Mainland Eurasia for children. Eurasia

12.04.2020

The size of the territory and geographical position. Eurasia is the largest continent on Earth. It is almost 7 times larger than Australia, 2 times larger than Africa and larger than Antarctica, North and South America combined. Eurasia is 1/3 of the planet's land area - about 53.4 million km 2. The continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere and stretches from north to south for 8 thousand km through all belts - from the Arctic to the equatorial. Its length along the parallel is 16 thousand km. This is more than a hemisphere (almost 200 °): the mainland occupies the entire Eastern Hemisphere, and its extreme western and eastern points are in the Western.

The huge size of Eurasia determines the diversity and uniqueness of its nature. No other continent has such a number of natural complexes, changing from north to south and as they move away from the coasts.

Shore outline. The massif of the mainland is so large that it separates all the oceans of the Earth. Its shores are washed by the waters of all four oceans of the planet. Coastline Atlantic ocean, washing the western coast, is heavily indented by peninsulas and bays. There are many islands and seas near the mainland (Fig. 1, 2). The seas, deeply protruding into the land, separate parts of the world (Europe and Asia) and continents (Eurasia and Africa).

A wide shelf adjoins the northern margin of Eurasia Arctic ocean. Its coastline is smoother. It is divided into peninsulas by narrow bays-lips and the White Sea. . marginal seas Norwegian The Barents (Fig. 3), Kara, Laptev, and East Siberian regions separate large islands and archipelagos from the mainland.

Rice. 3. Barents Sea

Coastline Pacific ocean is poorly dissected. Marginal seas (Fig. 4) are incised into the eastern coast of the mainland in wide contours. They are separated from the ocean by arcs and chains of volcanic islands and peninsulas. Southern coast of Eurasia, washed by Indian ocean, stretches as a broken line: large peninsulas protrude into the ocean - Arabian (the largest on the planet), Hindustan and Malacca. There are only two seas near the southern margin of the mainland - the Red and the Arabian (Fig. 5).

The configuration of the coastline determines the possibilities and degree of participation of oceanic air in the formation of the climate of the mainland.

The nature of Eurasia is influenced by the surrounding continents. Eurasia has two close neighbors. In the southwest - Africa, separated by the Suez Canal, and in the east - North America, separated by the Bering Strait. "Bridge" with a length of more than 3 thousand km - the greatest island region of the planet - Large and Small Sunda islands (Malay archipelago), Philippine islands - connects Eurasia with Australia. The furthest, separated from Eurasia by oceans, are South America and Antarctica.

The composition of the territory. The continent of Eurasia includes two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. The boundary between them is conditional. It is carried out along the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains, down the Ural River to the Caspian Sea, along the northern foot of the Caucasus, the Black Sea, the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, the Dardanelles. The division of Eurasia into two parts of the world has developed historically - as a result of the settlement and development of its territory (by various peoples from different directions). But it also has a scientific justification. The continent was formed as a result of the union of lithospheric blocks that had previously developed under different conditions. After unification over millions of years, it develops as one natural-territorial complex. So mainland Eurasia is a unique geographical system: large, complex, but at the same time integral.

On the contour map draw a line between the parts of the world that make up Eurasia.

Regions of Europe and Asia. The territory of Eurasia is very vast. On this vast territory, not only nature has significant differences, but also the population, as well as its economic activity. In order to better study this diversity, to understand its causes and patterns, regionalization is carried out: less extensive territories are distinguished as part of a large continent - regions. Countries that have common features are united in one region geographical location, as well as the similarity of historical and modern socio-economic development. As part of the European part of the mainland, there are North, South, East and Western Europe. The countries of Eastern Europe, occupying a neighboring position in relation to our Motherland - Belarus - are united in an independent region of the Belarusian borderland. This region also includes Russia - the largest state on the mainland, located in both Eurasian parts of the world. The Asian part of the mainland is divided into Central, East, Southeast, South and Southwest Asia. The boundaries between regions are drawn along state borders their countries(Fig. 6).

Rice. 6. Regions of Eurasia

Bibliography

1. Geography Grade 9 / Tutorial for the 9th grade of institutions of general secondary education with the Russian language of instruction / Edited by N. V. Naumenko/ Minsk "People's Asveta" 2011

Eurasia is the largest continent on Earth, with an area of 53.893 million km², which is 36% of the land area. The population is more than 4.947 billion (2010), which is about 3/4 of the population of the entire planet.

Origin of the name of the continent

Originally given various titles largest continent in the world. Alexander Humboldt used the name "Asia" for all of Eurasia. Carl Gustav Reuschle used the term "Doppelerdtheil Asien-Europa" in 1858 in his Handbuch der Geographie. The term "Eurasia" was first used by the geologist Eduard Suess in the 1880s.

Geographic location of the mainland

The continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere between approximately 9° W. and 169° W. while some of the Eurasian islands are located in the Southern Hemisphere. Most of continental Eurasia lies in the Eastern Hemisphere, although the extreme western and eastern ends of the mainland are in the Western Hemisphere.

Contains two parts of the world: Europe and Asia. The border line between Europe and Asia is most often drawn along the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Emba River, the northwestern coast of the Caspian Sea, the Kuma River, the Kuma-Manych Depression, the Manych River, the eastern coast of the Black Sea, the southern coast of the Black Sea, the Strait Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara, the Dardanelles, the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, the Strait of Gibraltar. This division has developed historically. Naturally, there is no sharp boundary between Europe and Asia. The continent is united by the continuity of land, the current tectonic consolidation and the unity of numerous climatic processes.

