Grade 3

Social Studies
Handout on 7 Continents of the world

Name: _____________________ Date: ____________

A continent on planet Earth is a large landmass that is made up of different countries. The difference
between a country and a continent is that countries are defined places of origin and territory. Most
often, countries are dependent on political and national ideologies, whereas continents are viewed
more as groupings of these ideologies. Countries are part of the seven great landmasses that are
continents.
There are seven continents and 5 oceans of planet earth.
7 CONTINENTS
The 7 continents are given below:
Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Antarctica
5 OCEANS
The 5 Oceans are given below:
Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Antarctic Ocean

7 continents and 5 oceans

ASIA:
Asia is the largest continent in the world. The area of Asia is 44.58 million square kilometers, which
makes up approximately 30% of the Earth’s land. There are a total of 48 countries in this continent, of
which Russia is the biggest and Cocos Islands is the smallest. Some important facts about Asia to
know is that it has the tallest building, highest and lowest place on Earth, and the tallest statue in the
world.

Geography of Asia
Asia is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean to its north, the Indian Ocean to the south and the Pacific
Ocean to the east. In the west, it is bordered by the Ural Mountains, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea
and the Mediterranean Sea.
Asia is the birthplace of some of the world’s major religions like Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism etc. It is
also the birthplace of one of the oldest civilizations of the Earth, which is the Indus Valley Civilization.
Asia is divided into six regions. These regions are Central Asia, Eastern Asia, Northern Asia, South
Eastern Asia, Southern Asia, and Western Asia.
The tallest building
Asia has the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, which is situated in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates. The height of the Burj Khalifa is 828 meters. This height reaches 830 metres including its tip.
The Burj Khalifa has 163 floors and the longest path of working elevators.
The highest and the lowest places on Earth
Asia has both the highest and the lowest places on the Earth. Mount Everest is the highest peak point
of the Earth, situated in Nepal, South Asia. The height of Mount Everest is 8,848.86 metres or
39,031.69 feet.
The Dead Sea is the lowest place on the Earth. The Dead Sea is situated between Israel and Jordan.
It is one of the saltiest bodies of water which are present on Earth.
Wonders of the World in Asia
There are Seven Wonders of the World, of which three are in Asia. The first wonder located in Asia is
the Taj Mahal, which is a masterpiece of architecture. This beautiful monument is situated in India, in
the southeast region of Asia. The Taj Mahal was commissioned by the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan for
his wife Mumtaz.
The second wonder of the world located in Asia is the Great Wall of China. This structure is a series of
walls made almost 1800 years ago.
Petra is one of the new wonders of the world. Petra is one of the oldest cities which is located in
Jordan, Asia and is known for its beautiful architecture.
Important facts about Asia to know
  Russia and Turkey are the two Asian countries that lie partially in Europe.
 Around 90 per cent of the rice produced is consumed in the Asian countries.
 Russia is the largest country in the world, covering almost 11% of the Earth’s land.
 Indonesia is the country that has the highest number of active volcanoes (almost 150).
 The Yangtze is the third-longest river in the world, located in China, Central Asia.
 Asia has the largest city in the world, Tokyo, Japan.
 There are over 2300 languages spoken in Asia, the highest in the world.
 This continent has the highest number of billionaires in the world.
 The life expectancy in Japan is the highest in the world. The life expectancy in Japan is 84.2
years.
Asian Countries List, Capitals and Currency
There are 48 countries in Asia and some of the countries with their capitals and currencies are given
below:
Country Name Capital Currency
Afghanistan Kabul Afghan afghani
Bangladesh Dhaka Taka
Bhutan Thimphu Bhutanese ngultrum
Brunei Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei dollar
China Beijing Renminbi (Yuan)
India New Delhi Indian rupee
Indonesia Jakarta Rupiah
Iran Tehran Iranian rial
Iraq Baghdad Iraqi dinar
Japan Tokyo Yen

