The Greenwich meridian, which serves as a reference point for geographic longitudes, and the 180 meridian continuing it divide the Earth into two hemispheres - Western and Eastern. That part of the planet that is east of the Greenwich meridian and west of 180 is the Eastern Hemisphere.
Most of the continents are located in the Eastern Hemisphere of the Earth: Eurasia (with the exception of a small part of Chukotka), most of Africa, Australia and part of Antarctica.
Eurasia
Most of Eurasia is located north of the equator. Eurasia is the largest of the Earth's continents. Its area is 36% of the entire earth's land area - 53.593 million km². This is not only the largest, but also the most populated continent, 3/4 of humanity lives here.
The coastline is heavily indented, there are many bays and peninsulas, the largest of which are Hindustan and the Arabian Peninsula. In contrast to other continents, the mountains in Eurasia are located mainly in the central part, and the plains in the coastal regions.
Eurasia is the only continent on which all the climatic zones of the Earth are represented: equatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate, subarctic and arctic.
Eurasia is washed by all four oceans: the Arctic in the north, the Indian in the south, the Pacific in the east and the Atlantic in the west.
Africa
Africa occupies the second place in terms of area among the continents - 29 million km², and about 1 billion people live here.
The equator divides Africa in half, and this arrangement makes it the hottest continent. In the central part of the continent the climate is equatorial, to the south and north - tropical and subtropical. In the Sahara - the largest desert not only in Africa, but also on Earth - the highest temperature on the planet was recorded: +58 degrees.
The coastline is slightly indented, there are no large bays and peninsulas.
The relief of Africa is represented mainly by high plains, cut in some places by deep river valleys.
The coast of Africa is washed by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean and Red Seas.
Australia
Australia is located much south of the equator. Because of this geographical position, Europeans discovered it later than other continents - 100 years after the discovery of America.
Australia is the smallest continent on Earth, its area is only 7,659,861 km². For this reason, geographers for some time considered Australia an island, but at present it is classified as a continent, since Australia is located on a separate tectonic plate.
Most of the mainland is semi-desert and desert, but the climate of the southwestern part of the continent is reminiscent of the Mediterranean. The most interesting feature of Australia's climate, associated with its location south of the equator, is the "reverse" seasons: the warmest month is January, the coldest is June.
The fauna of Australia is unique. This continent separated from the others before marsupials were replaced by placentals, and became a true "natural reserve" of these animals.
Australia is washed by the Indian Ocean in the north and east, the Pacific - in the south and west.
Help me please! National composition of Southern Europe, Western Europe, Eastern Europe. Religious composition of Western, Eastern Europe.Demographic policy of Southern and Eastern Europe. Type of government of Southern, Western, Eastern Europe. The religious composition of Western, Eastern Europe! thank you very much in advance.
1. In which of the following countries did external migration have a great impact on the formation of the population?1) Poland
2) Ethiopia
3) Canada
4) Norway
2. Which of the following countries has the largest share of migrants in the total labor force?
1) Kuwait
2) Afghanistan
3) Iran
4) Mongolia
Which of the following agglomerations has the largest population? Sofia, New York, London, Madrid?
Which of the following countries has the largest absolute number of city dwellers, but the smallest share of city dwellers in the total population?
India, Brazil, France, Japan?
