Russia is located on the most interesting and diverse continent of the planet, which has collected almost a little bit of everything.

So what place does the Eurasian continent occupy in the world?

Characteristics of the largest continent on Earth

There are 6 continents in total on the planet. Eurasia (Eurasia in English) is the largest.

Specifications:

  1. Area – 55,000,000 km².
  2. There was no such explorer who discovered Eurasia entirely. Different peoples discovered it piece by piece, and great ancient civilizations were formed in different periods. The term "Eurasia" was introduced in 1880 by Eduard Suess.
  3. The continent is so large that on the map it can be seen in 3 hemispheres at once: northern, eastern and western.
  4. Population density is about 94 people per square meter. km.
  5. Eurasia is the continent with the most large population. As of 2015, the number is 5 billion 132 million.

Extreme points on the Eurasian continent with coordinates

List of Eurasian countries with capitals

Countries on the mainland are usually divided into European and Asian countries.

European countries with capitals:

Asian countries with capitals:

What oceans wash Eurasia

Main feature geographical location Eurasia is that the continent is washed by almost all oceans. And since in some countries the 5th Ocean (Southern) has not yet been recognized, it can be partly argued that Eurasia is washed by all existing oceans.

Which parts of the continent are washed by oceans:

  • Arctic - northern;
  • Indian - southern;
  • Pacific Ocean - eastern;
  • Atlantic - Western.

Natural areas of Eurasia

There is everything on site existing types natural areas. They extend from west to east and from north to south.

How are they located geographically:

  • Arctic– islands in the very north;
  • and forest-tundra- in the north beyond the Arctic Circle. In the eastern part there is an expansion of the zone;
  • taiga– located a little further south;
  • mixed forests - located in the Baltic states and in the eastern part of Russia;
  • broadleaf forests– zones in the western and eastern parts of the continent;
  • hardleaf forests– located in the Mediterranean region;
  • forest-steppe and steppe– located in the central part south of the taiga;
  • deserts and semi-deserts– are located south of the previous zone, as well as in the eastern part of China;
  • savannah– Indian Ocean coast;
  • variable-humid forests– the most southeastern and southwestern regions, as well as the Pacific coast;
  • tropical forests- Islands located in the Indian Ocean.

Climate

Due to the geographical location of the continent, the climatic conditions on its territory are quite varied. Everything varies from region to region climate indicators: temperature, precipitation, air masses.

The southernmost regions are the hottest. To the north the climate gradually changes. The central part is already characterized by moderate climatic conditions. A northern part of the mainland is in the kingdom of ice and cold.

Also important role proximity to the oceans plays a role. The winds of the Indian Ocean bring large number precipitation. But the closer to the center, the fewer there are.

In what climatic zones is Eurasia located:

  • arctic and subarctic;
  • tropical and subtropical;
  • equatorial and subequatorial.

Relief

On other continents, a certain type of relief is common. Usually mountains are located on the coast. The relief of Eurasia is different in that mountainous areas are located in the center of the continent.

There are two mountain belts: the Pacific and the Himalayan. These mountains have different ages and were formed at different times.

To the north of them there are several plains:

  • Great Chinese;
  • West Siberian;
  • European;
  • Turanskaya.

Also in the central part are the Kazakh small hills and the Central Siberian Plateau.

The highest mountains

One of the main features of Eurasia is that the world’s highest mountain, Everest (8848 m), is located on the mainland.

Mount Everest

But there are several more highest mountain peaks:

  • Chogori (8611 m);
  • Ulugmuztag (7723 m);
  • Tirichmir (7690 m);
  • Peak Communism (7495 m);
  • Pobeda Peak (7439 m);
  • Elbrus (5648).

Volcanoes

The highest active volcano in Eurasia is Klyuchevaya Sopka. It is located near the eastern coast of the mainland in Kamchatka.

Volcano Klyuchevaya Sopka

Other active volcanoes:

  • Kerinci (Sumatra island, Indonesia);
  • Fuji (Honshu Island, Japan);
  • Vesuvius (Italy);
  • Etna (Sicily, Italy).

Erciyes Volcano

The tallest extinct volcano is Erciyes (Türkiye).

The largest island

Kalimantan is the largest island in Eurasia.

Parts of the island belong to the 3rd different countries: Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. It is the 3rd largest island in the world.

Peninsulas of Eurasia

The largest river

The largest river in Eurasia, the Yangtze, flows in China.

