- Compare the continents by area and population
- Tell the difference between a continent and a part of the world
- Calculate population density and explain how people are spread out
How many continents are there — six or seven? The answer depends on where you go to school! In Azerbaijan and Russia pupils learn about six continents, while in Türkiye and English-speaking countries seven are usually counted. Let's see where this difference comes from.
Continents and parts of the world
A continent (in the strict sense, a mainland) is a large landmass surrounded on all sides by ocean. There are six: Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica and Australia. Parts of the world are a division that grew up in history: Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia and Oceania, and Antarctica. So the Eurasian landmass is split into two parts of the world, Europe and Asia, while the two Americas count as one. In the seven-continent system, Europe and Asia are separate continents, and so are North and South America.
| Continent | Area, million km² | Population (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Eurasia | 54 | 5.5 billion |
| Africa | 30 | 1.5 billion |
| North America | 24 | 600 million |
| South America | 18 | 440 million |
| Antarctica | 14 | no permanent population |
| Australia | 7.7 | 27 million |
Countries of the world
There are about 195 independent countries in the world; 193 of them are members of the United Nations. The largest country by area is Russia (about 17 million km²), followed by Canada, the USA and China. The smallest is Vatican City, inside Rome — less than 1 km². The top two by population are India and China, each with more than 1.4 billion people. In 2023 India overtook China as the most populous country.
World population
More than 8 billion people live on our planet. They are spread unevenly: most live in Asia, in river valleys, along coasts and on fertile plains, while deserts, polar lands and high mountains have few inhabitants. More than half of humanity now lives in towns and cities — this process is called urbanisation.
- Dpopulation density, people per km²
- Pnumber of people
- Sarea, km²
Population density shows how many people live on 1 km² on average.
Azerbaijan has an area of 86,600 km² and a population of about 10.2 million. Calculate its average population density.
Show solutionHide solution
D ≈ 118 people/km².
That is roughly twice the world average (about 60 people/km²).
Key points
- There are six continental landmasses; Eurasia is the largest and Australia the smallest.
- Parts of the world are a historical division: Eurasia is split into Europe and Asia.
- There are about 195 countries; Russia is the largest and Vatican City the smallest.
- The world population is over 8 billion; India and China have the most people.
- Population density is calculated as D = P / S.
Check yourself
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