World – 7 Continents of the World

The Earth has a total surface area of about 509 600 000 square km (197 000 000 square miles). The total land coverage is about 148 326 000 km2 (57 268 900 square miles), roughly 29% of the Earth’s surface. The total water coverage is about 361 740 000 km2 (139 668 500 square miles), 71% of the total surface of the Earth.

In 2019, there were 7.7 billion people on the planet. Sixty-one percent of the global population lives in Asia (4.7 billion), 17 percent in Africa (1.3 billion), 10 percent in Europe (750 million), 8 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean (650 million), and the remaining 5 percent in Northern America (370 million) and Oceania (43 million).

There are 7 Continents in the world. The seven continents are Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, North America, South America, and Antarctica.

Asia

Asia is the largest continent in the world both in size and population. It covers an area of 44,579,000 square kilometres (17,212,000 sq mi), about 30% of Earth’s total land area and 8.7% of the Earth’s total surface area. The continent’s population of 4.5 billion people constitutes about 60% of the world’s population. Asia is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south, and the Arctic Ocean to the north.

Africa

Africa is the second-largest continent in the world both in size and population. With an area of 30,370,000 km² (11,730,000 square miles), it covers 6% of Earth’s total surface area and 20% of its land area. With a population of 1,275,920,972 as of 2018, it makes up about 16% of the world’s total population.

It is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Isthmus of Suez and the Red Sea to the northeast. The continent is home to the world’s longest river, the Nile, and the world’s largest desert, the Sahara.

North America

North America is the third largest continent in the world after Asia and Africa and the fourth most populous continent after Asia, Africa, and Europe. The continent is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the South, the Atlantic Ocean to the East, and the Pacific Ocean to the West.

North America is home to the world’s third longest river, the Mississippi, and the largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Superior.

South America

South America is the fourth largest continent in size and the fifth largest in population. It is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea to the northwest and north, the Atlantic Ocean to the northeast, east, and southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

The continent is home to the world’s second-longest river, the Amazon River, and the world’s highest waterfalls, the Angel Falls. It comprises 12 countries. The countries are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Antarctica

Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. 75 percent of the world’s ice and 70 percent of the Earth’s freshwater is located in Antarctica.

Europe

Europe is the second smallest continent in size and the third largest in population. It is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Arctic Ocean to the north. Europe is separated from Asia by the Ural mountains and the Caspian Sea.

Australia

Australia is the smallest continent in the world. It lies entirely on the south of the equator and has a population of 24.6 million as of 2017. The smallest continent in the world is home to the planet’s biggest living structure, the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest sand island, Fraser Island, and the longest fence, Australia’s dingo fence.