Its length is approximately 6,300 km, and the basin area is 1,808,500 km².

The largest lake

Lake Baikal is the largest in Eurasia and in the world.

Its area is 31,722 km². The lake is located in the eastern part of Siberia. It is truly unique because it is not only the largest, but also the deepest in the world. The maximum depth of Lake Baikal is 1,642 m.

  1. The capital of Iceland, Reykjavik, is the northernmost in the world.
  2. One plant that is interesting is bamboo. It is capable of growing up to 90 cm per day.
  3. “Altai” translated from Mongolian means “Golden Mountains”.

Eurasia is rightfully recognized as a continent that can be included in the top “very best”. It is the largest in area, has the highest mountain peak, and moreover, the continent is inhabited by a third of the planet's population. Eurasia is rich in its history, and its earth's surface contains a large number of countries and nationalities. In other words, a most interesting continent, about which we will tell you the most informative facts and details.

One can say with certainty about Eurasia that there is almost everything here. Everything that was not in this territory was brought and multiplied over time. The fact is that Eurasia is located in absolutely all climate zones; there are all types of climates, from warm equatorial to harsh and cold arctic, which is mostly concentrated in the north of the continent. There is also a wide variety of flora and fauna here.

The main mainland of Eurasia lies in the northern hemisphere, and in the southern part of the Earth there are islands of land. Since this continent is the largest, it also has the largest number of irregularities: mountains, depressions, rugged coastline. This is especially true in the southeast. It would seem that Eurasia is connecting with the African continent. In fact, this is not so; they are separated by the Suez Canal. Therefore, Eurasia is a separate continent. The territory of Eurasia is amazing, it is filled with lakes, seas, rivers, while the entire continent is washed by all 4 oceans.

Description of the climate of Eurasia according to the 7th grade plan

Due to the fact that the territory of Eurasia extends across all climate zones at once, the climate here will be very diverse. The mainland is distinguished by the fact that it is not crossed by the equator (only the island part), while the following climatic zones are assigned to it:

Most of the continent is in the temperate climate zone. A temperate continental climate prevails here with an average temperature in July of + 25 Cº; in winter, in January the thermometer can drop to -19 Cº. In some regions located in the Far North, temperatures can reach -63 Cº.

The temperature on the continent varies from north to south. The northern tip of Eurasia is mostly located in the arctic and subarctic climate zone. Basically, the climate of the mainland corresponds to the conventionally designated zonation, but in the mountains the situation changes. The climate is also changing in the south and southeast of Asia; the monsoons coming from the Indian Ocean change the weather, resulting in large amounts of precipitation.

In general, 4 types of air flows hang over the territory of Eurasia. The mountainous elevation serves as a kind of boundary between the flows of cold or warm masses, dry or wet. Arctic masses are formed over the Arctic and subarctic zones, temperate ones - over the majority of the territory of Eurasia in the temperate zone and, accordingly, tropical and equatorial ones.

If we compare the boundaries of the relief and climate zone, we can say that in the northern part of the Himalayan mountains the amount of precipitation reaches a level of 80-100 mm, while in the east of the Himalayas it is 10,000 mm and above. The same picture is with the Alps, they give warm winters to the countries along the Mediterranean Sea, and leave cold streams for Central Europe, where winters are colder.

Description of the population of Eurasia

Europe is very heterogeneous in its composition. It is filled with both the largest powers: Russia, China, India, and very tiny states, which in size occupy an area no larger than an average city, for example, the Vatican or Andorra. But despite all this, Europe, with an area of ​​10.18 million km, accommodates about 741 million people on its territory. Conventionally, Eurasia is divided into 2 parts: Europe and Asia, but it is Asia that stands out for its population density. Analysts from many countries around the world have revealed that the European birth rate has decreased several times, while the Asian birth rate is growing every year.

In Eurasia, representatives of three races are expressed - Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Ethiopian. The southeast of the continent is considered the most densely populated. If the average population density in Eurasia is 93-94 people (per 1 sq. km), then in China (160 people / 1 sq. km) the density is increased almost 2 times, in Indonesia 1.5 times (125 people / 1 sq. km).

According to the nationalities on the continent, there is a Slavic group (Russians, Moravians, Slovaks, Ukrainians, Czechs, Belarusians, Croats), a Germanic group (Germans, Swedes, Norwegians, English), Chinese (peoples of East Asia), Arab, Indo-Iranian, Sino-Tibetan, This also includes the peoples of Japan and Korea.

