Multifunctional organizations from different continents. How many continents are on earth and their names

- (from Lat.continens, Genitive continentis continent) the largest land masses of the Earth; the same as the Continents ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

In Buddhist cosmogony, according to the exoteric doctrine of Gotama Buddha, there are countless systems of worlds (or Shakwals), all of which periodically arise, ripen, disintegrate and annihilate. Orientalists interpret the doctrine of four ... ... Religious terms

- (Continents) the main, largest parts of the land, surrounded on all sides by seas and oceans. All continents 6: Eurasia, Africa, North. America, South America, Antarctica, Australia. Samoilov K.I. Marine dictionary. M. L .: State Military ... ... Marine Dictionary

Ancient continents Contents 1 Cambrian period 2 Ordovician period 3 Climate 4 Fauna ... Wikipedia

Geotectonic processes according to the concept of plate tectonics Plate tectonics is a modern geological theory about the movement of the lithosphere, according to which the earth's crust is ... Wikipedia

Scientific direction in geology, a concept that allows significant (up to thousands of kilometers) horizontal displacement of parts of the earth's crust or lithosphere, including continents. There are several mobilist hypotheses and theories. Among them ... ... Wikipedia

553 genera of horse spiders Salticidae have been discovered and more than 5000 species are known in them. Contents 1 Aelurillinae 2 Agoriinae 3 Amycinae 4 Ballinae 5 ... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Continent (disambiguation). Continental Models Conti ... Wikipedia

Geological time in the form of a diagram depicting the relative sizes of eras in the history of the Earth ... Wikipedia

Plate tectonics is a modern paradigm in earth sciences. The history of her appearance is full of dramatic events. Contents 1 The theory of geosynclines 2 The theory of continental drift ... Wikipedia

Books

Continents, Maria Zamyatina. Chips - Age 7+ - Important and rare data known only to specialists - Legends the ancient world and contemporary eventsBook`Continents. My first school project` is an inexhaustible source ...
Continents, Maria Zamyatina. Chips - Age 7+ - Important and rare data, known only to specialists - Legends of the ancient world and modern events The book "Continents. My first school project" is inexhaustible ...

The continents of the Earth are huge tracts of land where people live, flora and fauna develop. They have the same structure from a geological point of view, but in all other respects they are fundamentally different from each other. It is thanks to these parts of the world that our planet got its name - the Earth.

Classification

We can say with full confidence that the continents of the Earth are a haven for all living things (with the exception of fish and marine animals). They are huge areas of land, which are surrounded on all sides by the waters of the World Ocean. These can be bays, seas, as well as the oceans themselves. On the territory of the continents, reservoirs of a different kind are contained, which are filled fresh water... These are rivers, lakes, swamps, etc. All continents have a different climate, natural features, including the fauna and flora, as well as the population, constituting the unity and individuality of each part of the world. Among the continents, six are distinguished today: Eurasia, Africa, Northern Australia and Antarctica. Eurasia is divided into Europe and Asia - these are two parts of the world.

Origin and history

The very word "continent" comes from the Latin continere, which means "stick together." Such a strange name for land areas separated from each other by hundreds of miles was chosen for a reason. Geologists have established that in prehistoric periods (which could last for billions of years, replacing each other), the entire land of the Earth was one. There were no divisions into continents, the water washed over one large part of the world. The first continents of the Earth were formed as a result of global catastrophes that mankind has not seen in its lifetime. Also, in the world of scientists, there are often disputes that the location of the continents in the ancient era, in the Middle Ages, was different from today. This is associated with maps that were compiled by travelers of that time. However, this fact does not have proper confirmation, since it is believed that people could be mistaken due to the fact that they did not have the opportunity to see the structure of the planet from space.

America and its features

South and North America are distinguished as two different continents. The inhabitants of this region themselves unite them into one whole. Perhaps this is due to the fact that large tracts of land that are located in were discovered and developed by Europeans at the same time. Therefore, America is a multicultural, versatile and very interesting continent. In the west of our planet, it is found as very cold climate and extremely hot. There are eternal glaciers in northern Canada, and in the Colombia and Brazilian regions, no one has ever seen snow. Almost all of America is a haven for tourists and travel enthusiasts. There is a mass interesting places, entertainment and much more.

