Who gave the name to Eurasia. Geographical characteristics of Eurasia

About 30% of the surface of our planet is occupied by land, which is represented by six continents. They vary greatly in size. And the question arises: “What is the largest continent on Earth?” You can learn about this from this article.

Eurasia is the largest continent on Earth

This continent covers an area of ​​about 54,000,000 km2. Thus, it is the largest continent on Earth. Moreover, the number of people living on it has already exceeded 5 billion people, which is about 75 percent of the total population of the planet.

Geographically, Eurasia is also divided into two parts: Europe and Asia. As you know, there are six parts of the world in total, of which Asia is the largest (the continent on Earth is a purely geographical concept, while part of the world is cultural and ethnographic). It is worth noting that Europe accounts for only 20% of the total area of ​​Eurasia.

The largest continent on Earth is territorially continuous, and the demarcation line between the European and Asian parts is very arbitrary. As a rule, it is carried out along the slopes of the Ural mountains, along the Emba River, the shores of the Caspian Sea, the southeastern coast of the Black Sea and the Bosphorus Strait.

Eurasia extends from equatorial to subpolar latitudes. Moreover, some of its islands are located south of the equator. The length of the continent from west to east is 18,000 kilometers, and from north to south - 8,000 km.

Eurasia: features of the continent’s nature

Eurasia is a continent of natural contrasts. After all, here you can find absolutely everything: the highest snow-capped peaks and deep depressions, cold harsh tundra and hot, huge deserts, impenetrable forests and expansive steppes. In terms of natural diversity, this continent has no equal on our entire planet!

Of course, such geographical diversity is due to the size of Eurasia and its elongation from north to south. The continent represents all possible natural zones of the Earth - from arctic deserts to tropical rainforests (there are 14 natural zones in Eurasia in total). There are more than a dozen large mountain systems on the mainland, within which altitude zones have formed.

The highest point in Eurasia (and the planet as a whole) is Mount Chomolungma in the Himalayas. Its height is 8848 meters. The lowest point of the continent is the Dead Sea depression.

Eurasia: countries and peoples

The origin of the name of the largest continent on Earth is interesting. It is curious that at first the entire continent was called Asia (in particular, this is what Alexander von Humboldt called it in the middle of the 19th century). But the scientist Eduard Suess was the first to call it Eurasia, and this happened only at the end of the century before last. This name was assigned to the largest continent.

The largest continent on Earth today has about a hundred countries. They all vary greatly in size, economic development, cultural and other characteristics. The contrast of Eurasia is fully manifested in this aspect. I can give just one interesting example. Thus, on one continent there is the largest world state - Russia (area - 17 million km 2) and the smallest - the Vatican (area only 0.5 km 2).

Eurasia is characterized by a stunning diversity of cultures, languages ​​and dialects. Especially when talking about Asia. Thus, in India alone, people speak more than 800 languages ​​and dialects!

Eurasia: records and amazing facts

Finally, to summarize all of the above, we present a list of the most famous and amazing records of the territory we are considering. So:

• Eurasia is the most populated continent on the planet. About five billion people live here (India and China alone have populations exceeding two billion).
• Eurasia is the only continent that is washed by all the oceans of the planet at once.
• It is here that the largest lake in size is located - the Caspian Sea.
• This continent also holds another “lake” record: the deepest lake on Earth (Baikal) was “registered” here.
• The highest and lowest points of the planet are located in Eurasia.
• The shallowest sea on Earth (Azov) is also located here (imagine: its depth does not exceed 15 meters!).
• It is on the map of Eurasia that you can find 4 seas with “colored” names: Black, White, Red and Yellow.
• This continent is the absolute leader on the planet in terms of the total number of mountain systems, the largest among them is Tibet.

As you can see, it’s not for nothing that this part of the world is called the largest. A continent on Earth that has all these amazing records simply cannot have a small area.

Conclusion

So, we found out that Eurasia is the largest continent on Earth. It occupies a colossal territory of 54,000,000 km2. Over 5 billion people live on these lands. The diversity of languages ​​and the richness of the cultural heritage of different countries attracts a huge number of researchers and ordinary tourists from other continents to this continent.

Size of territory and geographical location

This is the largest continent on Earth. It is almost 7 times larger than Australia, 2 times larger than Africa and larger than Antarctica, North and South America combined. Eurasia is 1/3 of the planet's land area - about 53.4 million km2.

The continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere and stretches from north to south for 8 thousand km through all zones - from the Arctic to the equatorial. Its length along the parallel is 16 thousand km. This is more than a hemisphere (almost 200°): the continent occupies the entire Eastern Hemisphere, and its extreme western and eastern points are located in the Western.

The enormous size of Eurasia determine the diversity and uniqueness of its nature. No other continent has such a number of natural complexes, changing from north to south and with distance from the coasts.

Outline of the coast of Eurasia

The continental mass is so large that it separates all the oceans of the Earth. Its shores are washed by the waters of all four oceans of the planet. The coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, which washes the western coast, is heavily indented by peninsulas and bays. There are many islands and seas near the mainland. Seas protruding deeply into the land separate parts of the world (Europe and Asia) and continents (Eurasia and Africa).

TO northern edge of Eurasia adjacent to the wide shelf of the Arctic Ocean. Its coastline is smoother.
It is divided into peninsulas by narrow bays and the White Sea. The marginal seas of Norway, Barents, Kara, Laptev, and East Siberian separate large islands and archipelagos from the mainland.

Pacific coastline poorly dissected. The marginal seas are cut into the eastern coast of the continent with wide contours. They are separated from the ocean by arcs and chains of volcanic islands and peninsulas. The southern coast of Eurasia, washed by the Indian Ocean, stretches in a broken line: large peninsulas protrude into the ocean - the Arabian (the largest on the planet), Hindustan and Malacca. There are only two seas at the southern edge of the continent - the Red and the Arabian.

The configuration of the coastline determines the possibilities and degree of participation of oceanic air in the formation of the continent's climate.

On nature of Eurasia influenced by the surrounding continents. Eurasia has two close neighbors. In the southwest is Africa, separated by the Suez Canal, and in the east is North America, separated by the Bering Strait. The “bridge” with a length of more than 3 thousand km - the largest island region of the planet - the Greater and Lesser Sunda Islands (Malay Archipelago), the Philippine Islands - connects Eurasia with Australia. Farthest away from Eurasia by oceans are South America and Antarctica.

Composition of the territory of Eurasia

Mainland Eurasia includes two parts of the world - Europe And Asia. The border between them is conditional. It is carried out along the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains, down the Ural River to the Caspian Sea, along the northern foot of the Caucasus, the Black Sea, the Bosphorus Strait, the Sea of ​​Marmara, and the Dardanelles Strait. The division of Eurasia into two parts of the world developed historically - as a consequence of the settlement and development of its territory (by different peoples from different sides). But it also has a natural scientific basis. The continent was formed as a result of the combination of lithospheric blocks that had previously developed under different conditions. After unification over millions of years, it develops as one natural-territorial complex. Therefore the mainland is a unique geographical system: large, complex, but at the same time holistic.

Regions of Europe and Asia

The territory of Eurasia is very vast. In this vast territory, not only the nature, but also the population, as well as its economic activities, have significant differences. In order to better study this diversity, understand its causes and patterns, regionalization is carried out: smaller territories - regions - are distinguished within the large continent. Countries that have common features of geographical location, as well as similarities in historical and modern socio-economic development are united into one region. The European part of the continent is divided into Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Europe. The countries of Eastern Europe, which occupy a neighboring position in relation to our Motherland - Belarus - are united into an independent region, the Belarusian Borderlands. This region also includes Russia, the largest state on the continent, located in both Eurasian parts of the world. The Asian part of the mainland is divided into Central, Eastern, Southeast, Southern and Southwest Asia. The boundaries between regions are drawn along the state borders of their member countries.

Geographical discoveries and exploration of Eurasia. The territory of Eurasia has been inhabited by different peoples since ancient times. Each of them carried out the development and study of the continent, guided by their own goals and needs, gradually expanding the range of territories known to them.

which are within its boundaries. The generalized name of the continent was first used in the first half of the 19th century. V. famous geographer Alexander Humboldt.

Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. - M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001.