AFRICA:
Africa is the world’s second-largest continent, after Asia. It’s also the second-most populous continent
(which means it’s the continent with the second-most amount of people living there). 16% of the
world’s human population - 1.216 billion in 2016 - live there! It also covers 6% of Earth’s total surface
area and 20% of its land area.
Geography of Africa
The continent of Africa is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean at the west, the Mediterranean Sea at the
north, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean at the east, and a mixture of the Atlantic and Indian oceans
at the south.
There is a number of islands off the coasts of Africa that are associated with the continent, with the
most well-known (and one of the largest in the world) being Madagascar.
The continent is separated into two by the Equator; most of Africa lies in tropical regions, with the
Tropic of Cancer at the north and the Tropic of Capricorn at the south of the continent.
Important facts about Africa:
 Africa has the shortest coastline despite being the second largest continent in the world.
  Africa is the most centrally located continent in the world. Both the prime meridian (0 degrees
longitude), and the equator (0 degrees latitude) cut across it.
 Nigeria has the highest population (154.7 million people) in Africa. This represents 18% of
Africa's total population.
 Both the world's tallest and largest land animals both come from Africa. They are the giraffe and
African elephant, respectively.
 Around 2,000 different languages are spoken in Africa and each of them have different dialects
while Arabic is the language that is most widely spoken in the African continent.
 The world's longest river -- the Nile -- and the world's largest desert -- the Sahara -- both are
home in Africa.
 Algeria is the biggest country in Africa by land area.
 The world's hottest place -- Ethiopia -- is in Africa.
 The continents terrain was inhabitable and remained unknown for thousands of years, earning it
the name of 'Dark Continent'.
 The equator passes through the middle of the Dark Continent and it receives direct sunlight
throughout the year.
 The major animals in Africa include -- cheetah, African elephant, lion, zebra, Egyptian
mongoose, giraffe, addax.
 The largest waterfall in Africa is the Victoria Falls and it is located on the Zimbabwe and Zambia
border. It has a height of 355 feet and the width of the water fall runs into almost a mile.
 More than 50% of the world's French-speaking population lives here on the continent.
 Angola has more Portuguese speakers than Portugal.
 Africa has a pink lake in Senegal.
 Africa is the hottest continent on earth.
African Countries List, Capitals and Currency
There are 54 countries in Africa and some of the countries with their capitals and currencies are given
below:

Country Capital City Name of Currency

Algeria Algiers Algerian Dinar
Egypt Cairo Egyptian pound (EGP)
Ethiopia Addis Ababa Birr (ETB)
Ghana Accra Ghana cedi
Kenya Nairobi Kenyan shilling
Libya Tripoli Libyan Dinar
Morocco Rabat Moroccan Dirham
Nigeria Abuja Naira
Senegal Dakar CFA franc
 Seychelles Victoria Seychellois rupee (SCR)
Sierra Leone Freetown Sierra Leonean leone (SLL)
Somalia Mogadishu Somali Shilling
South Africa Pretoria South African Rand (ZAR)
Sudan Khartoum Sudanese pound (SDG)
Zimbabwe Harare Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWD)