Learn more about the west of our planet

Submitted by two states: Canada and the United States of America. Both are characterized by continental climate, which only in the south becomes subtropical. Most of the continent is covered with greenery: in the north these are coniferous reserves, in the south there are deciduous trees and palm trees. People constantly come to these countries both as tourists and for permanent place residence. There are many beautiful cities and natural treasures.

South America is more colorful in its own way cultural heritage and the population. The vast majority of countries are Spanish-speaking, less often Portuguese, Creole, French languages... The continent is part of the ethnic Latin America, which also includes the states of the central part of the mainland. All America is washed from the east, the Pacific Ocean from the west and Caribbean located in the equatorial region.

The mystery of our planet - Antarctica

The sixth part of the world was discovered in 1820, after many hypotheses began to assert its existence. Since then and to this day, these lands have been uninhabited. There are no cities and countries, not even rivers and plants, since the entire continent is covered with a thick layer eternal ice... Thanks to the ice, Antarctica is the highest continent of the Earth, the height of which is 2000 meters above sea level. However, these measurements were made taking into account the glaciers, in fact, the land that lies beneath them is below sea level. Due to the fact that these places have long been uninhabited, scientists constantly conduct their experiments here. On the territory of Antarctica, they study the features of the local climate, study the relief, and also build new hypotheses about lands that are at an inaccessible depth.

Australia is small but remote

If you look at the continents of the Earth on a map, you will undoubtedly see Australia, which is located between the Indian and Pacific oceans, among the islands and straits. To the north of it is Eurasia, to the south is Antarctica. Australia itself, as well as the islands that are in its surroundings, are united in the Australian Union and are very developed and progressive states. Today, these territories are inhabited by both the descendants of local aborigines and settlers from Northern Europe... In Australia, everyone speaks English, here the culture and customs are familiar to a European person. The local nature and relief are sometimes breathtaking. Due to the fact that here long time volcanoes erupted, there are many desert fields, canyons and mountains.

Europe and Asia - the center of the world

The largest land area in the world is Eurasia. Most of this vast continent is occupied by Russia, to the south, west and east of it there are other states. Part of the world is located between four oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian and Arctic. It is home to many different Mongoloid, Semitic and others. The climate and natural features are also varied. In Eurasia, there are many resorts, cities-museums, recreation and entertainment areas for every taste. Every country is worthy special attention and is characterized by its history, traditions and characteristics.

By definition, continents and continents are quite similar. This is a large land area, which is washed from all sides by the waters of the seas and oceans. However, the difference between these concepts exists and it is quite large. Scientists explain her theories of continental drift.

Mainland

A large land mass, which is washed on all sides by oceans, is called the continent. An important condition is the presence of most of the land above the surface of the oceans. There are six of them on planet Earth:

Eurasia- the largest of them.
Africa- with highest temperature surface.
North America- along its coastline it has the largest bays and islands.
South America- the largest amount of rain falls here.
Australia- wins everyone for the number of plains.
Antarctica- the coldest of them.

The smallest of these is Australia. All of them are separated by seas and oceans, although some of them are divided in man-made formations. For example, between Africa and Eurasia is the Suez Canal, between North and South America - the Isthmus of Panama.

Continents should not be confused with islands... Although both of these formations are land areas that are washed from all sides by water, their main difference lies in their size - the continents are much larger. For example, the smallest mainland Australia is several times larger than the largest island on Earth - Greenland. In addition, most of the islands are still uninhabited, while people live on all continents.

Continents

Until today, there is no consensus on the division of the continents. Some scientists distinguish four parts of the world:

New World (both Americas).
Old world (Africa and Eurasia).
Australia.
Antarctica.

According to others, there are six of them:

Europe.
Asia.
America (both).
Africa.
Antarctica.
Australia.

When they mean continents, they also talk about the islands that adjoin them. For example, Madagascar is part of the African continent, although it is a fairly large land formation.

Translated from Latin the word continent means continuous. Scientists do not separate North and South America, as the Panama Canal only separated them in 1920. The same applies to Africa and Eurasia, which are separated by the artificial Suez Canal. Interestingly, the idea of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the isthmus originated in the 17th century. Some scholars of the time foresaw tremendous benefits for trade. However, the Spanish king Philip banned the project for religious reasons. Only after 3 centuries did the idea come back again. Thus, the American continent was divided into two continents: South and North America.

In some cases, Antarctica is thrown off the list, as the area is virtually uninhabited.

What do they have in common

Both formations are huge pieces of land that protrude over the oceans. They are necessarily washed from all sides by the waters of the seas and oceans. In addition, people live on their territory.