Description of northern Eurasia

Northern Eurasia lies on the shores of the cold Arctic Ocean. Three climatic zones are concentrated in this territory: arctic, subarctic and temperate. The Arctic is the harshest and brings cold air masses, as a result it is impossible not to notice this influence. Throughout the year, the temperature here does not rise above 0 Cº; winter drags on for almost 12 months. The average temperature is - 40 Cº.

In the subarctic zone the picture is much rosier. There is a short summer here, with virtually no precipitation, but with strong winds and a temperature of +12 Cº. The rest of the year is occupied by winter, with little precipitation falling. Another part of northern Eurasia covers the temperate zone, where all 4 seasons appear with a mild transition of temperatures and precipitation. The warmest winters here occur in the western European part, this is due to the flow of Atlantic masses.

The diversity of nature begins in the tundra and taiga zone. The habitat of animals, just like the distribution of vegetation, depends on people and the specific climate. For example, deer, arctic foxes, foxes, white hares, and tundra partridges are common in the tundra. Moving further to the Arctic, the only animals encountered are polar bears, seals, fur seals, and some birds, most of which are nomadic.

Northern Eurasia, with its temperate climate, hosts a more diverse flora and fauna. The temperature is conducive to the habitat of wolves, wolverines, foxes, saigas, hares, deer, bears (brown), moose and some other animals that are also found in the middle zone. Birds include hazel grouse, black grouse, woodpeckers, swallows, falcons, etc.

Northern Eurasia is considered the most sparsely populated after the northeast. The main activities in these areas are fishing, forestry and mining. The north of the continent is filled with oil, gas, various ore deposits, gold and diamond reserves. Many oil and gas processing enterprises, metal and stone processing enterprises are concentrated in the northern territory.

Description of the Eurasian River

Eurasia, more than other continents, is filled with water from rivers, lakes and even seas. On its territory flows the most long river continent - Yangtze. And the most full-flowing is the Ganges, if we look down the map, we will see that it connects with the Brahmaputra - the most little-studied river. Nevertheless, it is an important artery of Asia. The Indus, Irrawaddy, Mekong, and Soluin rivers lie nearby; they literally carry their waters parallel to each other into the oceans. With them the Amur, Yellow River, Tigris, and Euphrates also rush into the large harbor.

Many rivers are concentrated in Northern Eurasia on the territory of Russia, flowing into the Arctic Ocean: Yenisei, Kolyma, Indigirka, Yana, Olenyok, Khatanga, Ob. There are other small rivers flowing into large waters, but greatest rivers Russia stands out: Lena - as the longest river, Yenisei - famous for its deep flow, Ob - forms many small rivers and ultimately ends with the widest and most flooded outlet into the ocean, Ural - a river that serves as a divider between the European and Asian parts of Eurasia.

There are many other rivers in Eurasia, which can also be noted by their fullness, length, and tortuosity, for example, the Dnieper, Seine, Rhine, Danube. The Volga is considered the longest river modern Europe, and the Oder crosses the Central European Plain. Rivers with internal drainage are also important; most of them are used for irrigation, and some are even on the verge of extinction.

Description of the relief of Eurasia

Scientists have found that Eurasia was formed as a result of the convergence of several lithospheric platforms. As a result of the connection of the Russian, Siberian, Chinese, Arabian and Indian plates, a folded continent was formed. In the places where it converged, mountains, volcanoes and hills were formed. However, lithospheric movement accompanied not only the protrusion of subsoil to the surface; faults were formed during seismic activity. Currently these are depressions, rivers, seas, lakes and separated islands.

Eurasia is a fairly high continent, its average height is 835-840 m above sea level. At the same time, the highest mountain range is concentrated on it - the Himalayan range, which makes the mainland even higher. There are many other mountain elevations here; as a rule, between the mountains there is a highland or plateau. The most famous Central Siberian, Deccan, Iranian, plateau. Among the plains, the largest ones are the East European, Central European, and West Siberian.

Distributed in Eurasia and deserts, one of the largest is the Rub al-Khali desert. It covers several countries with sand (Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and UAE). The Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts are located in Central Asia. The Gobi and Taklamakan deserts lie between the Tien Shan and Tibetan mountains. There is also a Kazakh small hill not far from Balkhash; it represents an ancient mountain destruction. Once there were mountains there, now only small elevations remain of them - the Kokchetav Upland, the Karkaraly Mountains.

