From the seven continents that make up the world, there are many interesting facts that are sure to surprise and fascinate you. From the biggest continent to the history of our continents, these amazing facts will provide an insight into each continent. Keep reading to learn about the interesting features of each continent and discover why each one is so unique.
1. A continent is one of Earth’s seven main divisions of land.
Continents are made up of many countries and each continent is a large solid area of land.
2. The Earth initially had only one large landmass called Pangaea.
There wasn’t always continents – in fact millions of years ago there was one large mass of land we call Pangea.
3. 200 million years ago, Pangaea began to break apart.
The pieces of Pangaea that began to move apart were the beginnings of the continents that we know today.
4. There are 7 continents – although some people disagree with this.
There are seven continents.
Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe and Oceania. Sometimes Europe and Asia are considered one continent called Eurasia.
5. Asia is the largest continent in size.
It has the biggest land area and the world’s biggest population, with more than four and a half billion people living in Asia. This means most people on our Earth live on the Asian continent.
6. Oceania is the smallest continent of the planet.
Oceania is a geographic region that includes Australasia, Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia.
7. Africa is the continent with the most countries.
There are 54 countries on the African continent. These included Nigeria, Kenya (read our Kenya Top 10 Facts here) and Zimbabwe.
Find out all about Africa with our Top 10 Facts on Africa!
8. When geographers identify a continent, they usually include all the islands nearby.
For example Japan is an island that is part of the continent of Asia. The United Kingdom is an island considered part of the continent of Europe.
9. The positions of the continents are always changing.
North America and Europe are moving away from each other at the rate of about 2.5 centimetres (one inch) per year.
10. The continents add up to about 148 million square kilometres.
That’s a lot of land!
What about the oceans?
The seven continents only tell you half the story. Nearly three quarters of the Earth’s surface isn’t land at all — it’s salt water, which is why our planet looks blue from space.
All that water is really one joined-up ocean, but we give five parts of it their own names: the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Arctic and the Southern. The Pacific is the biggest by a long way — it is wider than every continent put together.
📖 Words to know
- Continent
- A very large mass of land. There are seven: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America.
- Ocean
- A very big area of salt water between the continents.
- Landmass
- Any part of the Earth’s surface that isn’t covered by water.
- Landmark
- Something in a landscape everybody knows — it might be natural, like a mountain, or built, like a tower.
⚠️ Watch out!
How much do you know about the continents?
How many continents are there?
- Seven
- Five
- Nine
- Three
Is Africa a country or a continent?
- A continent
- A country
- Both at the same time
- An island
Which is the biggest ocean?
- The Pacific
- The Atlantic
- The Indian
- The Arctic
Where in the world?
Once you know the seven, go and visit some: Africa, Asia, Europe and South America all have their own Top 10.
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