Common features of continents and continents:

Big sizes.
Tiled origin (as opposed to islands, which can be tectonic lava formation).
The surface is above sea level.
Inhabited by people.

In the semantics of the Russian language, these two words are considered synonyms, but they denote two different concepts.

The main differences

The division of continents and parts of the world occurs on the basis of drift theory proposed by a German scientist in 1912 Alfred Wegener... Its essence is that more than 200 million years ago, back in Jurassic period, all land was a single continent. After the impact of tectonic forces, the continents began to move away from each other.

As proof of the veracity of this theory is the structure of the continents, namely their shores. After viewing the map, you can come to the conclusion that the western coast of Africa almost perfectly coincides with the eastern coast of South America. The fauna and flora of the "divided" continents is also identical.

After analyzing images from space, scientists concluded that many millions of years ago there was only one supercontinent and one huge ocean on our planet. Earth's crust consists of several plates sliding along the surface of the mantle. Due to the fact that the planet is constantly rotating, as well as due to the influence of the Moon and the Sun, irreversible geological processes, which marked the beginning of the displacement of these plates. Thus, one continent was divided into several parts, which began to drift slowly in the ocean. This movement continues in our time - every year they are displaced by a couple of centimeters.

The concept of "mainland" is a geographical concept that refers to a piece of land large sizes... "Continent" or "part of the world" is a more geopolitical concept that means a certain territory inhabited by people. The formation and grouping of continents happened historically. Part of the world may include several continents that are tied or were tied in the recent past to each other by land.

No matter how similar these concepts are to each other, they still need to be distinguished. If the continent is a geographical unit, then the word "continent" is used to denote a specific historical and geographical space.

The study of the structure of our planet is the science of geology. Since it defines continents as land masses with a continental structure, the question of their number is in the competence of tectonics. Investigating the question of how many continents are on Earth, this branch of science identifies six areas isolated by water. This is due to the fact that the seas and oceans occupy much more space on the surface of the planet. While land accounts for about 30% (almost 150 million km²), the rest is water.

How many continents are there on Earth?

It is customary to divide the hard shell of the Earth into 6 continents: Eurasia, North and South America, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.

The largest continent is Eurasia(54.6 million km²);
It is followed by the ancestral home of man - Africa(30.3 million km²);
American areas of the earth's crust occupy an intermediate position ( North- 24.4 million km², South- 17.8 million km²);
A huge space is occupied by a cold Antarctica(about 14 million km²);
And finally Australia characterized by smallest size(7.7 million km²).

It should be noted that for more than 4 billion years of the existence of the Earth, the number of continents on it was different. Tectonic processes are carried out regularly, and therefore it is possible that next changes are coming in the distant future. And there will be no longer six continents, but more (or less).

Eurasia is the largest continent on the planet (54.6 million km²)

This area of the earth's crust occupies more than one third of the entire land mass. Its conditional division into Asia and Europe is usually carried out along the straits, seas and mountains.

If in the south the border is determined by the straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, then in the north it is Ural mountains... In the middle part, the border runs along the basins of the Black and Azov seas... From the outer borders, a huge continent is washed by everyone existing oceans... The diversity of the relief of Eurasia is determined by its location on 6 continental platforms. Due to such tectonic features, its coastline is characterized by its heterogeneity and a significant number of lithospheric formations.

In addition, the mainland boasts the presence of all climatic zones, which explains the diversity of natural habitats. The same equatorial belt in the south contrasts sharply with the arctic in the north. From interesting facts the presence of a chain can be noted highest mountains(Himalayan system) and the largest freshwater lake (Baikal). Vast plains, suffocating deserts, hot jungles - all this is present in Eurasia. Therefore, it is not surprising that most of the world's population lives here. Almost one hundred independent states are compactly located within the boundaries of its space.

Africa - the ancestral home of man (30.3 million km²)

This continent is not only the hottest on the planet, but also the most ancient in terms of the development of civilization.

This is the cradle of man himself. It was here that the traces of the first ancestor of all people inhabiting the planet were found. Unlike the previous continent, Africa is located on the same lithospheric platform, which causes some similarity natural areas... The relief of the mainland is mostly represented by plains. For example, here you can find the most great desert in the world (Sahara).