Eurasia stretches from west to east for 16 thousand km, from north to south - for 8 thousand km, with an area of ≈ 54 million km². This is more than a third of the total land area of the planet. The area of the Eurasian islands is approaching 2.75 million km².

Extreme points of Eurasia

mainland points

Cape Chelyuskin (Russia), 77°43′ N sh. - extreme northern mainland point.
Cape Piai (Malaysia) 1°16′ N sh. - extreme southern mainland point.
Cape Roca (Portugal), 9º31′ W d. - the extreme western mainland point.
Cape Dezhnev (Russia), 169°42′ W d. - extreme eastern mainland point.

island points

Cape Fligeli (Russia), 81°52′ N sh. - the extreme northern island point (However, according to the topographic map of Rudolf Island, the coast stretching in the latitudinal direction to the west of Cape Fligeli lies several hundred meters north of the cape at coordinates 81 ° 51′28.8 ″ N 58 ° 52′00 ″ E. (G)(O)).
South Island (Cocos Islands) 12°4′S sh. - the southernmost point of the island.
Monchique Rock (Azores) 31º16′ W d. - the extreme western island point.
Ratmanov Island (Russia) 169°0′ W d. - the extreme eastern island point.

Largest peninsulas

Arabian Peninsula
Peninsula Asia Minor
Balkan Peninsula
peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula
Scandinavian Peninsula
Taimyr Peninsula
Chukotka Peninsula
Peninsula Kamchatka
Peninsula Indochina
Hindustan Peninsula
Peninsula Malacca
Yamal Peninsula
Kola Peninsula
Peninsula Korea

Geological characteristics of the continent

Geological structure of Eurasia

The geological structure of Eurasia is qualitatively different from the structures of other continents. Eurasia is composed of several platforms and plates. The continent was formed in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras and is the youngest geologically. This distinguishes it from other continents, which are the heights of ancient platforms formed billions of years ago.

The northern part of Eurasia is a series of plates and platforms formed during the Archean, Proterozoic and Paleozoic periods: the East European platform with the Baltic and Ukrainian shields, the Siberian platform with the Aldan shield, the West Siberian plate. The eastern part of the mainland includes two platforms (Sino-Korean and South China), some plates and areas of Mesozoic and Alpine folding. The southeastern part of the mainland is an area of Mesozoic and Cenozoic folding. The southern regions of the mainland are represented by the Indian and Arabian platforms, the Iranian plate, as well as areas of Alpine and Mesozoic folding, which also prevail in southern Europe. Territory Western Europe include zones of predominantly Hercynian folding and slabs of Paleozoic platforms. The central regions of the continent include zones of Paleozoic folding and plates of the Paleozoic platform.

In Eurasia, there are many large faults and cracks that are found in Siberia (Western and Lake Baikal), Tibet and some other areas.

Story

The period of formation of the mainland covers a huge period of time and continues today. The beginning of the process of formation of ancient platforms that make up the continent of Eurasia occurred in the Precambrian era. Then three ancient platforms were formed: Chinese, Siberian and East European, separated by ancient seas and oceans. At the end of the Proterozoic and in the Paleozoic, the processes of closing the oceans separating the land masses took place. At this time, the process of land growth around these and other platforms and their grouping took place, which ultimately led to the formation of the Pangea supercontinent by the beginning of the Mesozoic era.

In the Proterozoic, the process of formation of the ancient platforms of Siberian, Chinese and East European Eurasia took place. At the end of the era, the land area south of the Siberian Platform increased. In the Silurian, extensive mountain building occurred as a result of the connection of the European and North American platforms, which formed the large North Atlantic continent. In the east, the Siberian platform and a number of mountain systems united, forming a new mainland - Angara. At this time, the process of formation of ore deposits took place.

A new tectonic cycle began in the Carboniferous period. Intensive movements led to the formation of mountainous areas that connected Siberia and Europe. Similar mountainous regions were formed in the southern regions of modern Eurasia. Before the beginning of the Triassic period, all the ancient platforms were grouped and formed the mainland Pangea. This cycle was long and divided into phases. In the initial phase, mountain building took place on southern territories present-day Western Europe and in the regions of Central Asia. In the Permian period, new major mountain-building processes took place, in parallel with the general uplift of the land. As a result, by the end of the period, the Eurasian part of Pangea was a region with large folding. At this time, the process of destruction of old mountains and the formation of powerful sedimentary deposits took place. In the Triassic period, geological activity was weak, but in this period the Tethys Ocean gradually opened in the east of Pangea, later in the Jurassic dividing Pangea into two parts, Laurasia and Gondwana. In the Jurassic period, the process of orogeny begins, the peak of which, however, fell on the Cenozoic era.

The next stage in the formation of the continent began in the Cretaceous, when the Atlantic Ocean began to open. Finally, the Laurasia continent was divided in the Cenozoic.

At the beginning of the Cenozoic era, northern Eurasia was a huge land mass, which was composed of ancient platforms, interconnected by regions of the Baikal, Hercynian and Caledonian folding. In the east and southeast, this massif was joined by areas of Mesozoic folding. In the west of Eurasia North America already separated by the narrow Atlantic Ocean. From the south, this huge massif was propped up by the shrinking Tethys Ocean. In the Cenozoic, there was a reduction in the area of the Tethys Ocean and intense mountain building in the south of the continent. By the end of the Tertiary period, the continent took on its modern shape.