The western side is distinguished by its homogeneity, but even here there are irregularities - the Alpine mountains crossing several countries, the volcanoes of Italy, the Turkish Mountains. By the way, volcanoes are also found in Japan, on the island of Sumatra, and in southeast Asia. Some of them are extinct, not visible for several decades.

Deserts of Eurasia description

Surprisingly, all the deserts of Eurasia are concentrated in the Asian part of the mainland. It turns out that it was there that unfavorable conditions for all living things prevailed, resulting in sandy and rocky dunes.

Arabian deserts

The Arabian deserts smoothly flow from one large to smaller deserts and ultimately form as many as 5 deserts:

  • Rub al-Khali - consists of sand overlying gypsum/gravel deposits, the hottest and driest desert in Eurasia;
  • Big Nefud- a desert with red sand and strong winds. It is known for the fact that life-giving moisture is still present in some of its parts. In these very places, certain crops are grown in the form of vegetables and fruits;

  • Dekhnu- sandy-rocky desert, which lies in a mountain hollow;
  • Nefud-Dakhi- central desert. The sand dunes are inhabited by some Bedouin tribes;
  • Al Hasa- a desert filled with sand and just one oasis, Ratif.

Mongolian deserts

The world famous Gobi Desert is located in the mountains of Mongolia. It is divided into several parts and is the divider between northern and southern Asia. Conventionally, daughter deserts received their names due to the adjacent territories. For example, part of the desert adjacent to the Altai Mountains was called Trans-Altai, and the part near Mongolia was called the Mongolian Gobi. In addition to these, the top five deserts include the Alashan Gobi, Gashun Gobi and Dzungarian Gobi.

The remaining deserts of Eurasia are located along different parts mainland alone. They do not have nearby brothers, but they have their own history and differentiated composition:

  • Karakum and Kyzylkum — both deserts are located in Turkmenistan. Only Kyzylkum goes into the territories of neighboring Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan;
  • Taklamakan, Tsaidam, Ordos - deserts of China. They differ in their composition: Taklamakan - sandy; Tsaidam - saline-sandy; Ordos - sandy-clayey;
  • Tar, Thal- sandy deserts originating in India. Thar simultaneously seizes the territory of Pakistan;

  • Syrian desert - is called an even larger desert. It consists of sand and stones and stretches for more than 1 million km. It runs through Syria, Jordan and Iraq;
  • Dashti-Margo- located in Afghanistan, translated as the valley of death. It lies in a river valley, among its sandy sections there are clayey and rocky rocks;
  • Badgers Big and small — located on the territory of Kazakhstan in the northern part of the Aral Sea;
  • Judean Desert - the most mythical and popular among pilgrims. Located in Israel west of the Dead Sea. Many researchers believe that under this desert there are reservoirs that pass through hundreds of millions of cubic meters of water.

Description of the natural zone of Eurasia taiga

Taiga is located on the border with the tundra and is not distinguished by the abundance of flora and fauna. Its nature is devoid of biological diversity; in conditions of extreme cold and high humidity, only certain plants adapted to acidic soils can survive. Pines, cedars, alders, birches, larches and some types of poplars are common in taiga areas. Boreal forests are quite dense; their peculiarity is that in most trees the seeds ripen in cones, hiding from the cold and excess moisture.

Taiga forests can be called impenetrable. On the one hand, the difficulty lies in dense and tall forests, on the other hand, in swamps. The taiga area is simply overflowing with water, small rivers, swamps and swamps literally ooze from it. However, animals and insects have long adapted to low temperatures and moisture.

In the taiga there are wolves, lynxes, foxes, tigers, bears, muskrats, sables, stoats, chipmunks, and the largest taiga animal is the elk. It feeds on the “lower” green layer of vegetation - mosses and lichens, which are more than abundant here due to the specific environment.

Brief description of the nature of Eurasia

In general, the vegetation of Eurasia is the richest on the planet, there are all types of forests: deciduous, broad-leaved, eucalyptus, etc. There is practically no piece of land on the continent that is not covered with greenery, with the exception of deserts. And then, sometimes there are thorns and feather grass. Starting from the lower grass layer, the soil is covered with a layer of grass or mosses, then low-growing plants or shrubs grow, and multi-tiered tree species grow higher up. This growth order is established in the subtropical, tropical, subequatorial and temperate climate zones.