EUROPE:
Europe is the second-smallest continent. The European continent is located completely in the northern
hemisphere and mainly in the eastern hemisphere. Europe borders onto the Arctic Ocean in the North,
the Atlantic Ocean in the West and the Mediterranean Sea in the South. There are 50 countries in
Europe with a total of more than 742 million people living on the continent in 2023.
Largest country:
The European part of Russia covers more area than any other country. The three largest countries
completely located in Europe are: The Ukraine and France.
Largest capital city:
Moscow. The Russian capital city houses more than 13 million inhabitants within the city limits. Saint
Petersburg is Russia's second largest city with 5.3 million inhabitants. Moscow is the largest city that is
entirely on the European continent.
Smallest country: Vatican City is the smallest country not only in Europe, but also in the world. The
city state, an enclave within Italy, is the smallest country both by population and by size.
Biggest island:
The biggest island on the European continent is the isle of Great Britain/ UK. Greenland is the largest
island which belongs to Europe as the island belongs to Denmark. Greenland is commonly referred to
as the largest island in the world. Greenland, however, is located on the North American continent.
Smallest town: Hum in Croatia is the smallest town not only in Europe but in the world. The town has
only 30 inhabitants.
Most populous city: Istanbul, the biggest city in Turkey is commonly referred to as Europe's largest
city. However, Istanbul is located on two continents: the western part belongs to Europe while the
eastern parts belongs to the Asian continent. Istanbul houses about 17 million people.
Highest mountain: Mount Elbrus in Russia (5,642 m/ 18,510 ft) is the highest mountain in Europe.
The mountain is part of the Caucasus mountain range. The highest peak in the European Alps is Mont
Blanc. The mountain which is 4,810 m/ 15,781 ft high sits on the border of Italy and France. The Alps
are also the longest and highest mountain range that is located entirely in Europe.
European Countries List, Capitals and Currency
There are 50 countries in Europe and some of the countries with their capitals and currencies are
given below:

Country Capital City Name of Currency

Austria Vienna Euro

Belgium Brussels Euro

Denmark Copenhagen Danish Krone

Finland Helsinki Euro

France Paris Euro

Germany Berlin Euro

Greece Athens Euro

Italy Rome Euro

Netherlands Amsterdam Euro

Norway Oslo Norwegian Krone

- (plural) Kroner

Portugal Lisbon Euro

Russia Moscow Russian Ruble (RUR)

Spain Madrid Euro

Sweden Stockholm Swedish Krona

- (plural) Kronor

Switzerland Bern Swiss franc

Turkey Ankara new Turkish Lira (YTL)

United Kingdom London United

 Kingdom Pound (GBP)

England London British Pound Sterling (GBP)

Scotland Edinburgh British Pound Sterling (GBP)

Vatican City Vatican City Euro

NORTH AMERICA:
North America is the third largest continent in size and the fourth largest when we consider population.
The North American continent houses 23 countries. The continent is located in the Northern
Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere.

Largest Country:
Canada. The country is covering almost half the North American continent's land area. Canada is
slightly bigger than the USA and about as big as China.
Smallest Country: St Kitts and Nevis with only about 54,000 inhabitants. This island country is located
in the Caribbean Sea. The least populated dependency is Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory,
with less than 6,000 inhabitants.
Biggest Island: Greenland. This is also the world's largest island that is not a continent! Greenland is
located in the North Atlantic Ocean. - Australia is also an island, but considered a continent.
Longest River of North America: Missouri River/USA (3,767 km/ 2,341 miles). The Missouri River
flows through seven states of the USA: Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa,
Kansas and Missouri. Together with the Mississippi River, it forms one of the largest river systems in
the world.
North American Countries List, Capitals and Currency
There are 23 countries in North America and some of them with their capitals and currencies are given
below:

Country Capital City Name of Currency

Canada Ottawa Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Costa Rica San Jose Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Cuba Havana Cuba has two official currencies, the
Cuban Peso(CUP) and the Cuban
 Contertible Peso (CUC).
Dominica Roseau East Caribbean Dollar
Guatemala Guatemala City Quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others
accepted in major cities
Haiti Port-au-Prince Haiti Gourde
Jamaica Kingston Jamaican Dollar
Mexico Mexico City Mexican Peso (MXN)
Panama Panama City Panama Balboa (PAB)
United States Of Washington D.C U.S. Dollar
America