Physical characteristics of the mainland

Relief of Eurasia

The relief of Eurasia is extremely diverse, it contains some of the largest plains and mountain systems in the world, the East European Plain, the West Siberian Plain, and the Tibetan Plateau. Eurasia is the highest continent on Earth, its average height is about 830 meters (the average height of Antarctica is higher due to the ice sheet, but if we consider the height of the bedrock as its height, then the continent will be the lowest). In Eurasia, there are the highest mountains on Earth - the Himalayas (ind. Abode of snows), and the Eurasian mountain systems of the Himalayas, Tibet, Hindu Kush, Pamir, Tien Shan, etc. form the largest mountainous region on Earth.

The modern relief of the continent is due to intense tectonic movements during the Neogene and Anthropogenic periods. The East Asian and Alpine-Himalayan geosynclinal belts are characterized by the highest mobility. Powerful neotectonic movements are also characteristic of a wide band of structures of different ages from Gissar-Alay to Chukotka. High seismicity is inherent in many regions of Central, Central and East Asia, the Malay Archipelago. The active volcanoes of Eurasia are located in Kamchatka, the islands of East and Southeast Asia, in Iceland and in the Mediterranean.

The average height of the continent is 830 m, mountains and plateaus occupy about 65% of its territory.

The main mountain systems of Eurasia:

Himalayas
Alps
Hindu Kush
Karakoram
Tien Shan
Kunlun
Altai
Mountains of Southern Siberia
Mountains of the North Eastern Siberia
Western Asian highlands
Pamir-Alai
Tibetan Plateau
Sayano-Tuva Highlands
Deccan Plateau
Central Siberian Plateau
Carpathians
Ural mountains

Major plains and lowlands of Eurasia

the East European Plain
West Siberian Plain
Turan lowland
Great Plain of China
Indo-Gangetic Plain

The relief of the northern and a number of mountainous regions of the continent was affected by ancient glaciation. Modern glaciers have been preserved on the islands of the Arctic, in Iceland and in the highlands. About 11 million km² (mainly in Siberia) is occupied by permafrost.

Mainland geographic records

In Eurasia is the highest mountain on Earth - Chomolungma (Everest), the most large lake- The Caspian Sea and the deepest - Baikal, the largest mountain system in terms of area - Tibet, the largest peninsula - the Arabian, the largest geographical area - Siberia, the lowest point of land - the Dead Sea Depression. The cold pole of the northern hemisphere, Oymyakon, is also located on the continent. Eurasia also contains the largest natural region of the Earth - Siberia.

Historical and geographical zoning

Eurasia is the birthplace of the most ancient civilizations of the Sumerian and Chinese, and the place where almost all the ancient civilizations of the Earth were formed. Eurasia is conditionally divided into two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. The latter, due to its size, is divided into smaller regions - Siberia, the Far East, the Amur Region, Primorye, Manchuria, China, India, Tibet, Uyguria (East Turkestan, now Xinjiang as part of the PRC), middle Asia, Middle East, Caucasus, Persia, Indochina, Arabia and some others. Other, less well-known regions of Eurasia - Tarkhtaria (Tartaria), Hyperborea are almost forgotten today and are not recognized.

The climate of the mainland Eurasia

All climatic zones and climatic zones are represented in Eurasia. In the north, the polar and subpolar climatic zones predominate, then the temperate zone crosses Eurasia with a wide strip, followed by the subtropical zone. The tropical belt on the territory of Eurasia is interrupted, stretching across the continent from the Mediterranean and Red Seas to India. The subequatorial belt protrudes to the north, covering India and Indochina, as well as the extreme south of China, while the equatorial belt covers mainly the islands of southeast Asia. The climatic zones of the maritime climate are located mainly in the west of the continent in Europe, as well as the islands. Monsoon climate zones prevail in the eastern and southern regions. With a deepening inland, the continentality of the climate grows, this is especially noticeable in the temperate zone when moving from west to east. The most continental climate zones are found in Eastern Siberia (see Sharply continental climate).

nature on the continent

natural areas

All natural zones are represented in Eurasia. This is due to the large size of the mainland and the length from north to south.

The northern islands and high mountains are partly covered by glaciers. The zone of polar deserts spreads mainly along north coast and a significant part of the Taimyr Peninsula. Next comes a wide belt of tundra and forest tundra, occupying the most extensive areas in Eastern Siberia (Yakutia) and Far East.

Almost all of Siberia, a significant part of the Far East and Europe (northern and northeastern), is covered with coniferous forest - taiga. Mixed forests are located in the south of Western Siberia and on the Russian Plain (central and western parts), as well as in Scandinavia and Scotland. There are areas of such forests in the Far East: in Manchuria, Primorye, Northern China, Korea and the Japanese Islands. Deciduous forests predominate mainly in the west of the mainland in Europe. Small patches of these forests are found in eastern Asia (China). In the southeast of Eurasia, there are massifs of moist equatorial forests.

The central and southwestern regions are predominantly occupied by semi-deserts and deserts. In Hindustan and Southeast Asia, there are areas of light forests and variable-humid and monsoon forests. Subtropical and tropical forests of the monsoon type also prevail in eastern China, and their temperate counterparts in Manchuria, the Amur Region and Primorye. In the south of the western part of the continent (mainly the Mediterranean and on the Black Sea coast) there are zones of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs (forests of the Mediterranean type). Large areas are occupied by steppes and forest-steppes, occupying the southern part of the Russian Plain and the south of Western Siberia. Steppes and forest-steppes are also found in Transbaikalia, the Amur region, their vast areas are in Mongolia and northern and northeastern China and Manchuria.