The seas, rivers and lakes of Eurasia are filled with fish and waterfowl, among which there are commercial species. Among them are chum salmon, sturgeon, beluga, kaluga, coho salmon, trout, salmon, flounder, etc. As for the animal world, the tiger is considered the most dangerous Eurasian representative. Behind him are several varieties of bears, wolverines, and lynx. Fields and forests are inhabited by many species of rodents, and many birds also live in Eurasia.
The central European part and southern Eurasia are most favorable for the cultivation of agricultural crops; southern Asia is famous for its fruit and spice market. In other words, regardless of climatic conditions, animals and plants have learned to adapt to their environment.

Description of the subtropical zone of Eurasia

The subtropical zone of Eurasia is very specific in its content. This is explained by the fact that the belt is lined with different areas: mountains give way to plains, lowlands go into the seas. Because of this, the climate of the subtropics is very diverse. However, there are two typical seasons - winter and summer. The continent is influenced from the west by the Atlantic cyclone, and from the south by African warm air currents. Because of this, the Mediterranean has hot and dry summers and rainy, warm winters.

The mid-continental part is characterized by aridity and cold winters. The warm Indian monsoon blows from the south in summer; the islands and land are in excess of precipitation (more than 3000 mm). In winter, the climate changes, influenced by the eastern part of the subtropical zone. From there come the monsoons, which flood the continent with rain and cold winds.

Description of the temperate climate zone of Eurasia

In Eurasia, the temperate climate zone is considered the widest and most extensive. It stretches immediately between the 40th and 65th parallels. Here the distinction between all seasons is expressed. In summer the sun is high, the air temperature is always positive, in autumn and winter the thermometer drops lower than in summer period, and in winter in all regions of the temperate zone snow falls and temperatures drop below 0 degrees.

The relief of the continent in the temperate zone is mixed, so there is a range of temperatures in the same season. For example, from the west, Atlantic air masses bring warm temperatures, resulting in winters in Europe warmer than in central and eastern Eurasia.

Description of the tropical zone of Eurasia

The tropical belt covers a small part of Eurasia. For this, it is considered unique on the mainland. This territory includes the Arabian Peninsula and the adjacent countries of Mesopotamia. The tropics are warm all year round. Continental-tropical air currents move above them.

Moist streams from the Indian Ocean cannot reach this part of the continent because of the mountains bordering the Arabian Peninsula, so here are the largest deserts on Earth, where heat and drought reign all year round. Most of the year it is summer with temperatures above 35º C (July). In summer, temperatures of about 60º C were recorded in Riyadh. Precipitation in these places is very rare. Tropical winter occurs with average temperatures of 12-16ºC in January.

Lakes of Eurasia

Most lakes in Eurasia are recognized as exceptional. Some of them are striking in their transparency and impregnation, others have an unusual history of formation, others are fed by glacial waters, and some have completely turned from seas into lakes. Yes, yes, unfortunately this happens due to drought and the harmful influence of humanity. Such a story happened with the salty Aral Lake; for a long time it was used for irrigation, as a result the southern part former sea almost dry.

The nearby Caspian Sea is also now classified as a lake. Its water level constantly fluctuates, the maximum depth is 1025 m.
In Europe, the country of Estonia has the largest number of lakes (Chudskoye, Alesti, Kaali, Verevi, etc.). Who would have thought that there were so many lakes in such a small country. The next largest number of water attractions are Germany and Norway. After them are Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Iceland. Lake Como is considered the most remarkable lake in Europe; in addition to the fact that it is very deep, many world celebrities have settled along it, including Madonna, Ronaldinho and others. Lake Vänern (5.65 thousand km) is recognized as the freshest, and its area is the third after Lake Ladoga (17.8 thousand km) and Lake Onega (9.7 thousand km).

Central Eurasia is filled with no less number of lakes than European. Lake Onega, Lake Ladoga, Urmia, and the system of lakes in Seleger and Karelia are located here. Eastern Eurasia is filled with lakes Balkhash, Issyk-Kul, Dongting, Taimyr, Khanka. But Baikal is considered the most unrivaled lake. This is the deepest freshwater lake on the planet (1642 m), located in a rift basin. The beautiful waters of Lake Baikal contain many aquatic inhabitants, among which there is an unusual fish, the golomyanka, which has no scales, but is one-third fat. For its remarkable processes, outstanding phenomena, beauty and significance, the lake has been on the UNESCO heritage list since December 1996.