Which of these countries has the highest natural population growth? a) Niger c) Côte d'Ivoire; e) Somalia. b) Egypt; d) Libya; 3. Choose the correct statements. a) Central Africa and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea are inhabited by the peoples of the Niger-Kordofan family. three languages are most common - Spanish, French and Portuguese c) An example of an ethnic conflict is the confrontation between the Tutsi and Hutu peoples in Rwanda d) More than 30% of believers in Africa profess Buddhism 4. Which features of the colonial type of sectoral structure of the economy are named correctly a) The predominance of high-value agriculture b) The absence of monocultural specialization c) The predominance of trade and services in the non-manufacturing sector d) High density of roads e) Weak development of the manufacturing industry 5. Find options in which the main export product is correctly named of these countries: a) Uganda - coffee b) Niger - uranium ores d) Gabon - bananas c) Mali - diamonds e) Botswana - live cattle 6. Choose the federal republic with the correct capital: a) Nigeria - Abuja ; c) Morocco - Rabat; e) Cameroon - Pretoria. b) Ethiopia - Cairo; d) Liberia - Freetown; 7. Choose the option where the African countries that export non-ferrous metals are correctly indicated: a) Algeria, Gabon, Nigeria; c) Benin, Uganda, Ethiopia; e) Sudan, Somalia, Chad. b) Libya, Ghana, Kenya; d) Guinea, Zambia, South Africa; 8. Which of these countries is not a hotbed of interethnic conflicts? a) Angola; in Marocco; e) Congo. b) Rwanda; d) Chad; II. Answer the questions. 1. Which country in Africa has the largest population? 2. List and reveal the problems of African cities. 3. Why is the population policy in Africa not carried out or not working? 4. Divide the countries of Africa into two groups according to the endowment with forest resources. Give examples.
Most of the continents are located in the Eastern Hemisphere of the Earth: Eurasia (with the exception of a small part of Chukotka), most of Africa, Australia and part of Antarctica.
Eurasia
Most of Eurasia is located north of the equator. Eurasia is the largest of the Earth's continents. Its area is 36% of the entire earth's land area - 53.593 million km². This is not only the largest, but also the most populated continent, ¾ of humanity lives here.
The coastline is heavily indented, there are many bays and peninsulas, the largest of which are Hindustan and the Arabian Peninsula. In contrast to other continents, the mountains in Eurasia are located mainly in the central part, and the plains in the coastal regions.
Eurasia is the only one in which all the climatic zones of the Earth are represented: equatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate, subarctic and arctic.
Eurasia is washed by all four oceans: the Arctic in the north, the Indian in the south, the Pacific in the east and the Atlantic in the west.
Africa
The second place in terms of area among the continents is occupied by Africa - 29 million km², and about 1 billion people live here.
The equator divides Africa in half, and the location makes it the hottest continent. In the central part of the continent the climate is equatorial, to the south and north - tropical and subtropical. In the Sahara - the largest desert not only in Africa, but also on Earth - the highest temperature on the planet was recorded: +58 degrees.
The coastline is slightly indented, there are no large bays and peninsulas.
The relief of Africa is represented mainly by high plains, cut in some places by deep river valleys.
The coast of Africa is washed by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean and Red Seas.
Australia
Australia is located much south of the equator. Because of this geographical position, Europeans discovered it later than other continents - 100 years after the discovery of America.
Australia is the smallest continent on Earth, its area is only 7,659,861 km². For this reason, geographers for some time considered Australia an island, but at present it is classified as a continent, since Australia is located on a separate tectonic plate.
Most of the mainland is semi-desert and desert, but the climate of the southwestern part of the continent is reminiscent of the Mediterranean. The most interesting feature of Australia's climate, associated with its location south of the equator, is the "reverse" seasons: the warmest month is January, the coldest is June.
The fauna of Australia is unique. This continent separated from the others before marsupials were replaced by placentals, and became a true "natural reserve" of these animals.
Australia is washed by the Indian Ocean in the north and east, the Pacific - in the south and west.
There are six continents on planet Earth. Each of them is special and in some way unique. Some are realms of ice, others are summer. Some continents are huge in area, while others are quite small, but also unique and unrepeatable.
The smallest continent on planet Earth is Australia. Its area is only 8.9 million square kilometers. Australia is located in the southern hemisphere of the planet and is washed by the Pacific and Indian. The relief is mostly low compared to other continents, if you do not take into account Antarctica. The entire territory of the mainland is occupied by the state of Australia. Because of its size, it was called a large island.
This continent differs from all currently existing in its plant and animal diversity. Australia is an amazing place with many wonderful animals and plants. It is here that the koala, platypus and echidna live. In Australia, there are about 30 species of marsupials. The largest tree on the planet, the eucalyptus, has taken root here.
It is worth noting that Australia is the driest continent on our planet. Huge sandy deserts spread on its territory. Precipitation for the whole year is negligible, even the African mainland cannot be compared with Australia in this indicator.
