Important Facts About The World’s Continents

There are seven continents in the world: Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, Antarctica, North America, and South America. There are some amazing facts that you might not know about them.

Here’s a list of some important ones you can use to impress people with your knowledge about them!

Africa

• Africa is the second-largest continent in the world. There are approximately 1,216,130,000 people here, and it has 54 countries, which is more than any other continent.
• Despite being known as the “Dark Continent,” Africa receives direct sunlight year-round due to the equator passing through the center of it. Burkina Faso is the hottest country on Earth with an average yearly temperature of 28.25 degrees Celsius or 82.85 degrees Fahrenheit. This is due to its proximity to the equator.
• Both the world’s longest river and the world’s largest desert can be found here. The Nile River is 6,650 kilometers or 4,130 miles long. The Sahara Desert has an area measured at 9,200,000 square kilometers or 3,600,000 square miles.
• The “Cradle of Humankind” is located here. This is where some of the oldest known fossils and skeletal pieces of humans have been uncovered. More than half the world’s gold and nearly 95% of all diamonds come from Africa.

Asia

• Asia is the largest continent in the world. Its population is approximately 4,436,224,000, and there are 48 countries here.
• 30% of the world’s land and 60% of its population is located in Asia. Russia is the world’s largest country, and China and India are the two with the highest populations.
• Mount Everest is the highest point on Earth. Using an Asia and Australia centred world map, you can see it and the nine other highest peaks in the world. You can also see other geological and man-made features.
• The Great Wall of China is the only structure made by humans that can be seen from space. It’s 21,196 kilometers or 13,171 miles long. The first portions of the Great Wall were built as early as the 7th century BC.

Europe

• Europe is the second smallest continent in the world. It has a population of approximately 738,849,000 and has 50 countries.
• It shares a landmass with Asia. The two continents are divided by the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea. It’s also surrounded on three sides by water: The Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.
• The smallest country in the world is Vatican City, which is located within the city of Rome, Italy. It became an independent country in 1929 with the Lateran Treaty.
• It’s broken up into various geographical and cultural regions. Scandinavia is in the north, the Balkan states are in the southeast, the Iberian Peninsula is in the southwest, the Baltic nations are in the south beside the Baltic Sea, and the British Isles are located off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe.

Australia

• Australia is the smallest continent in the world. It has approximately 39.901,000 people and 3 countries.
• It lies entirely south of the equator, which is where it gets its nickname of “Down Under.” The name Australia itself comes from the Latin term for “southern”, which is “australis.”
• While the name Oceania is sometimes used to refer to the continent of Australia, including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the small island nations of Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia, “Australia” is the term used to refer to the continent in physical geography.
• Over two-thirds of the continent is made up of deserts. There are also 500 different varieties of eucalyptus trees and 14 times more sheep than humans.
• The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system on Earth, stretching over 2,300 kilometers or 1,400 miles. The system is made up of over 2,900 individual coral reefs.

North America

• North America is the third largest continent. There are approximately 579,024,000 people living here and 23 countries.
• It’s the most densely populated continent. The people here have the highest income and consume the most amount of food in the world.
• It has five different time zones and is the only continent on Earth with every climate type.
• The United States of America has the world’s largest economy. The continent is also the biggest producer of corn, soybeans, wheat, and sugar.

South America

• South America is the fourth largest continent. Its population is approximately 422,535,000, and it has 12 countries.
• The Amazon River is the second-longest river in the world, and it has the highest volume of water. The Angel Falls is the highest waterfall on Earth.
• Brazil is the largest exporter of coffee. Other major South American exports include soy beans, crude oil, iron ore, and sugar.
• The two highest volcanoes are located here. They are called Mt. Chimborazo and Mt. Cotopaxi.

Antarctica

• Antarctica is the third smallest continent. It only has around 1,000 people and doesn’t have any countries. It does have approximately 20 million penguins, though.
• Three-quarters of the Earth’s fresh water and 70% of its ice is located here. Because of this, it’s often called the “Frozen Continent” or the “White Continent.”
• Half of the year, Antarctica is in complete darkness, and during the other half, it’s in total sunlight. Because of how inhospitable it is, the only people who come here are scientific researchers from other countries.

The world is a big place, and there’s always something you don’t know. You can always learn more about the continents and the people who live there. Remember these important facts about the world’s continents, and you’ll be on your way to knowing more.