In Eurasia, areas of altitudinal zonation are widespread.

Fauna, animal world

A large, northern, part of Eurasia belongs to the Holarctic zoogeographic region; the smaller, southern one, to the Indo-Malay and Ethiopian regions. The Indo-Malay region includes the Hindustan and Indochina peninsulas, together with the adjacent part of the mainland, the islands of Taiwan, the Philippine and Sunda, South Arabia, along with most of Africa, is included in the Ethiopian region. Some southeastern islands of the Malay Archipelago are classified by most zoogeographers as part of the Australian zoogeographic region. This division reflects the features of the development of the Eurasian fauna in the process of changing natural conditions during the end of the Mesozoic and the entire Cenozoic, as well as connections with other continents. To characterize modern natural conditions, the ancient extinct fauna known only in the fossil state, the fauna that disappeared in historical time as a result of human activity, and modern fauna are of interest.

At the end of the Mesozoic, a diverse fauna formed on the territory of Eurasia, consisting of monotremes and marsupials, snakes, turtles, etc. With the advent of placental mammals, especially predators, lower mammals retreated south to Africa and Australia. They were replaced by proboscis, camels, horses, rhinos, which inhabited most of Eurasia in the Cenozoic. The cooling of the climate at the end of the Cenozoic led to the extinction of many of them or retreat to the south. Proboscis, rhinos, etc. in the north of Eurasia are known only in a fossil state, and now they live only in South and Southeast Asia. Until recently, camels and wild horses were widespread in the interior arid parts of Eurasia.

The cooling of the climate led to the settlement of Eurasia by animals adapted to harsh climatic conditions (mammoth, aurochs, etc.). This northern fauna, the center of formation of which was in the area of the Bering Sea and was common with North America, gradually pushed the heat-loving fauna to the south. Many of its representatives have died out, some have survived in the composition of the modern fauna of the tundra and taiga forests. The drying up of the climate of the interior regions of the mainland was accompanied by the spread of the steppe and desert fauna, which survived mainly in the steppes and deserts of Asia, and partially died out in Europe.

In the eastern part of Asia, where climatic conditions did not undergo significant changes during the Cenozoic, many pre-glacial animals found refuge. In addition, through East Asia there was an exchange of animals between the Holarctic and Indo-Malay regions. Within its limits, far to the north, such tropical forms as the tiger, the Japanese macaque, and others penetrate.

The distribution of modern wild fauna across the territory of Eurasia reflects both the history of its development, and the features of natural conditions and the results of human activity.

On the northern islands and in the extreme north of the mainland, the composition of the fauna almost does not change from west to east. The fauna of the tundra and taiga forests has minor internal differences. The farther to the south, the differences in latitude within the Holarctic become more and more significant. The fauna of the extreme south of Eurasia is already so specific and so different from the tropical fauna of Africa and even Arabia that they are assigned to different zoogeographic regions.

The fauna of the tundra is especially monotonous throughout Eurasia (as well as North America).

The most common large mammal in the tundra is the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). It is almost never found in Europe in the wild; this is the most common and valuable domestic animal in the north of Eurasia. The tundra is characterized by arctic fox, lemming and white hare.

Eurasian countries

The list below includes not only states located on the Eurasian mainland, but also states located on islands classified as Europe or Asia (an example is Japan).

Abkhazia
Austria
Albania
Andorra
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bulgaria
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brunei
Butane
Vatican
Great Britain
Hungary
East Timor
Vietnam
Germany
Greece
Georgia
Denmark
Egypt (partially)
Israel
India
Indonesia (partially)
Jordan
Ireland
Iceland
Spain
Italy
Yemen
Kazakhstan
Cambodia
Qatar
Kyrgyzstan
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Lithuania
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Myanmar
Nepal
Netherlands
Norway
Pakistan
State
Palestine
Poland
Portugal
The Republic of Korea
Republic
Kosovo
Macedonia
Russia
Romania
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Singapore
Syria
Slovakia
Slovenia
Tajikistan
Thailand
Turkmenistan
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Turkey
Uzbekistan
Ukraine
Philippines
Finland
France
Croatia
Montenegro
Czech
Switzerland
Sweden
Sri Lanka
Estonia
South Ossetia
Japan

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About 30% of the surface of our planet is land, which is represented by six continents. They vary greatly in size. And the question arises: "What is the largest continent of the Earth?" You can learn about this from this article.

Eurasia - the largest continent of the Earth

This continent covers an area of about 54,000,000 km2. Thus, it is the largest continent on Earth. At the same time, the number of people living on it has already exceeded 5 billion people, which is about 75 percent of the total population of the planet.

Geographically, Eurasia is also divided into two parts: Europe and Asia. As you know, there are six parts of the world in total, of which Asia is the largest (the mainland on Earth is a purely geographical concept, while part of the world is cultural and ethnographic). It should be noted that Europe accounts for only 20% of the entire area of Eurasia.

The largest continent on Earth is territorially continuous, and the demarcation line between the European and Asian parts is very arbitrary. As a rule, it is carried out along the slopes of the Ural Mountains, along the Emba River, the shores of the Caspian Sea, the southeastern coast of the Black Sea and the Bosphorus Strait.

Eurasia extends from equatorial to subpolar latitudes. At the same time, some of its islands are already located south of the equator line. The length of the mainland from west to east is 18,000 kilometers, and from north to south - 8,000 km.

