The 7 Largest Continents In The World By Area

The 7 Largest Continents In The World By Area

The Earth is home to 7 continents that vary greatly in size, population, and geographic features. The continents are Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. When ranked by total land area, the order is quite clear from largest to smallest.

The 7 continents of the world account for 29.2% of the Earth’s surface or 148,940,000 square kilometers of land. The immense landmasses harbour a wide diversity of geographic features like majestic mountains, expansive deserts, lush rainforests, and more. Additionally, the continents are home to the world’s 195 sovereign states and 7.9 billion people.

Table of Content

Below is a detailed overview of the 7 continents ranked according to their total land area from largest to smallest:

1. Asia – 44,579,000 square km

Asia is the largest continent on Earth, covering around 30% of the total land area. The enormous landmass stretches from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Asia contains 48 countries, houses 60% of the global population, and has immensely diverse landscapes ranging from the Himalayas to the Gobi Desert.

Some major features of Asia include:

Home to 4.7 billion people or 60% of the world’s population.
Houses the two most populous countries – China and India.
It has the highest point on Earth – Mount Everest (8,849 m).
Some vast landscapes include the Gobi Desert, Siberian plains, Deccan Plateau, and more.
Major rivers like the Yangtze, Ganges, Indus, and Mekong.
Politically, Asia has some of the world’s largest economies like China, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, etc.

2. Africa – 30,370,000 square km

Africa is the world’s second largest continent covering around 20% of Earth’s total land area. This massive peninsula is home to 54 sovereign states and over 1.3 billion people. The Sahara Desert is the defining geographic feature along with other landscapes like the Nile River, Mount Kilimanjaro, Atlas Mountains, and more.

Some major details about Africa:

Home to 17% of the global population at around 1.3 billion people.
-Houses over 3000 distinct ethnic groups and 2000 languages.
Features the world’s longest river – the Nile (6,650 km).
Iconic landmarks include the Sahara Desert, Mount Kilimanjaro, Victoria Falls, etc.
Politically, Africa has some large economies like Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, etc. But also has a high rate of poverty.

3. North America – 24,709,000 square km

North America is the third largest continent on Earth covering about 16% of the total land area. It contains 23 sovereign states lead by major economic powers like the United States, Canada, and Mexico. North America is defined by its numerous mountain ranges, rivers, prairies, coastlines, and more.

Some details about North America:

Home to 579 million people or about 7% of the global population.
Major geographic features include the Rocky Mountains, Mississippi River, Appalachian Mountains, Great Lakes, etc.
Iconic landscapes like the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yellowstone, Yukon territory, etc.
Economically powerful countries include the US (world’s largest economy), Canada, and Mexico.
The US and Canada have the highest HDI (Human Development Index) globally.

4. South America – 17,840,000 square km

South America is the fourth largest continent comprising about 12% of the Earth’s land area. This continent is dominated by the mighty Amazon rainforest and the Andes Mountains range stretching along its western coast. South America contains 12 sovereign states and about 422 million people.

Details about South America:

Home to around 6% of the world’s population at 422 million people.
Major natural features include the Amazon rainforest, Andes Mountains, Atacama Desert, Patagonian Grasslands, etc.
Iconic landmarks like the Angel Falls, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, etc.
Most countries speak Spanish and Portuguese due to colonization history.
Leading economies are Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile, etc.

5. Antarctica – 14,200,000 square km

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent on planet Earth covering about 10% of the total land area. It has no permanent human inhabitants but is home to unique wildlife like penguins, whales, seals, etc. The continent is defined by its massive ice sheets, polar climate, and little precipitation.

Details about Antarctica:

Has no native human population, only houses research stations with visiting scientists.
The coldest continent on Earth with average inland temperatures between -10°C and -60°C.
It contains 90% of the world’s ice accounting for 70% of the global freshwater.
Iconic landscapes include the Transantarctic Mountains, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Shackleton ice shelf, etc.
Home to penguins, whales, seals, colossal squids, and other unique wildlife.

6. Europe – 10,180,000 square km

Europe is the sixth largest continent, covering about 7% of Earth’s land area. This culturally-rich continent contains 50 sovereign states lead by economic powers like Germany, France, Italy, and more. Europe’s iconic landmarks, medieval architecture, natural beauty, and diverse cuisine attract millions of tourists annually.

Some details about Europe:

Home to around 746 million people or about 10% of the global population.
Some of its oldest civilizations date back to ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.
Iconic landmarks include the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Colosseum, Leaning Tower of Pisa, etc.
Natural features like the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathian Mountains, fjords in Scandinavia, etc.
Powerful economies include Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, etc.

7. Australia – 7,692,024 square km

Australia is the smallest continent in terms of land area, covering around 5% of the total global landmass. As an isolated island continent, Australia harbours unique flora and fauna not found anywhere else on Earth. It houses only one country – Australia.

Details about Australia:

Home to only 25 million people concentrated on the coasts.
Iconic landscapes include the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru/Ayers Rock, Sydney Harbour, etc.
Deserts and dry grasslands cover the interior due to low rainfall.
Australia has unique mammals like kangaroos, koalas, platypuses, echidnas, etc.
Powerful advanced economy with high HDI and per capita income.

Conclusion

The 7 continents vary drastically in size from the mammoth continents of Asia, Africa, and North America down to the isolated island continent of Australia. Despite the size differences, each continent has played an integral role in human civilization and history.

The diverse natural landscapes, resources, and cultures across the continents make up the rich fabric of life on Earth. As the human population continues rising, understanding and preserving the continents is key to protect the environment and usher in sustainability.