Mountains of Eurasia

The mountains of Eurasia surpass all the elevations of the planet. Here is the highest peak on Earth - Chomolungma. Every year it gets higher. The Ural mountain range divides the continent into two parts: Europe and Asia. The Alps are considered the highest mountain range in the European part, followed by the Carpathians, which also cover several countries.

On the territory of the largest country on the Russian mainland there are many mountain ranges: the Caucasus, Altai, the mountains of Southern Siberia, North-Eastern Siberia: Stanovoye Highlands, Verkhoyansk Range, Stanovoye Range. In Kamchatka there are also hills - a chain of Klyuchevskaya volcanoes, one of the main elevated among the hills is the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano.

The Asian part is literally raised by mountain ranges. It is framed from the south by the Sahyadri,
Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau) from the east, Eurasia is closed by the Sikhote-Alin Mountains. Tibet and Tien Shan are also located here. In the southeast of the continent there is the Central Iranian chain of mountains, the Iranian Highlands, and the Kuhrud ridge. The north-west is covered by the Scandinavian mountains.

Animals of Eurasia

The territory of Eurasia is diverse in its relief; accordingly, there is a wide variety of flora and fauna. The most populated areas are those with a normal, accessible climate. Extreme climatic zones such as the Arctic and subarctic climate zones are devoid of animal diversity.

The fauna of the tundra is sparse; deer, arctic foxes, wolves, hares, foxes, polar bears and some species of birds live here. In the taiga zone, the list of animals becomes wider; there are already moose, brown bears, lemings, ermines, sables, weasels, otters, wolverines, tigers, and small rodents. Among the birds in the taiga there are wood grouse, nutcrackers, Trans-Siberian eagle owls, bee-eaters, and woodpeckers. There are also a large number of insects living here, which literally live in clouds on every meter of wet terrain.

In the temperate zone, the number of inhabitants of the animal world becomes more substantial (cows, bulls, sheep, rams, goats, wild boars, etc.). The inhabitants of the south and southeast Asia are interesting. The largest terrestrial proboscis mammals live here - elephants, bantengs, binturongs, gaurs, camels, big cats, rhinoceroses, chamois, tapirs, exotic birds and, of course, the most charming koalas and pandas. The latter, by the way, are listed in the Red Book. Asia also has a large number of monkeys, amphibians: frogs, newts, reptiles: crocodiles, turtles, snakes and insects.

The desert zone was also not left without its inhabitants: lizards, ground frogs, mice, chuckwells, snakes, foxes, ground squirrels, camels, gazelles, and some species of birds. Even in the Namib Desert, there are insects called beetles that accumulate moisture on their skin when fog falls; they feed on life-giving drops during the heat. It is also home to the most dangerous arachnids on the planet - Transvaal scorpions.

Unusual plants of Eurasia

  • Guide radiant;

  • Takka Chantrier;

  • Kadupul flower;

  • Flycatcher flower;

  • Catalpa;

  • Mognolia.

Almost 30% of the Earth's surface is occupied by land, consisting of six continents. Two parts of the world - Europe and Asia - located on a single land mass, form the largest continent on the globe, called Eurasia. Let's find out what the area of ​​Eurasia is in square meters. km.

Area of ​​continent Eurasia

Eurasia occupies a huge landmass total area about 54 million sq. km. This impressive figure also includes 3.5 million square meters. km of large and small islands belonging to the mainland. It is not surprising that the second name of Eurasia is a supercontinent. More than 70% of all inhabitants of the Earth live on its territory.

Rice. 1. Eurasia.

The length of the Eurasian continent is amazing:

  • from the extreme point in the East (Cape Dezhnev) to the extreme point in the West (Cape Roca) the distance is slightly more than 18 thousand km;
  • from the north (Cape Chelyuskin) to the south (Cape Piai), the length of Eurasia is 8 thousand km.

The supercontinent occupies most of the Northern Hemisphere, but some of its islands are located in the Southern Hemisphere.

Geographically, Eurasia is usually divided into two parts of the world: Asia and Europe, the border between which runs along the mountain slopes of the Urals, the coasts of the Caspian and Black Sea, along the Bosphorus and Gibraltar Straits. It should be remembered that this border is very arbitrary, since there is no striking contrast between Asia and Europe. The supercontinent is united by a common continuous piece of land, which was formed many years ago as a result of tectonic processes.

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It is noteworthy that Europe accounts for only 20% of the continent's occupied area, while a huge landmass belongs to Asia.