The capital of Australia is Canberra, and one of the largest cities is Sydney. Sydney with its opera house, which is easily recognizable in any corner of the earth, and the role of this city in the history of world sports cannot be overestimated, since it was in Sydney that the Summer Olympic Games were held in 2000.
There are only six continents on planet Earth. The continent is a mass of the earth's crust, rising above the level of the oceans. The smallest continent on our planet is Australia.
Continents of the globe
The continents also include the shallow coastal zones of the seas (shelves) and the islands located near them. Once upon a time, all parts of the world formed one continent - Pangea.
And today there are six that are separated by oceans: Eurasia has the largest territory of the planet, its area is 55 million km2. sq., South America - 18 million km. sq., Africa - 30 million km. sq., Antarctica - 14 million km. sq., North America - 20 million km. sq., Australia is the smallest continent, its area is 8.5 million km2. sq.
Australia is the smallest continent on the planet
The area of Australia, including the islands, is about 8.9 million km2. sq. Australia is bordered by the Indian and Pacific oceans. Almost in the middle of Australia is the southern tropic. At the base of the relief of this continent is the Australian platform. Its western part is raised. The Western Australian Plateau is located here, its height is 400-600 m, crystalline rocks come out on its surface.
In the east of the mainland from the northern peninsula of Cape York to southern Tasmania is a folded region - the Great Dividing Range.
In the old days, Australia was called "Terra incognito", today this land for us remains full of surprises and mysteries. Australia surprises with its diversity. There are endless ocean beaches, beautiful roads. This is the land of coral reefs and wild mustangs. Australia has no rivals in the number of unique animals and plants. The whole country, in fact, is a world-class reserve, while 80% of the animals are endemic, since they are found only here.
This continent, which turned out to be the smallest in the whole world, was first discovered by the Dutch. A significant amount of information was provided by the expedition led by Abel Tasman. He explored the northwestern and northern coasts of Australia in 1642-1643, at the same time he discovered the island of Tasmania. And James Cook became the discoverer of the east coast in the 18th century. From the end of the 18th century, the development of Australia began.
Country Australia
Australia is the sixth largest country in terms of area. This is the only state that occupies an entire continent.
The capital of Australia is Canberra. Its area is 7682 thousand km. sq. Its share of the planet's land area is 5%. The population is about 19.73 million people. Of the entire world population, this proportion is 0.3%. The highest point is Mount Kosciuszko (2228 meters above sea level), the lowest point is Lake. Air (16 meters below sea level). The southernmost point is Cape Southeast, the northernmost point is Cape York. The westernmost is Cape Steep Point, the easternmost is Cape Byron. The length of the coastline is 36,700 km (together with Tasmania).
Administrative division: 2 territories and 6 states. The national anthem of the country: "Go, beautiful Australia!" The holiday is Australia Day.
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Man's acquaintance with the continents of the planet lasted for a whole historical period. Obtaining important geographical information and a number of important finds began to bear the name of the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries. This knowledge of the Earth continued for two centuries.
Instruction
One of the brightest and most exciting is the discovery of a new world - America. Navigator Christopher Columbus set off in search of a sea route from the European part of Eurasia to the Indian shores. In 1492, the ship moored to the shore of the picturesque island. Columbus believed that the crew had arrived at the Indian coast. Because of the confidence of the navigator, the natives of America - the Indians - got their name. Columbus and the crew of sailors were terribly disappointed in their find. Trade with the locals was not promising. And only at the beginning of the 16th century, the navigator Amerigo Vespucci discovered a new world for the inhabitants of Europe. He guessed that Columbus on his expedition mistakenly took America for the coast of India.
Continents, countries, oceans and seas - geographical science very often operates with these terms. This article will discuss some of them. Oceans and continents occupy the surface of our planet. Let's find out how they were formed and what they are now.
How did the oceans, continents, seas arise?
Our planet originated 4.5 billion years ago. Since then, she has changed constantly. As soon as it appeared, it was red-hot and looked like a huge spherical body of seething molten substances. Gradually, the upper layer began to cool, forming the earth's crust.Then the modern oceans and continents did not exist on the planet. Comets and meteorites colliding with the Earth brought ice to it 4 billion years ago. Having evaporated, it fell on the firmament in the form of precipitation and formed the hydrosphere. Instead of several continents, there was only one. It is assumed that the first supercontinent - Vaalbara - arose 3.6 billion years ago.
