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The Seven Continents

Name all seven continents and locate each one on a world map.

  • Define and explain The Seven Continents in your own words
  • Use key terms such as continent accurately
  • Apply what you have learned to new examples and questions
  • Avoid the common mistakes learners make with this topic

The Earth has seven huge land masses called continents and five vast oceans between them. In this chapter you will learn their names, find them on a world map, and use compass directions to describe where they are.

This lesson focuses on The Seven Continents: name all seven continents and locate each one on a world map.

Definition: The Seven Continents

Name all seven continents and locate each one on a world map.

Key ideas

Seven continents of very different sizes

Asia is the largest continent and Australia the smallest. Europe and Asia are joined as one giant landmass, but we treat them as separate continents because of their different histories and cultures. Antarctica is covered in ice and is the coldest continent.

Oceans cover most of the planet

About seven-tenths of the Earth's surface is ocean. The Pacific is the largest ocean — bigger than all the land put together. The Arctic Ocean around the North Pole is the smallest and coldest.

Key term — continent: A very large area of land — there are seven: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America.

Worked example: The Seven Continents

Name the seven continents.

Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America.

Answer: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America.

Common mistakes
  • Mixing up the Arctic and Antarctica The Arctic is the ocean and ice around the North Pole; Antarctica is the icy continent around the South Pole. Their names sound alike but they are at opposite ends of the Earth.
  • Thinking north is always 'up' in real life North is at the top of most maps, but in the real world it is simply a direction you can face — a compass needle points towards it.

Practice

The equator passes through which continent: Africa or Europe?
Think about which one the middle line of the Earth crosses.

Africa — the equator crosses central Africa, but it does not touch Europe.

Is Australia a country, a continent, or both?
It is a large island nation and one of the seven.

Both — it is a country and a continent.

Which is the largest ocean?
It touches Asia, Australia and the Americas.

The Pacific Ocean.

Which ocean surrounds Antarctica?
It is the most recently named of the five oceans.

The Southern Ocean.

Quick check

The Seven Continents — quick check

Which of these best defines "continent"?

A very large area of land — there are seven: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America.
Key takeaways
  • The Seven Continents: name all seven continents and locate each one on a world map.
  • Seven continents of very different sizes: Asia is the largest continent and Australia the smallest.
  • ocean: A huge body of salty water — there are five: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic oceans.
  • Watch out for: mixing up the Arctic and Antarctica
The Five Oceans →Back to Grade 8 chaptersRelated resources →