Eurasia: features of the nature of the mainland

Eurasia is a continent of natural contrasts. After all, here you can find absolutely everything: the highest snow-capped peaks and deep depressions, cold harsh tundra and hot, huge deserts, impenetrable forests and expanse steppes. In terms of natural diversity, this continent has no equal on our entire planet!

Of course, such geographical diversity is due to the size of Eurasia and its elongation from north to south. All possible natural zones of the Earth are represented on the continent - from arctic deserts to tropical rainforests (there are 14 natural zones in Eurasia). There are more than a dozen large mountain systems on the mainland, within which altitudinal belts have formed.

most high point Eurasia (and the planet as a whole) is Mount Chomolungma in the Himalayas. Its height is 8848 meters. The lowest point on the mainland is the Dead Sea depression.

Eurasia: countries and peoples

The origin of the name of the largest continent on Earth is interesting. It is curious that at first the entire mainland was called Asia (in particular, Alexander von Humboldt called it that in the middle of the 19th century). But Eurasia was the first to be named by the scientist Eduard Suess, and this happened only at the end of the century before last. This name was assigned to the largest continent.

The largest continent on Earth today has about a hundred countries. All of them are very different in size, economic development, cultural and other features. The contrast of Eurasia is fully manifested in this aspect as well. One interesting example can be cited. So, on the same continent, the largest world state is located - Russia (area - 17 million km 2) and the smallest - the Vatican (an area of \u200b\u200bonly 0.5 km 2).

Eurasia is characterized by an amazing diversity of cultures, languages and dialects. Especially when it comes to Asia. So, in India alone, people speak more than 800 languages and dialects!

Eurasia: records and amazing facts

Finally, to summarize all of the above, here is a list of the most famous and amazing records of the territory we are considering. So:

Eurasia is the most populated continent on the planet. About five billion people live here (only in India and China, the population exceeds two billion).
Eurasia is the only continent that is washed by all the oceans of the planet at once.
It is here that the largest lake in size - the Caspian Sea - is located.
Behind this continent there is another "lake" record: the deepest lake on Earth (Baikal) "registered" here.
The highest and lowest points of the planet are located in Eurasia.
The shallowest sea on Earth (Azov) is also located here (imagine: its depth does not exceed 15 meters!).
It is on the map of Eurasia that you can find 4 seas with "color" names: Black, White, Red and Yellow.
This continent is the absolute leader on the planet in terms of the total number of mountain systems, the largest among them is Tibet.

As you can see, it is not for nothing that this part of the world is called the largest. The continent on Earth, which has all these amazing records, simply cannot have a small area.

Conclusion

So, we found out that Eurasia is the largest continent on Earth. It occupies a colossal territory of 54,000,000 km2. Over 5 billion people live on these lands. The diversity of languages, the richness of the cultural heritage of different countries attracts to this mainland a huge number of researchers and ordinary tourists from other continents.

A continent is a large landmass surrounded by seas and oceans. In tectonics, continents are characterized as sections of the lithosphere with a continental structure.

Mainland, continent or part of the world? What is the difference?

In geography, another term is often used, denoting the mainland - the continent. But the concepts of "mainland" and "continent" are not synonymous. V different countries accepted various points view of the number of continents, called continental models.

There are several such models:

In China, India, as well as in the English-speaking countries of Europe, it is customary to consider that continents 7 - Europe and Asia, they consider separately;
In Spanish-speaking European countries, as well as in the countries of South America, they mean the division into 6 parts of the world - with a united America;
in Greece and some countries of Eastern Europe, a model with 5 continents is adopted - only those where people live, i.e. except for Antarctica;
in Russia and the countries of Eurasia adjacent to it, they traditionally designate 4 - continents united into large groups.

(The figure clearly shows different representations of continental models on Earth, from 7 to 4)

Continents

There are 6 continents in total on Earth. We list them in descending order by area size:

- the largest continent on our planet (54.6 million sq. km)
(30.3 million sq. km)
(24.4 million sq. km)
(17.8 million sq. km)
(14.1 million sq. km)
(7.7 million sq. km)

All of them are separated by the waters of the seas and oceans. Four continents have a land border: Eurasia and Africa are separated by the Isthmus of Suez, North and South America - the Isthmus of Panama.

Continents

The difference is that the continents do not have a land border. Therefore, in this case, we can talk about 4 continents ( one of the continental models of the world), also in descending order by size:

AfroEurasia
America

Parts of the world

The terms "mainland" and "continent" have a scientific meaning, but the term "part of the world" divides the land on a historical and cultural basis. There are 6 parts of the world, only unlike the continents, Eurasia differs by Europe and Asia, but North and South America are defined together as one part of the world America:

Europe
Asia
America(both North and South), or New World
Australia and Oceania

Speaking of parts of the world, they mean the islands adjacent to them.

The difference between the mainland and the island

The definition of the mainland and the island is the same - a part of the land washed by the waters of the ocean or seas. But there are significant differences.

1. Size. Even the smallest continent, Australia, is much larger in area than the world's largest island, Greenland.

(Formation of the Earth's continents, single continent Pangea)

2. Education. All continents have a tiled origin. According to scientists, there was once a single continent - Pangea. Then, as a result of the split, 2 continents appeared - Gondwana and Laurasia, which later split into 6 more parts. The theory is confirmed both by geological surveys and by the shape of the continents. Many of them can be put together like a puzzle.

Islands are formed in many ways. There are those that, like the continents, are located on the ruins of ancient lithospheric plates. Others are formed from volcanic lava. Still others - as a result of the activity of polyps (coral islands).