Eurasia is the only one of the six continents of the Earth that is washed by the waters of the World Ocean:

  • Indian Ocean - in the south;
  • Arctic - in the northern part;
  • Atlantic - in the west;
  • Quiet - off the east coast.

Rice. 2. Eurasia and the World Ocean.

The influence of a large area on the mainland

Eurasia is a unique continent, since it represents all the climatic zones existing in nature and natural areas. This is due, first of all, to the incredible area of ​​the continent and its great length.

Eurasia is a continent of striking contrasts. More than 1⁄4 of the territory in the northern regions was given to power permafrost, and about the same amount is occupied by hot deserts in the south.

Rice. 3. Diversity of natural areas of the mainland.

On the Oymyakon Highlands (northeast Eurasia) there is a pole of cold. The air temperature in this area drops to a critical level of -70C.

The natural zones of the supercontinent are much different great variety than on other continents of the globe. They successively replace each other from glaciated Arctic deserts to humid equatorial forests. Such diversity arose solely due to the large area of ​​​​Eurasia.

What have we learned?

When studying the geography topic “Area of ​​Eurasia,” we found out how large the territory of this continent is. We also learned what impact the large area of ​​Eurasia has on the diversity of nature of the continent.

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This article will consider the largest continent - Eurasia. It received this name due to the combination of two words - Europe and Asia, which personify two parts of the world: Europe and Asia, which are united as part of this continent; the islands also belong to Eurasia.

The area of ​​Eurasia is 54.759 million km2, which is 36% of the total land area. The area of ​​the Eurasian islands is 3.45 million km2. The population of Eurasia is also impressive, as it accounts for 70% of the total population on the entire planet. As of 2010, the population of the Eurasian continent was already more than 5 billion people.

Continent Eurasia is the only continent on planet Earth that is washed by 4 oceans at once. The Pacific Ocean borders the continent in the east, the Arctic Ocean borders the north, the Atlantic Ocean borders the continent in the west, and the Indian Ocean borders the south.

The size of Eurasia is quite impressive. The length of Eurasia when viewed from west to east is 18,000 kilometers and 8,000 kilometers when viewed from north to south.

Eurasia has all the climatic zones, natural zones and climatic zones that exist on the planet.

The extreme points of Eurasia, which are located on the mainland:

We can distinguish four extreme continental points that Eurasia has:

1) In the north of the continent, the extreme point is considered to be Cape Chelyuskin (77°43′ N), which is located on the territory of the country of Russia.

2) In the south of the mainland, the extreme point is considered to be Cape Piai (1°16′ N), which is located in the country of Malaysia.

3) In the west of the mainland, the extreme point is Cape Roca (9º31′ W), which is located in the country of Portugal.

4) And finally, in the east of Eurasia, the extreme point is Cape Dezhnev (169°42′ W), which also belongs to the country of Russia.

Structure of the continent Eurasia

The structure of the Eurasian continent is different from all other continents. First of all, because the continent consists of several plates and platforms, and also because the continent in its formation is considered the youngest of all the others.

The northern part of Eurasia consists of the Siberian Platform, the East European Platform, and the West Siberian Plate. In the east, Eurasia consists of two plates: it includes the South China Plate and also includes the Sino-Korean Plate. In the west, the continent includes plates of Paleozoic platforms and Hercynian folding. The southern part of the continent consists of the Arabian and Indian platforms, the Iranian plate and part of the Alpine and Mesozoic folding. Central part Eurasia consists of Aleozoic folding and the Paleozoic platform plate.

Platforms of Eurasia, which are located on the territory of Russia

The Eurasian continent has many large cracks and faults, which are located in Lake Baikal, Siberia, Tibet and other regions.

Relief of Eurasia

Due to its size, Eurasia as a continent has the most diverse topography on the planet. The continent itself is considered the highest continent on the planet. Above herself high point The mainland of Eurasia is only the continent of Antarctica, but it is higher only due to the thickness of the ice covering the land. The landmass of Antarctica itself does not exceed Eurasia in height. It is in Eurasia that the largest plains in area and the highest and most extensive mountain systems are located. Also in Eurasia there are the Himalayas, which are the highest mountains on planet Earth. Accordingly, the highest mountain in the world is located on the territory of Eurasia - this is Chomolungma (Everest - height 8,848 m).

Today, the relief of Eurasia is determined by intense tectonic movements. Many regions on the Eurasian continent are characterized by high seismic activity. There are also active volcanoes in Eurasia, which include volcanoes in Iceland, Kamchatka, the Mediterranean and others.