After it, other supercontinents were formed: Colombia, Rodinia, Pannotia. Each of them fell apart, and a new formation took its place. The last was the mainland of Pangea. It united almost all the modern land of the planet, was washed by the Pantalass Ocean and the Tethys Sea.
The movement of lithospheric plates also split it. The Pangea continent broke up into Laurasia and Gondwana. Tethys turned into an ocean in the region of the modern Mediterranean, Caspian and Black Seas. Later, North America and Eurasia formed from Laurasia, and all the other continents that now exist from Gondwana.
Continents and the oceans
Since the origin of the Earth, the geography of the continents and oceans has changed. This process does not stop, because the slow movement of the platforms continues to this day. To understand how the continents are located today, just look at the geographical atlas.Continents and oceans occupy an unequal area on the planet. Land accounts for 29.2% of the planet's surface. Its area is 149 million square kilometers. Most of its territory belongs to the continents - large areas of land that are washed by the waters of the oceans. There are 6 continents in total:
- Eurasia.North America.South America.Africa.Australia.Antarctica.
The world ocean covers much more space - 70.8%. It is a continuous shell that "envelops" islands and continents. The continents conditionally divide its waters into separate oceans. They may differ slightly in salinity, temperature and inhabitants. Bays, straits, bays and seas are also part of the World Ocean.
northern continents
Oceans and continents are not always strictly within one of the hemispheres. They are divided into northern and southern based on information about the ancient continents. Thus, the continents formed from Gondwana are defined as southern, and those that were formed from the split of Laurasia are considered northern.Eurasia was once part of Laurasia. Now it is the largest continent in the world, which is washed by all the oceans. It is inhabited by more than 70% of all inhabitants of the planet. From west to east, the continent stretched from Cape Roca in Portugal to Cape Dezhnev in Russia. Its northern part begins in the Arctic regions near the Russian Cape Chelyuskin, and its extreme point in the south is Cape Piai in Malaysia.
The continent of North America is located entirely in the Northern and Western hemispheres of the Earth. It is separated from the mainland of Eurasia by the Bering Strait, the border with South America runs along the Isthmus of Panama. The only ocean that does not wash this continent is the Indian. In the northern part, the mainland crosses the Arctic Circle, in the south it passes through the tropic.
southern continents
Africa is the second largest continent. It is located in both the northern and southern hemispheres and is crossed by the equator line. It is separated from Eurasia by the Mediterranean and Red Seas, as well as the Strait of Gibraltar. Here is the largest desert (Sahara) and one of the longest rivers in the world (Nile). The continent is considered the hottest of all.South America on the map is lower than North America, visually, as if continuing it. The continent is located in the Southern and Western Hemispheres, a small part of it is in the Northern. In addition to the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, it is washed by the Caribbean Sea.
Australia is located in the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres of the Earth. It is quite distant from other continents and is not connected with them by land. On its territory there is only one state, which occupies the entire continent. This is the driest continent. Despite this, it has a unique flora and fauna, most of which are endemic.
Antarctica is the southernmost and at the same time the coldest continent. It also has the highest altitude among other continents. There is no permanent population here. Almost the entire territory of the mainland is covered with ice.
oceans
The world ocean is usually divided into the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic and Indian. Sometimes the South is also singled out, but this still remains a controversial issue. Each of the oceans has its own straits, bays and seas.The deepest and largest in area is the Pacific Ocean. It washes the shores of all six continents. It occupies the second part of the World Ocean. The second after it is the Atlantic Ocean. It connects the polar points of the planet. In its center runs the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the peaks of which protrude in the form of volcanic islands.
The Indian Ocean is located within Eurasia, Antarctica, Africa and Australia. Before the era of geographical discoveries, it was considered a great sea. Travel on it began much earlier than on other oceans.
The Arctic Ocean has the smallest area - 15 million square meters. km. It is located near the North Pole. In winter, ice forms on its surface, and the air temperature above it varies from -20 to -40 degrees.
How do oceans and continents interact?