3. Habitability. All continents are inhabited, even Antarctica, which is harsh in terms of climatic conditions. Many islands are still uninhabited.

Characteristics of the continents

- the largest continent, occupying 1/3 of the land. Two parts of the world are located here at once: Europe and Asia. The border between them runs along the line of the Ural Mountains, the Black and Azov Seas, as well as the straits connecting the Black and Mediterranean Seas.

This is the only continent that is washed by all the oceans. The coastline is indented, it forms a large number of bays, peninsulas, islands. The mainland itself is located immediately on six tectonic platforms, and therefore the relief of Eurasia is incredibly diverse.

Here are the most extensive plains, the highest mountains (the Himalayas with Mount Everest), the deepest lake (Baikal). This is the only continent where all climatic zones are represented at once (and, accordingly, all natural zones) - from the Arctic with its permafrost to the equatorial with its sultry deserts and jungles.

¾ of the world's population lives on the mainland, 108 states are located here, of which 94 have the status of independent.

- the hottest continent on Earth. It is located on an ancient platform, so most of the area is occupied by plains, mountains are formed along the edges of the mainland. Africa is home to the longest river in the world, the Nile, and the largest desert, the Sahara. Climate types presented on the mainland: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical and subtropical.

Africa is usually divided into five regions: North, South, West, East and Central. There are 62 countries on the mainland.

It is washed by the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans. The result of the movement of tectonic plates was a heavily indented coastline of the mainland, with a huge number of bays, straits, bays and islands. The largest island is in the north (Greenland).

The Cordillera Mountains stretch along the western coast, and the Appalachians along the eastern coast. The central part is occupied by a vast plain.

All climatic zones are represented here, except for the equatorial one, which determines the diversity of natural zones. Most rivers and lakes are located in the northern part. The largest river is the Mississippi.

The indigenous people are Indians and Eskimos. Currently, 23 states are located here, of which only three (Canada, the United States and Mexico) are on the mainland itself, the rest are on the islands.

It is washed by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Along the west coast stretches the world's longest mountain system - the Andes, or South American Cordillera. The rest of the mainland is occupied by plateaus, plains and lowlands.

This is the rainiest continent, since most of it is located in the equator zone. Here is the largest and most abundant river in the world - the Amazon.

The indigenous people are the Indians. Currently, there are 12 independent states on the territory of the mainland.

- the only continent on the territory of which there is only 1 state - the Commonwealth of Australia. Most The mainland is occupied by plains, mountains are located only along the coast.

Australia is a unique continent with the largest number of endemic animals and plants. The indigenous people are Australian Aborigines, or Bushmen.

- the southernmost continent, completely covered with ice. The average thickness of the ice cover is 1600 m, the largest is 4000 m. If the ice in Antarctica melted, the level of the world's oceans would immediately rise by 60 meters!

Most of the mainland is occupied by an icy desert, life is glimmering only on the coasts. Antarctica is also the coldest continent. In winter, temperatures can drop below -80 ºC (record -89.2 ºC), in summer - up to -20 ºC.

which are within it. The generalized name of the mainland was first used in the first half of the XIX v. famous geographer Alexander Humboldt.

Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. - M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001 .