Few mountains are represented only at the edges. And Africa also boasts the most long river(Nile), which flows across almost the entire mainland. The variety of climatic zones here is much less than in the same Eurasia: from equatorial - to subtropical. At the same time, the number of states present on the continent is quite large - over 60 countries.

North America - the find of the Florentine explorer (24.4 million km²)

This area of the earth's crust appeared on topographic maps relatively recently. Only a few centuries ago, its presence was discovered by a Florentine traveler named Amerigo. According to the tradition of the scientific community, the mainland later received his name. It has existed, however, for a long time. And its indigenous population were Eskimos (in the north) and Indians (everywhere). Europeans began to explore North America only in the 16th century.

The mainland is washed by three oceans: Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific.

Its coastline is characterized by the presence a large number various formations, which was the result of active tectonic processes. If the middle part is occupied mainly by plains, then along the edges of North America there are chains of picturesque mountains. In the east, it is the Appalachian system, in the west, the Cordillera.

In addition, the largest existing island on Earth (Greenland) is represented not far from the mainland. The variety of natural zones is due to the presence of almost all climatic zones. but water resources at the same time were located extremely unevenly: most of the lakes and rivers are represented in the north. Another feature of North America is the location of its states on geographic map... Only 3 of the total (and in total - 23 countries) are located on the mainland. The rest of the states settled on small islands.

South America - an amazing find of Columbus (17.8 million km²)

This continent could well bear his name if he was not so confident that he opened another path to the already known India. Subsequently, in the footsteps of his route, European expeditions were sent, which discovered a new piece of land. Beginning in the 16th century, the colonial conquests of Europeans led to the displacement of the indigenous population (Incas). Now on this earthly ledge there are 12 countries. At the edges, the continent is washed by the waters of the Quiet and Atlantic oceans... Most of the land is flat. However, there is also its own mountain system... The longest chain of mountains is called the Andes. They stretch along the entire coast in the West.

Another interesting feature In South America, there are extremely frequent rains: in the equatorial zone, over time, the most abundant river system (the Amazon with tributaries) was formed. Despite the presence of six climatic zones, the mainland is considered to be the wettest. Since most of it is located just in the equator zone. Among the curious facts is the dominance of the Romance languages in South American countries. Which looks quite natural, given the active development of local lands by European colonialists.

Antarctica is the southernmost part of the globe (about 14 million km²)

The characteristic feature of this continent is the ice crust on its surface. Moreover, its thickness in some places reaches 4 km. If we imagine that the ice cover of Antarctica will suddenly melt, then we need to prepare for a significant increase in the level (more than 50 m!) Of the world ocean. Due to the fact that the kingdom of ice is located on most of the land, average temperature the continent does not rise to a plus mark. Its average value is within -40 ºC. In such conditions, life exists only in the coastal area.

The smallest continent is washed by the waters of three oceans (with the exception of the 4th - the Arctic).

The Europeans discovered it much later than the others, although references to the "opposite Arctic" land were found even in ancient greek philosopher Aristotle. Of the curious details, the strongest solar radiation and the constancy of wind movement. Which, of course, attracts researchers of alternative energy sources on Earth.

Australia is a selfish mainland (7.7 million km²)

It received a similar name for the fact that there is only one state within its borders. The country of the same name occupies an honorable sixth place among the giant states.

At the same time, only 22 million people live on its territory ... This is due to the continent's arid climate, which led to the formation of desert areas on most of the Australian platform. Few river systems and mountain ranges found only along the edges of the coast. And it is washed by such oceans as: Indian (in the southwest) and Pacific (in the northeast). A favorable climate for living is observed only in a small part of the territory.

At the same time, it is surprising that it is here that the largest number, the so-called endemics: unique biological representatives of flora and fauna. As for the person, the Australian Bushman is considered to be the indigenous inhabitant. However, after the discovery of the continent in the early 17th century by European expeditions, other nationalities began to actively populate it. Now the state language The Commonwealth of Australia is considered to be a dialect of English.

Difference between island and mainland

There is one more question that needs to be clarified. How to distinguish the difference between an island and a mainland, given the similarity of their definitions? After all, both those and other protrusions of the land are equally washed by water. However, there are still differences, let's try to list them:

Dimensions. The islands are much smaller in size. Even the largest of them is much inferior to "small" Australia;
Education. Unlike the islands, the continents were formed as a result of the split lithospheric plates... If at the dawn of the planet's existence there was a single indivisible continent, then cracks appeared that led to its division into parts. It can be easily detected even with the naked eye when looking at topographic map... The outlines of the edges of the continental plates are too similar to deny the obvious. They are very easy to mentally assemble, like jigsaw puzzles. Islands, on the other hand, sometimes have completely different reasons for their formation. For example, this could be due to the activity of marine polyps or volcanic eruptions;
Habitability. Unlike the crowded continents, not all islands are inhabited.

