Continents of the World

Vocabulary flashcards defining key geographic terms, continents, landmarks, and features from the transcript.

Continents

Large solid areas of land on Earth, consisting of seven total: Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica.

Asia

The largest continent, covering one third of all the land on Earth and home to two thirds of the world's population living in 48 countries.

Himalayas

The world's highest mountain, located in the Asian continent.

Tibetan Plateau

The world's highest plateau, located in the Asian continent.

Africa

The second largest continent in the world, situated between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, consisting of 54 different countries.

Nile

The world's longest river, located in the eastern part of Africa.

Sahara Desert

The world's largest desert, which engulfs the northern part of Africa.

Europe

The world's second smallest continent, home to one quarter of the world's population living in nearly 51 independent countries.

Vatican City

The smallest country not only in Europe, but also in the world.

North America

The world's third largest continent, consisting of 23 different countries and surrounded by the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and North Pacific Ocean.

Panama Canal

A human-made canal that separates North America from South America.

South America

The world's fourth largest continent, consisting of 12 sovereign states, bordered by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Atacama

The world's driest desert, located in South America.

Andes

The world's longest mountain range, located in South America.

Australia

A continent that is also a country, lying between the Indian Ocean in the West and the Pacific Ocean in the East.

Australasia

The region formed when New Zealand, New Guinea, and a few other islands are added to the continent of Australia.

Antarctica

The fifth largest continent of the world located at the South Pole, surrounded by the Southern Ocean and almost entirely covered in ice.

Eurasia

The name used when Europe and Asia are thought of as a single continent.

Indian Subcontinent

The region formed by India and nearby countries including Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Sri Lanka.