Locate Continents and Oceans

Planet Earth is mostly covered in water — about 71% of it! The big chunks of land are called continents, and the giant bodies of water are called oceans.

What is a continent?

• A continent is a very large area of land. There are 7 continents on Earth.
• From largest to smallest: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Australia.
• Memory trick: "Eat An Apple As A Nice Snack" (Asia, Africa, N. America, S. America, Antarctica, Europe, Australia).

The 7 continents

• Asia — the largest continent; home to China, India, Japan, and many other countries.
• Africa — the second-largest continent; has the Sahara Desert and rainforests.
• North America — the continent where the United States, Canada, and Mexico are found.
• South America — home to the Amazon rainforest and the Andes Mountains.
• Antarctica — the southernmost continent; almost entirely covered in ice.
• Europe — a smaller continent home to many historic countries.
• Australia — the smallest continent; also a country in itself.

The 5 oceans

• Pacific Ocean — the largest ocean, between Asia and the Americas.
• Atlantic Ocean — between the Americas and Europe/Africa.
• Indian Ocean — south of Asia, between Africa and Australia.
• Arctic Ocean — the smallest ocean, surrounding the North Pole.
• Southern Ocean — surrounds Antarctica at the bottom of Earth.