Continental models. How many continents are there?

Often people do not distinguish between the designations of the continent and the mainland, believing that they are synonyms. However, this is not the case, since the former include only those parts of the earth's land that do not have a land border.

Therefore, the two Americas are united into one American continent, and Africa, respectively, with Eurasia.

But such a division into 4 continents is not supported by all. modern countries... Afro-Eurasia is recognized only by the English-speaking states with China and India. Also, not everyone agrees with the principle of division itself, suggesting to take other factors as a basis.

Historical and cultural concept of "part of the world", their names

If science deals with the difference between the concepts of "continent" and "continent", then history deals with the etymology of the origin of the "part of the world". It was she who determined the essential culturological difference between the aforementioned terms. Wherein total amount(6 parts) they have the same. Eurasia was divided on a historical and cultural basis into Europe and Asia, and the two Americas, on the contrary, were united into the New World.

The territory of Oceania was added to Australia. For the rest, the usual picture has remained, the painting of which people have been engaged in since ancient times. That is, long before scientific research... Only knowledge about the culture of the local population and its history were taken into account.

Video - Geography for children

Especially for children, simplified encyclopedias are compiled, with the designation of all geographical names. And the world map is characterized by the image of the already studied continents. For example, in educational video you can see and hear not only the names of land areas, but also the animals living on them. Other interesting facts are also given in order to captivate the young viewer. For example, the geographic importance of the Amazon river system or the cold climate of Antarctica.

In another video, little listeners will learn not only how many continents are on Earth, but also their difference from parts of the world. The children themselves ask Professor Pioneer their own questions, to which he then answers them. For example, he reveals the secret of the existence of a once united continent and predicts its formation in the future. It also lifts the veil over the mystery of the name of the Solomon Islands. And who will be a particularly attentive and patient spectator, he will wait detailed description the state of Tunisia.

Continents, large land masses, surrounded on all sides or almost on all sides by oceans and seas. In the modern geological era, 6 continents are distinguished: Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Antarctica. Together with… … Ecological Dictionary

- (Mainland) see Continents. Samoilov K.I. Marine dictionary. M. L .: State Naval Publishing House of the NKVMF of the USSR, 1941 ... Marine dictionary

- (from a seasoned strong, large) continents (lat., singular continens), large massifs of the earth's crust, most of the surface of which protrudes above the level of the World Ocean in the form of land, and the peripheral part is submerged under the level ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

This is the name for significant land areas. M.'s space, their height, boundaries, etc., see the Earth ...

Check information. It is necessary to verify the accuracy of the facts and the accuracy of the information presented in this article. There should be explanations on the talk page ... Wikipedia

Or a continent, a large land mass (as opposed to a smaller island massif), surrounded by water. There are seven parts of the world (Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia and Antarctica) and six continents: Eurasia, ... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

Science about the structure and history of the development of the Earth. The main objects of research rocks, which capture the geological record of the Earth, as well as modern physical processes and mechanisms acting both on its surface and in the depths, ... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

The description of earthquake is divided in this article into three main parts: astronomical (earth as a planet), geological, and physical-geographical. I. Z. as a planet. Z. represents a huge spheroid close to a ball in shape, freely moving in ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary F. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

- (continent), a large massif of the earth's crust, most of which protrudes above the level of the World Ocean in the form of land, and the peripheral part is submerged below ocean level. The earth's crust of continents is characterized by the presence of a "granite" layer and compare ... ... Geographical encyclopedia

Books

, Dushina Iraida Vladimirovna, Letyagin Alexander Anatolyevich. Atlas with set outline maps`Continents, oceans, peoples and countries` for 7th grade. Updated and expanded. Conforms to geography textbooks recommended by the Ministry of Education and ...
Continents, oceans. Peoples and countries. 7th grade. Atlas + Contour maps. FSES, Dushina Iraida Vladimirovna, Letyagin Alexander Anatolyevich. Atlas with a set of contour maps "Continents, oceans, peoples and countries" for grade 7. Updated and expanded. Conforms to geography textbooks recommended by the Ministry of Education ...