The interaction of water and land on the planet occurs with the participation of the atmosphere and solar activity. The ocean is a huge heat sink. It heats up much more slowly than land, but it also retains heat longer. It exchanges the accumulated energy with the atmosphere, and it distributes it over the surface of the Earth.Air masses formed over the ocean are reflected in the climate of the continents. Maritime winds are wetter than continental ones. Thanks to them, mild conditions are formed on the coasts, with an abundance of precipitation. Inland, the climate is harsher and drier.
An important place in the influence of the ocean on land is given to currents. Warm currents bring precipitation, saturate the continents with moisture, and increase the temperature. Cold - contribute to low temperatures, delay precipitation. They are able to turn individual parts of the Earth into deserts (Atacama, Namib).
Oceans, continents, seas interact with each other and mechanically. Waves can break shores, creating abrasive landforms. Coastal areas are flooded with sea water, forming lagoons, estuaries and fjords.
Our planet is divided into the Western Hemisphere and the Eastern, and this division is rather conditional. What line divides the Earth into two hemispheres? What continents and countries are in the Western Hemisphere? The answers to all these questions can be found in our fascinating article.
Graticule of the Earth: Eastern and Western Hemisphere
What is a degree grid? This is a network of conditional lines, which is drawn on globes and maps by people for convenience. In particular, these lines are needed by scientists and researchers, travelers and business executives. They are also necessary in order to quickly and accurately determine the location of a particular geographical object on the territory of our planet.
The lines of the degree grid include parallels and meridians, as well as lines of the tropics and polar circles. They are found on almost all geographical maps.
If the division of the Earth by the equator into the Northern one is logical and quite justified, then the Western Hemisphere, as well as the Eastern Hemisphere, were identified, rather, conditionally. How this happened will be discussed later.
Zero and 180th meridians
It is these two meridians that divide our planet into two hemispheres: Western and Eastern.
The zero (or Greenwich) meridian is the reference point for all geographic longitudes of the planet. It is called Greenwich because it passes through the passage instrument of the observatory of the same name, located near London. The latter was established in 1675 by the British King Charles II.
Interestingly, until the end of the 19th century, some states had their own So, in Russia this role was played by the Pulkovo meridian, and in France - the so-called Paris meridian. Only in 1884, at an international conference by countries, it was decided to establish the Greenwich meridian as the zero one. It passes through the territories of such countries as Great Britain, France, Spain, Algeria, Mali, Ghana and Burkina Faso. Tourists often come to the Greenwich Observatory. And each of them is obliged to perform one ritual: to stand with one foot in the eastern hemisphere, and the other in the western.
In turn, the 180th meridian is a conditional line that continues the Greenwich meridian on the other side of the Earth. It also serves as the basis for the so-called date line, which, by the way, has a curved trajectory rather than a flat one. It shifts in those places where the meridian passes through the populated areas.
The 180th meridian has another interesting feature. The fact is that it can be called the line of both eastern and western longitude. This meridian (like any other on the globe) connects the North Pole of the Earth with the South. At the same time, it crosses the following geographical objects: the Chukchi Peninsula, the Chukotka chain of the Aleutian Islands, Fiji, as well as the vast expanses of Antarctica.
Countries and continents of the Western Hemisphere
Which continents are in the Western Hemisphere? If you look at the map, the answer to this question is quite simple. This is North and South America (entirely), as well as part of Europe and Africa.
In geopolitical articles and discussions, one can also very often come across the term western hemisphere, which is used as a synonym for the word "America" (here it means not one of the continents).
The countries of this hemisphere have different sizes. There are giant countries among them (USA, Canada, Brazil) and very tiny states (for example, Dominica or the Bahamas). In 2014, 33 countries of the Western Hemisphere held a summit of the newly created Commonwealth of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC for short). The meeting took place on the island of freedom, in the capital of Cuba - Havana.
Conclusion
The Western Hemisphere is located between the Zero and 180th meridians of the planet. of all objects located in this hemisphere, it is customary to call the coordinates of the western longitude.
The Western Hemisphere contains North and South America (entirely), part of Europe and Africa, Greenland, Chukotka, and several island states of Oceania.