Climate of Eurasia

Continent Eurasia is the only continent on which all climatic zones and climatic zones are present. In the north of the continent there are Arctic and subarctic zones. The climate here is very cold and harsh. To the south begins a wide strip of the temperate zone. Due to the fact that the length of the continent from west to east is very huge, the following zones are distinguished in the temperate zone: maritime climate in the west, then temperate continental, continental and monsoon climates.

To the south of the temperate zone lies the subtropical zone, which is also divided into three zones from the west: Mediterranean climate, continental and monsoon climate. The very south of the continent is occupied by the tropical and subequatorial zones. The equatorial belt is located on the islands of Eurasia.

Inland waters on the Eurasian continent

The continent of Eurasia differs not only in the amount of water that washes it on all sides, but also in the size of its internal water resources. This continent is the richest in terms of groundwater and surface water. It is on the continent of Eurasia that the most large rivers planets that flow into all the oceans that wash the continent. Such rivers include the Yangtze, Ob, Yellow River, Mekong, and Amur. It is on the territory of Eurasia that the largest and deepest bodies of water are located. These include the largest lake in the world - the Caspian Sea, the deepest lake in the world - Baikal. Groundwater resources are distributed quite unevenly on the mainland.

As of 2018, on the territory of Eurasia there are 92 independent states that are fully functioning. The largest country in the world, Russia, is also located in Eurasia. By following the link you can see full list countries with area and population. Accordingly, Eurasia is most rich in the nationalities of the people living on it.

Fauna and flora on the Eurasian continent

Since all natural zones are present on the Eurasian continent, the diversity of flora and fauna is simply enormous. The continent is inhabited by a variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and other representatives of the animal world. The most well-known representatives The fauna of Eurasia are brown bear, fox, wolf, hares, deer, elk, squirrels. The list goes on and on, as a wide variety of animals can be found on the mainland. Also birds, fish, which have adapted to both low temperatures and arid climates.

Mainland Eurasia video:

Due to the size and location of the continent, the flora is also very diverse. On the mainland there are deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests. There are tundra, taiga, semi-deserts and deserts. The most famous representatives of trees are birch, oak, ash, poplar, chestnut, linden and many others. Also a variety of species of grasses and shrubs. The poorest region on the mainland in terms of flora and fauna is the far north, where only mosses and lichens can be found. But the further you go to the south, the more diverse and rich the plant and fauna on the mainland.

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And also along the straits connecting Chernoye and. The name "Europa" comes from the legend that the Phoenician king Agenor had a daughter, Europa. Almighty Zeus fell in love with her, turned into a bull and kidnapped her. He took her to the island of Crete. There Europe first set foot on the land of that part of the world that has since bear its name. Asia - designation of one of the provinces east of, this is the name of the Scythian tribes to the Caspian Sea (Asians, Asians).

The coastline is very indented and forms a large number of peninsulas and bays. The largest are and. The continent is washed by the waters of the Atlantic, Arctic and. The seas they form are deepest in the east and south of the continent. Scientists and navigators from many countries took part in the exploration of the continent. Special significance acquired the research of P.P. Semenov-Tien-Shansky and N.M. .

Eurasia- the most populated continent. More than 3/4 of all the world's inhabitants live here. The eastern and southern regions mainland. In terms of the diversity of nationalities living on the mainland, Eurasia differs from other continents. Slavic peoples live in the north: Russians, Czechs, and others. South Asia is inhabited by numerous Indian and Chinese peoples.

Eurasia is the cradle of ancient civilizations.

Geographical location: Northern Hemisphere between 0°E. d. and 180° east. etc., some of the islands lie in the Southern Hemisphere.

Area of ​​Eurasia: about 53.4 million km2

Extreme points of Eurasia:

  • The northernmost point of the island is Cape Fligeli, 81°51` N. sh.;
  • the extreme northern continental point is Cape Chelyuskin, 77°43` N. sh.;
  • The easternmost point of the island is Ratmanov Island, 169°0` W. d.;
  • the extreme eastern continental point is Cape Dezhnev, 169°40` W. d.;
  • The southernmost point of the island is South Island, 12°4` S. sh.;
  • the southernmost continental point is Cape Piai, 1°16` N. sh.;
  • The westernmost point of the island is the Monchique rock, 31°16` W. d.;
  • The westernmost continental point is Cape Roca, 9°30` W. d.

Climatic zones of Eurasia.