EURASIA

the largest continent, area - 53.44 million km2. It occupies a third of all land. Traditionally divided into parts of the world: Europe and Asia. The border is drawn along the east. at the foot of the Urals, r. Embe, Sev. coast of the Caspian Sea, Kumo-Manych depression north of the Caucasus, along the Azov, Black and Marmara seas, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. Lies in the north. hemisphere. The mainland is crossed by the tropic and the polar circle. Washed by all oceans. The coast is heavily indented. Geological structure and relief. Unlike other continents, E. consists of several platforms interconnected by folded mobile belts. The main cores are the European, Siberian, Chinese platforms. They were joined by fragments of Gondwana - the Arabian Peninsula and Hindustan. Within the platforms, a flat relief is common, sometimes disturbed by later uplifts (Aldan Highlands, mountain ranges of China). Most mountain systems are confined to mobile folded belts, the main of which is the Alpine-Himalayan (Alps, Caucasus, Himalayas). Mountain systems of different ages. Along the east The coast of the mainland stretches the second fold belt - the Pacific, where the process of mountain building has not been completed. Tectonic movements (volcanism and earthquakes) continue in the folded belts. progress earth's crust occur along faults in ancient folded belts, where rejuvenated mountains are located (Tien Shan, Karakoram, Kun-Lun, Altai). Earthquakes, extinct volcanoes, many thermal and mineral springs are characteristic. The most powerful exogenous factor that formed the modern relief of Eurasia was ancient glaciation. In addition, Sev. part of the continent experienced prolonged marine transgressions, which caused the appearance of a thick layer of sedimentary rocks on ancient platforms. The complex structure of the earth's crust determines the exceptional diversity of minerals. Ore deposits are confined to the outcrops of crystalline foundations, in intermountain troughs, on sea shelves and ancient plains, oil and gas reserves, ancient destroyed mountains are famous for gems (Ural, Deccan), rivers deposited gold sands, there are diamond deposits. Climate. All types of climate have formed on the territory of the mainland, in almost every belt there are areas, the originality of which is determined by the position relative to the sea. Arctic and subarctic belt. The 3rd has a maritime climate with warm, mild winters and cool, rainy summers; the east has a continental climate with very cold winters. Temperate zone. Zap. coast of Europe - maritime climate influenced by west. winds and warm current Gulfstream. With distance from the ocean, the amplitude of winter and summer 1 increases, and there is more precipitation in summer than in winter. This is an area of temperate continental climate, it is typical for the Center and East. Europe. Beyond the Urals, an area of sharply continental climate is formed with very cold and dry winters and humid, hot summers. To the east The coast of the mainland has a monsoonal climate with warm, humid summers and cold, dry winters. subtropical belt. All year 1; are positive. There are three areas: 3. - Mediterranean (dry tropical air dominates in summer, sea air of temperate latitudes dominates in winter); in the region of the Near Asian Highlands, the climate is subtropical continental (with very dry and hot summers and relatively cold winters (possible 1; below 0 °); in the east - a monsoonal climate region with a summer maximum of precipitation. The tropical belt is expressed only in the Arabian Peninsula , in Mesopotamia, in the south of the Iranian Highlands and in the basin of the lower Indus. During the year, tropical air masses dominate, very dry and hot. It is replaced by a subequiv. belt with a monsoon climate on the Hindustan and Indochina peninsulas, in most of the Indo-Gangetic lowland and the very south of China. The equivalent belt occupies the Peninsula of Malacca and the islands of the Malay Archipelago. Inland waters. The continent is unique in terms of the area of internal runoff basins, in the number of large rivers, in the diversity of their feeding and regimes. The basin of the Arctic Ocean includes the largest rivers of Russia: the Northern Dvina, Pechora, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Kolyma, etc. The Atlantic Ocean basin includes the rivers of Western, Southern and partially Eastern Europe (Seine, Vistula, Odra, Elbe, Rhine, Danube , Dniester). Rivers Pacific Ocean start in the mountains (Amur, Anadyr). The sources of the Yellow River, Yangtze and Mekong are in Tibet. The Indian Ocean basin includes rivers: Indus, Brahmalutra and Ganges start in the Himalayas, Tigris and Euphrates in the Armenian Highlands. In the center, regions of E., there are districts of internal flow (Volga, Amu Darya and Syr Darya). There are many lakes of different origin - the largest Caspian and Aral Seas, the deepest Baikal, Ladoga, glacial lakes of Northern Europe, picturesque mountain lakes. natural areas . They stretch in latitudinal bands, and due to the features of the relief and climate "sometimes do not have a continuous distribution. The largest areas are occupied by the temperate and subtropical zones. Arctic deserts, tundras and forest tundras are stretched in a narrow strip along the Arctic coast of Europe and Asia, gradually expanding when moving to the east. and have much in common with American ones.Lichen and shrub tundra dominated by lemmings, arctic foxes, reindeer, wolves.Waterfowl are numerous in summer.Coniferous forests occupy vast areas.Typical podzolic soils are formed, heat and moisture are sufficient for the growth of woody plants.In Europe spruce and pine dominate, in Asia - cedar and larch.The zone in Siberia has a greater extent to the south than in Europe.The taiga is characterized by fur-bearing animals (sable, Siberian weasel, ermine, fox).Ungulates are found (elk, red deer, musk deer) ; predators (bear, wolf, wolverine), birds such as capercaillie, hazel grouse gravitate to the taiga , crossbill, nutcrackers. Mixed forests grow on soddy-podzolic soils, do not form a continuous strip, are common only in Europe and the East. Asia. Broad-leaved forests grow on brown and gray forest soils. In Zap. Europe is dominated by beech with hornbeam and elm, to the east they are replaced by oak with maples and linden. In the grassy layer, gout, ferns, lily of the valley, lungwort. In Eastern Eurasia, these forests have survived only in the mountains. Here, southern species (bamboo, creepers), many relic forms are added to the usual ones. The fauna of mixed and broad-leaved forests is close to the taiga (hares, foxes, squirrels, red deer, roe deer, wild boars). Monkeys and a tiger are added to V. In the center, the regions of the mainland, the forests to the south are replaced by forest-steppe and steppe with a predominance of herbaceous vegetation on chernozem soils. In the European steppes, almost no natural fauna has been preserved, since they are plowed everywhere. Only ground squirrels, marmots, birds of prey survived. In east. parts of the mainland, real steppes give way to dry steppes (Gobi) with sparse vegetation on chestnut soils. To Center, and Wed. Asia are semi-deserts and deserts. The soils are brown and gray-brown. very saline in places. Animals are represented by rodents (jerboas, gerbils), reptiles (lizards, snakes - efa, gyurza, cobra, arrow, turtles, monitor lizards). All are characterized by a period of winter dormancy; in summer, activity is predominantly nocturnal and twilight. Kulans, goitered gazelles, saigas have been preserved in some places. There are also predators - caracal, wolf, fox, jackal. The tropical deserts of Mesopotamia and Arabia are similar to those of Africa and have general views plants and animals. In the subtropical zone, which does not have a continuous distribution, there are zones of subtropical forests. Peculiar European Mediterranean forests, which gave the name to the type of vegetation. Fertile brown soils are common, and the plants have a fluffy or waxy coating to protect them from the summer heat. Natural vegetation (oaks, myrtle, strawberry tree, wild olive, laurel) has been preserved in small areas, since these districts have long been mastered. There are few wild animals, most of them live only in protected areas (wild goats and sheep, reptiles, birds of prey, rodents). The east of the mainland has a monsoonal climate with a summer maximum of precipitation, and very rich tropical forests have been preserved on red and yellow soils with magnolias, camphor laurel, camellias, and bamboo. They are mixed with deciduous and coniferous trees: oak, hornbeam, cypresses, pines, many lianas. Wild animals are preserved in the mountains (black Himalayan bear, panda bamboo bear, macaque monkeys, leopards; birds - pheasants, parrots). Wet equiv. forests occupy the islands and peninsula Yuzh. and South East. Asia. Some endemic species of animals (orangutans, some reptiles) live here, palm trees and bamboos are especially diverse. Huge districts of the mainland are occupied by areas of altitudinal zonation, confined to the highest mountain systems. In the conditions of high mountains, a peculiar climate with large amplitudes of t is formed, which leads to the formation of high-altitude deserts with undersized cushion-like plants and burrowing animals. Yaks live in Tibet, there are several species of antelopes, mountain sheep, special types of martens, foxes, bears, rodents are common. In foreign Egypt, seven large natural complexes are distinguished - North, Middle, South. Europe; South Hall." Center, East and Yuzh. Asia. Population. E. developed ancient civilizations Earth. 3.5 billion people live on the mainland, the population density in some places reaches 700-1000 people / km2, but there are also deserted districts. The population is diverse racial composition. There are more than 60 states on the continent with various systems device and level of development.

