⇒ The first Indian who reached Antarctica was Ramcharan Jee (1960) and the first Indian to reach to the South Pole was Dr. Giriraj Sirohi.

⇒ From 1981 onwards, the Indian team visited this continent frequently. In 1983, India established its centre in Antarctica called Dakshin Gangotri, in Central Dronning Maud Land region to study the structure, climate, fossils, environment, minerals, vegetation etc. Which was abandoned in 1990 because it got buried under snow.

⇒ Since 1988, research base Maitri (coordinates 70.77° S, 11.73°E) is operational in the central part of Schirmacher Oasis, in Central Dronning Maud Land region of East Antarctica.

⇒ The 29th Indian Antarctica expedition is conducted in March 2009 to study the hilly region. India established its 3rd research centre Bharti in Larsemann Hills.

⇒ The newly constructed Bharati station is located at 69.40’S, 76.19°E in Larsemann Hills, Antarctica. Experiments were started here from 18th March, 2012. The service period of this centre is fixed for 25 years.

⇒ Only 2% of Antarctica becomes ice free in summers. The Palmer Peninsula is the only part of Antarctica, which is ice-free to some extent. The average thickness of the ice-sheet is 2-5 km.

⇒ Antarctica is also known as Dynamic or Active Continent because it’s shape changes due to change of season. Large blocks of ice break from the coastal areas and float in the sea water, these blocks are called Icebergs. These Ice bergs are reservoirs of fresh water.

⇒ Vida, a saline lake, is found under the 19m thick ice layer in Antarctica. Its salinity is equal to that of Dead Sea.

⇒ Main vegetations found in Antarctica are Lichen& Moss.

⇒ Albatross and Petrels are the flying seabird found in the coastal areas of Antarctica. Penguin, a flightless bird, is

the characteristic of this continent.

⇒ The krill, a type of fish, is the only resource which can be developed. Krill lives in groups, called shoals,

⇒ South Pole is situated almost in the center of Antarctica.

⇒ In Antarctica, the Sun is not visible between 22nd March and 23rd September and it never sets between 24th September and 21st March.

⇒ The lowest temperature detected on earth is -136°F (-93.2°C), on Aug. 10,2010 in a high ridge between Dome Argus and Dome Fuji near Vostok in Antarctica on the East Antarctic Plateau. Previous record was -128.6° F (-89.2°C), set in 1983 at the Russian Vostok Research Station in East Antarctica. [Source: NASA]

⇒ The incident of ozone depletion was firstly discovered in Antarctica in the year 1985.

⇒ Antarctica is divided in two parts by Queen Maud Range. The highest peak here is Mt. Vinson Massif, Mt Erebus is the only active volcano in Antarctica.

⇒ Antarctica is surrounded by three oceans – the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. The southern parts of these oceans, which surround the Antarctica, are together called the Southern ocean or the Antarctica Ocean, Its temperature remains below 4°C. Weddell Sea and Ross Sea are the parts of Antarctica Ocean.

⇒ There is no coastal plain of Antarctica at all. Antarctica is also called the Continent, Dedicated to Science,

⇒ There are four oceans. In order of their size, they are : Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean and Arctic Ocean.

⇒ The explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who circumnavigated the Earth, named the ocean ‘Pacific’ meaning calm or peaceful.

⇒ The Pacific Ocean (Area: 16,62,40,000 sq. km) is the largest ocean of the world.

⇒ It is the deepest ocean with an average depth of 4,280 m (14,040 feet).

⇒ According to Encydopaedia Britannica the Mariana Trench is the world’s deepest trench with a depth of 11,034 metres (36,201 feet).

⇒ Most of the islands of this ocean are of volcanic or coral origin.

⇒ The Atlantic Ocean, according to Encydopedia Britanica, (Area : 8,24,40,000 sq. km without its dependent seas and 10,64,60,000 sq. km. with them) is the second largest ocean in the world. Average depth : 3,300 metres.

⇒ Its name is derived from Atlas, a Titan (giant) in Greek mythology.

⇒ The Atlantic Ocean, body of salt water covering one fifth of the earth surface has the longest coastline.

⇒ The Atlantic Ocean is the busiest ocean for trade and commerce since its shipping routes connect the two most industrialized regions, namely Western Europe and N.E. United States of America.

⇒ The Atlantic Ocean was formed millions of years ago when a rift opened up in the Gondwanaland and the continents of South America and Africa separated. The separation continues even today and the Atlantic Ocean is still widening.

⇒ The continental islands of Newfoundland and British Isles are the major ones.

⇒ Volcanic islands are fewer and they include those of Cuba, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. Iceland is the largest island of volcanic origin.

⇒ The Indian Ocean (Area: 73,440,000 sq. km, without its marginal seas) is the only ocean named after a country. Its average depth is 3,960 metres.

⇒ The Indian Ocean is deeper than the Atlantic Ocean.

⇒ It contains numerous continental islands, Madagascar and Sri Lanka are being the largest ones.

⇒ Some of the islands of volcanic origin are those of Mauritius, Andamanand Nicobar, Seychelles, Maldives and Lakshadweep are of coral origin.

⇒ Warm currents: 1. South Equatorial 2. Mozambique 3. Madagascar 4. Agulhas.

⇒ Cool Currents: 1. Antarctic drift 2. West Australian currents.

⇒ The Arctic Ocean (Area: 1,40,90,000 sq. km) is the smallest of all the oceans. It lies within the Arctic Circle, hence the name Arctic Ocean. The North Pole lies in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.

⇒ Most of the parts of Arctic Ocean remains frozen with thick ice for most of the days every year.

⇒ It is the shallowest of all oceans, with an average depth of 987 metres.

⇒ It has the least salinity of all the oceans. It has a salinity of 30 ppt.

⇒ The flow of a large amount of water in a definite direction with a great intensity is known as Ocean Current.

⇒ Ocean Currents are of two types-Hot and Cold.

⇒ The currents flowing from tropical zones of lower latitudes to higher temperate and sub polar zones are known as hot water currents.

⇒ The currents flowing from higher latitudes to lower latitudes are known as cold water currents.

⇒ The only exception to the conduction of ocean currents is found in the Indian Ocean. The flow of currents changes here with a change in the direction of the Monsoon Winds. The hot currents flow towards cooler oceans and the cold currents flow towards the warmer oceans.