Continents
What Is a Continent?
A continent is a very large geographic region. Continents are not defined by one perfect rule: some are connected by land, and some boundaries reflect history and convention as well as oceans. Different school systems use models with four, five, six, or seven continents. This article uses the common seven-continent model. People live permanently on six; researchers and support teams stay temporarily in Antarctica.
The Seven Continents
| Continent | Where it is | Something special |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | Eastern part of the Eurasian landmass | Largest continent by land area and population |
| Africa | Crosses the Equator, between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans | Includes the Sahara and many other climate regions |
| North America | Mostly in the Northern and Western Hemispheres | In this model, includes Central America, Greenland, and the Caribbean |
| South America | Mostly in the Southern and Western Hemispheres | Includes much of the Amazon basin and the Andes |
| Antarctica | Around the South Pole | Ice-covered continent with research stations and no permanent population |
| Europe | Western part of the Eurasian landmass | Its boundary with Asia is a geographic convention |
| Australia | South of Asia, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans | Smallest continent; Oceania is a wider region that includes many Pacific islands |
Fun Facts About Continents
- Asia has the most people of any continent.
- Africa contains the Nile, one of the world’s longest rivers. Measuring a river’s exact length can be difficult, and sources debate whether the Nile or Amazon is longer.
- North America contains the Great Lakes, the world’s largest group of freshwater lakes by total area. Lake Superior is the largest of them by surface area.
- South America contains the Amazon rainforest and the Andes, the longest continental mountain range.
- Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth.
- Europe is the second-smallest continent by land area in the seven-continent model.
- Australia is the smallest continent. It is the driest inhabited continent; Antarctica is drier overall.
How Do Continents Change?
About 300 million years ago, most of Earth’s land was joined in a supercontinent called Pangaea.
Pangaea later broke apart as tectonic plates moved, helping form today’s continents and oceans.
Scientists call this movement “plate tectonics.”
The plates continue moving today at different rates, often measured in centimeters per year.
Now you know the names, places, and cool facts about the seven continents. Keep exploring the world!