Brief geographical dictionary. EdwART. 2008 .

Eurasia

the largest continent of the Earth, historically divided into two parts of the world - Europe and Asia, which do not have a pronounced nature among themselves. borders. The name of the mainland was proposed in the 19th century. A. Humboldt. Washes on Z. Atlantic Ocean, on the N. - Sev. Arctic, in the east - the Pacific, in the south - the Indian Ocean. It stretches 16,000 km from west to east and 8,000 km from north to south. Area approx. 53.4 million km², which is over 1/3 of the entire land.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of Acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

Eurasia

the largest continent of the Earth; consists of Europe and Asia, which do not have a pronounced natural boundary between them. The division arose historically; the generalized name of the mainland was first used in the 1st half. 19th century famous German geographer Alexander Humboldt. It is washed in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the north by the North. the Arctic, in the east - the Pacific, in the south - the Indian Oceans and their marginal seas. From west to east it extends for 16,000 km; from north to south, for 8,000 km. Pl. OK. 53.4 million km², which is St. 1 /3 of the earth's land surface; sq. islands ok. 2.75 million km². Eurasia is based on ancient platforms: East European with the Baltic and Ukrainian crystalline shields, Chinese-Korean, South Chinese, Indian. East and south. Two mobile geosynclinal belts run along the outskirts of the mainland: East Asian and Alpine-Himalayan. For many districts Wed, Central, East. Asia and the Malay Archipelago are characterized by high seismicity. In Iceland, the Mediterranean, in Kamchatka, the Vost Islands. and South East. Asia has many active volcanoes.
2 /3 of its area. Main mountain systems: Himalayas, Scandinavian mountains, Alps, Caucasus, Hindu Kush, Karakorum, Pamir-Alai, Tien Shan, Kunlun, Ural, Altai, South mountains. and North East. Siberia; highlands: Western Asian, Tibetan, Sayano-Tuva; plateaus: Deccan, Central Siberian. The most significant lowlands: East European (Russian), West Siberian, Turan, Great Chinese, Indo-Gangetic. On the islands of the Arctic, Iceland and in the highlands of many mountain systems - extensive modern glaciation with a total area. 228.8 thousand km².
The climate varies widely, from arctic in the north to equatorial in the south. Oceanic climate prevails in the outlying districts (monsoonal in the south and east), and continental and sharply continental in the interior. On S.-V. mainland (in the region of Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon) - the pole of cold North. hemispheres; The Arabian Peninsula is one of the hottest places on earth. Huge contrasts of moisture: in the center. part of the mainland there is a vast area of deserts, where less than 200 mm of precipitation falls annually, and in the East. India (the town of Cherrapunji) has the largest amount of precipitation on Earth - up to 12 thousand mm. Main rivers: Yangtze, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur, Huang He, Mekong, Brahmaputra, Ganges, Indus, Tigris, Euphrates, Volga, Danube. In Eurasia - the most extensive area of inland flow on the globe, to which bass belong. Caspian and Aral Seas, lakes Balkhash and Lobnor. Here is the deepest lake in the world. Baikal.
In Eurasia, all geographical zones of the North are represented. hemisphere. In the Arctic zone there is a zone of arctic deserts, in the subarctic zone - tundra and forest-tundra zones, in the temperate and in the tropics vast areas are occupied by forests, in the South-West. and Center. Asia - deserts and semi-deserts. V high mountains altitudinal zonality is well expressed. More than half of Eurasia (its northern part) in floristic and faunal terms belongs to the Holarctic; South Eurasia is occupied by the flora of the Paleotropical region and the fauna of the Indo-Malayan region. Map on pp. 176–177.

Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Under the editorship of prof. A. P. Gorkina. 2006 .

Eurasia

the name of the mainland, which includes two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. This is the largest continent on Earth. Its area is 53,893 thousand square meters. km.

Encyclopedia Around the World. 2008 .

Synonyms:

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Eurasia- (Batumi, Georgia) Hotel category: 3 star hotel Address: Inosaridze street, First line, d … Hotel catalog

The largest continent of the Earth, uniting the two parts of the world Europe and Asia. Name E. was introduced by the Austrian geologist E. Suess in his work “The Face of the Earth”. Geological dictionary: in 2 volumes. M.: Nedra. Edited by K. N. Paffengolts et al. 1978 ... Geological Encyclopedia