If you are count at a traditional world map , you wo n’t get an accurate estimate of the size of the seven continents ; show a sector onto a flat surface means that something will stop up distorted . For that reason , you may not truly understand something like the sizing of thelargest continent .
If you do n’t have a globe W. C. Handy , read on to learn about where the continents rank by land orbit .
What Are Continents?
Continents are " large , discrete land mint , " consort toThe World Factbook . There are between four and seven continents , depend on how you categorize them . In the United States , for example , you will likely learn there are seven continent : North America , South America , Europe , Africa , Asia , Oceania / Australia and Antarctica .
Some group North and South America — while also include Central America and the Caribbean — as the Americas . This leaves you with six continents : the Americas , Europe , Africa , Asia , Oceania / Australia and Antarctica .
Others group another two continent — Europe and Asia — as one , so you end up with five : the Americas , Eurasia , Africa , Oceania / Australia and Antarctica .
The four - continent model aggregate even more Continent together : AfroEurasia , America , Antarctica and Oceania / Australia .
Pangea
Before the seven Continent ( or four , or however you decide to depend them ) , there was one supercontinent : Pangea .
" Pangea first began to be torn apart when a three - pronged crevice grew between Africa , South America and North America , " agree toU.S. Geological Survey .
The 7 Continents by Size
Here are the seven continents by size , in fall monastic order .
7. Oceania/Australia
site in the Pacific Ocean , Oceania — made up of 16 countries , including Australia , Tonga , Fiji , New Zealand and other island countries — is the lowly continent . It is also one of the least populated Continent .
At 7,310 ft ( 2,228 m ) above sea floor , Oceania ’s highest natural elevation is Mount Kosciuszko in Australia .
6. Europe
At most 10,000,000 sq klick ( 3,861,021 sq mi ) , Europe is the second smallest continent . Europe has 49 state , include Portugal , Slovakia and the United Kingdom .
Its most thickly settled metropolis are Istanbul , Turkey ; Moscow , Russia ; and London , United Kingdom . Russia , a part of Eastern Europe , is also partially in Asia .
5. Antarctica
Antarctica is about 13,209,000 sq kilometer ( 5,100,021 sq nautical mile ) and the least - populated continent . It has no countries , but it is home to some of thecoldest blank space on Earth .
4. South America
The fourth - heavy continent is about 17,8400,000 sq km ( 6,890,000 sq mi ) . 100 of millions live in South America , with São Paulo , Bogotá and Lima among the most thickly settled cities . The continent has 12 countries .
3. North America
South America ’s neighbor , North America is the third largest continent . It is 24,709,000 sq km ( 9,450,000 sq mi ) and stretches from the Aleutian Islands to Panama . There are 23 nation in North America .
2. Africa
Africa is 30,365,000 sq kilometre ( 11,724,000 sq mi ) . With 54 nations make up the land mass , it has more countries than any other continent . Africa is the only continent in the four hemispheres .
1. Asia
Asia spans about 44,614,000 sq km ( 17,226,000 sq mi ) . It is the big and most populous continent , with59 percentof the world ’s universe .
India , located in Southern Asia , boasts the biggest population on the planet . The continent also has three other nations on the listing ofmost populated countriesin the world , including Indonesia in Southeast Asia . The continent shares borders with both Europe and Africa .
