NTINENTS

CO
EARTH SCIENCE
 WHAT
IS A CONTINENT

A continent is a big piece of land on

Earth. The earth's outer layer is
broken into several large plates that
fit together like a puzzle. These
plates are made up of solid rock.
The continents sit on top of these
plates, which are always moving and
changing. Sometimes, these plates
even crash into each other,
forming mountains.
 NORTH AMERICA
HOW
SOUTH AMERICA
MANY CONTINENTS ARE THERE
EUROPE

7
Earth has seven
AFRICA
continents. They are all
unique and have their
ASIA
own special features,
such as different
AUSTRALIA
animals, plants,
climates, and cultures.
ANTARCTICA
 NORTH AMERICA
FAST FACTS
Number of countries: 23

Land size: Approx. 24.5 million square kms. Third largest continent in the world.

Population: Approx. 592 million people. Fourth most populated continent

in the world.

Climate: Diverse range of climates - from the freezing tundra of northern Canada
to the tropical rainforests of Central America.

Landmarks: E.g., Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, and Niagara Falls.
NORTH AMERICA
The earliest human inhabitants of
North America were the Indigenous
peoples, who arrived from Asia
around 12,000 years ago.

Today, North America is a major

economic and cultural centre, with a
thriving entertainment industry,
world-class universities, and a
diverse population.
NORTH AMERICA
 SOUTH AMERICA
FAST FACTS
Number of countries: 12

Land size: Approx. 17.8 million square kms. Fourth largest continent in the world.

Population: Approx. 430 million people. Fifth most populated continent

in the world.

Climate: Diverse range of climates - from the arid deserts of northern Chile to
the tropical rainforests of the Amazon Basin.

Landmarks: E.g., Machu Picchu, Iguazu Falls, Galapagos Islands, Bolivian salt flats.
SOUTH AMERICA
South America has a rich history of
ancient civilisations, including the
Incas, Mayas, and Aztecs.

It is home to the Amazon Rainforest,

the world's largest rainforest, which
covers an area of approximately 6.7
million square kilometres.
SOUTH AMERICA
 EUROPE
FAST FACTS
Number of countries: 44

Land size: Approx. 10.2 million square kms. Second smallest continent in the world.

Population: Approx. 746 million people. Third most populated continent

in the world.

Climate: Diverse range of climates - from the freezing temperatures of the far
north to the Mediterranean climate of southern Europe.

Landmarks: E.g., Eiffel Tower in France, The Colosseum in Rome, Big Ben in England
EUROPE
Europe has a long history of conflict,
including two world wars
in the 20th century. It is also known
for its contributions to science, art,
and philosophy.

Europe is home to a wide variety of

languages, including German,
French, Italian, Spanish, Russian,
and many others.
EUROPE
 AFRICA
FAST FACTS
Number of countries: 54

Land size: Approx. 30.2 million square kms. Second largest continent in the world.

Population: Approx. 1.37 billion people. Second most populated continent

in the world.

Climate: Diverse range of climates - from the tropical regions of the Congo, to
the hot Sahara desert.

Landmarks: E.g., Pyramids in Egypt, Victoria Falls, Mt Kilimanjaro, Table Mountain

AFRICA
Africa is the most genetically
diverse continent on earth, with a
greater range of genetic diversity
than any other continent.

It has a rich history and is home to

some of the world's most ancient
civilisations, including Egypt,
Ethiopia, and Nubia.
AFRICA
 ASIA
FAST FACTS
Number of countries: 49

Land size: Approx. 44.6 million square kms. Largest continent in the world.

Population: Approx. 4.5 billion people. Most populated continent in the world.

Climate: Asia is home to many different climate types, from tropical rainforests
to arctic tundra.

Landmarks: E.g., Great Wall of China, Mt Everest, The Dead Sea, Taj Mahal
ASIA
Asia is known for its rich cultural
heritage, including ancient
civilisations such as the Indus Valley
Civilisation, the Chinese Empire, and
the Khmer Empire.
It is also home to many of the
world's most important religious
sites, including the Mecca in Saudi
Arabia, the Wailing Wall in
Jerusalem, and the Angkor Wat
temple in Cambodia.
ASIA
 AUSTRALIA
FAST FACTS
Number of countries: 1

Land size: Approx. 7.7 million square kms. It is the smallest continent in the world.

Population: Approx. 26 million people. It is the second least populated continent in

the world.

Climate: Diverse range of climates - from tropical climates in the north and
temperate climates in the south. It is also known for its hot summers
and mild winters.

Landmarks: E.g., Uluru, Great Barrier Reef, Twelve Apostles, Kakadu National Park
AUSTRALIA
Australia is a unique continent, as it
is also a country and an island.

It is home to over 10,000 beaches,

and is the only continent that
doesn't have an active volcano.

Australia is the world's largest

exporter of coal, iron ore, and
liquefied natural gas.
AUSTRALIA
 ANTARCTICA
FAST FACTS
Number of countries: o

Land size: Approx. 24.5 million square kms. Third smallest continent in the world.

Population: No permanent residents, making it the least populated continent

in the world.

Climate: The coldest, driest and highest continent on earth.

Landmarks: E.g., Mount Erebus (active volcano), McMurdo research station, South
Pole, Lake Vostok, Elephant Island
ANTARCTICA
Antarctica is governed by a unique
international treaty system known
as the Antarctic Treaty.
The treaty designates Antarctica as
a scientific preserve and prohibits
military activity, mining, and
territorial claims.
It was the last continent to be
discovered, and was first sighted in
1820 by a Russian expedition.
ANTARCTICA
WHAT ABOUT...
Several countries are not generally
considered to be part of a single
continent. These countries are typically
located on islands or are otherwise
geographically separated from the main
landmasses of the world.
Some of these countries include New
Zealand, Japan, Iceland and Madagascar.
The definition of what constitutes a
continent can be somewhat subjective,
and there is some debate over how to
classify certain regions of the world.