SOUTH AMERICA:
South America is the fourth largest continent in size and the fifth largest when we consider population
The South American continent is located in the western hemisphere and mainly in the southern
hemisphere.
There are 12 countries in South America and 3 dependencies with a total of more than 433 million
people living on the continent.
Largest Country: Brazil. The country is covering more than half the continent's landmass.
Largest City:
Sao Paolo in Brazil has about 23 million inhabitants and is one of the ten biggest cities in the world. In
2024, Sao Paolo is the fourth most populous city the world.
Smallest Country:
Suriname. The country, formerly referred to as Dutch Guiana, is one of the most sparsely populated
countries in the world. Suriname only gained independence from the Netherlands in 1975.
Longest River:
The Amazon River (6,437 km/ 4,000 miles). The Amazon is not only the second longest river in the
world after the Nile, but also the Amazon carries more water than the world's other 10 biggest rivers
combined!
Biggest Island:
Tierra del Fuego (Spanish meaning: Land of Fire), at the southern tip of Argentina and Chile
Highest Mountain:
Aconcagua in Argentina. This high mountain (6,961 m/ 22,837 ft) is located in the Andes mountain
range. The Aconcagua is considered the second highest of the world's 'Seven Summits' - after Mount
Everest which is in Asia.
Biggest Lake:
Lake Titicaca (shared by Bolivia and Peru). This freshwater lake is often referred to as the "Birthplace
of the Incas". Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world at about 3,800 m/ 12,467 ft above
sea level.
Driest Place:
While South America's rain forests also are some of the wettest places on the earth, the Atacama
Desert in Chile is considered the driest place on earth
There are two landlocked countries in South America:
Paraguay and Bolivia are located in the interior of the continent and have neither access to the
Atlantic Ocean nor to the Pacific Ocean.
South American Countries List, Capitals and Currency
Here is the complete 12 countries in South America and there Capitals and Currencies:

Country Capital City Name of Currency

Argentina Buenos Aires Argentine peso

Bolivia Sucre Bolivian boliviano

Brazil Brasília Brazilian real

Chile Santiago Chilean peso

Colombia Bogotá Colombian Peso

Ecuador Quito United States Dollar (USD)

Guyana Georgetown Guyana Dollar (GYD)

Paraguay Asuncion Paraguay Guarani (PYG)

Peru Lima Peru Nuevo Sol (PEN)

Uruguay Montevideo Uruguayan Peso (UYU)

Venezuela Caracas Venezuela Bolivar Fuerte

(VEF)

ANTARCTICA:
Antarctica is the least populated continent of our planet. The word 'Antarctica' comes from the Greek
term 'antarktike' meaning 'the opposite to arctic' or 'opposite to north'.
Antarctica is an ice covered continent surrounded by the Southern Ocean. Almost all of the continent's
land is covered by a thick layer of ice. On average the ice is 1.9 km/6,200 ft deep.
Antarctica is the driest continent of the seven continents. Antarctica is an icy desert with very little
rainfall throughout the year.
Antarctica is the windiest place on the earth where windspeed of more than 350 kilometres per
hour/218 miles per hour have been measured.
Antarctica is the least populated continent. There are no residents living permanently here. Only
around 1,000 people (in winter) and 10,000 people (in summer) live on the continent. These people
are mainly based there for one year to live and work in the research stations. The research stations
are scattered all around the continent.
AUSTRALIA:
Oceania is the smallest continent of our planet considering the landmass.
Australia which is part of Oceania is often referred to as the name of the continent, but we use
Oceania/ Australia to include also the islands surrounding Australia as they otherwise would not be
included in the traditional 7-Continent model.
Oceania is in a continental group consisting of 14 countries and includes Pacific islands and Australia.
Often Australia is named as continent, but this means that the many islands and countries except
Australia would then be not included. The largest island of Oceania is Australia.
The Oceania region includes 14 countries:
Australia, Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea,
Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Some of the countries with their capitals and currencies are given below:

Country Capital City Name of Currency

Australia Canberra Australian Dollar (AUD)
Fiji Suva Fiji Dollar
Kiribati South Tarawa Australian Dollar
New Zealand Wellington New Zealand Dollar (NZD or NZ$)
Palau Koror US Dollar
Papua New
Port Moresby Papua New Guinean kina (PGK)
Guinea
Samoa Apia Tala
Oceania's biggest and most populous city is Sydney. More than 5 million people live in Australia's
biggest city. Sydney has the most diverse and multicultural population in Oceania. More than 250
languages are spoken here.