EURASIA

the largest continent, area - 53.44 million km2. It occupies a third of all land. Traditionally divided into parts of the world: Europe and Asia. The border is drawn along the east. at the foot of the Urals, r. Embe, north the shores of the Caspian Sea, the Kuma-Manych depression north of the Caucasus, along the Azov, Black and Marmara Seas, the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits. Lies in the north. hemispheres. The continent is crossed by the Tropic and the Arctic Circle. Washed by all oceans. The banks are heavily indented. Geological structure and relief. Unlike other continents, Europe consists of several platforms connected by folded mobile belts. The main cores are the European, Siberian, and Chinese platforms. They were joined by fragments of Gondwana - the Arabian Peninsula and Hindustan. Within the platforms, flat terrain is common, sometimes disturbed by later uplifts (Aldan Plateau, ridges of China). Most mountain systems are confined to mobile folded belts, the main of which is the Alpine-Himalayan (Alps, Caucasus, Himalayas). Mountain systems of different ages. Along the east The coast of the continent stretches the second folded belt - the Pacific, where the process of mountain building is not completed. Tectonic movements (volcanism and earthquakes) continue in fold belts. Movements of the earth's crust occur along faults in ancient folded belts, where rejuvenated mountains are located (Tien Shan, Karakorum, Kun-Lun, Altai). Characterized by earthquakes, extinct volcanoes, and many thermal and mineral springs. The most powerful exogenous factor that shaped the modern relief of Eurasia was ancient glaciation. In addition, sowing part of the continent experienced long-term marine transgressions, which caused the appearance of a thick layer of sedimentary rocks on ancient platforms. The complex structure of the earth's crust determines the exceptional diversity of minerals. Ore deposits are confined to the outcrops of crystalline foundations, oil and gas reserves are located in intermountain troughs, on sea shelves and ancient plains, ancient destroyed mountains are famous for gems (Ural, Deccan), rivers deposited gold-bearing sands, and there are diamond deposits. Climate. All types of climate have formed on the continent; in almost every zone there are areas, the originality of which is determined by their position relative to the sea. Arctic and subarctic belt. The 3rd region has a maritime climate with warm, mild winters and cool, rainy summers; the Eastern region has a continental climate with very cold winters. Temperate zone. Zap. coast of Europe - maritime climate influenced by Western. winds and the warm Gulf Stream. With distance from the ocean, the amplitude of winter and summer increases; precipitation in summer is greater than in winter. This is an area of ​​moderate continental climate, it is typical for the Center and East. Europe. Beyond the Urals, an area of ​​sharply continental climate is formed with very cold and dry winters and humid, hot summers. To the east The mainland coast has a monsoon climate with warm, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Subtropical zone. All year 1; are positive. Three regions are distinguished: 3. - Mediterranean (dry tropical air dominates in summer, sea air of temperate latitudes dominates in winter); in the region of the Western Asian Highlands the climate is subtropical continental (with very dry and hot summers and relatively cold winters (possible 1; below 0°); in the east there is a monsoon climate region with a summer maximum precipitation. The tropical zone is expressed only in the Arabian Peninsula , in Mesopotamia, in the southern Iranian plateau and in the lower Indus basin. Tropical air masses, very dry and hot, dominate throughout the year. Replaced by a subequivalent belt with a monsoon climate on the Hindustan Peninsula, Indochina, and in most of the Indo-Gangetic Lowland and the very south of China. The equivalent belt occupies the Malacca Peninsula and the islands of the Malay Archipelago. Inland waters. The continent is unique in the area of ​​internal drainage basins, in the number of large rivers, in the diversity of their feeding and regimes. The Arctic Ocean basin includes the largest rivers of Russia: Northern Dvina, Pechora, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Kolyma, etc. The Atlantic Ocean basin includes the rivers of Western, Southern and partly Eastern Europe (Seine, Vistula, Odra, Elbe, Rhine, Danube, Dniester ). The rivers of the Pacific Ocean begin in the mountains (Amur, Anadyr). The sources of the Yellow River, Yangtze and Mekong are in Tibet. The Indian Ocean basin includes the following rivers: Indus, Brahmalutra and Ganges begin in the Himalayas, Tigris and Euphrates in the Armenian Plateau. In the center, regions of Europe lie the regions of internal drainage (Volga, Amu Darya and Syr Darya). There are many lakes of different origins - the largest Caspian and Aral seas, the deepest Baikal, Ladoga, glacial lakes in northern Europe, picturesque mountain lakes. Natural areas. They stretch in latitudinal strips, and due to the characteristics of the relief and climate, sometimes do not have a continuous distribution. The largest areas are occupied by the temperate and subtropical zones. Arctic deserts, tundras and forest-tundras stretch in a narrow strip along the Arctic coast of Europe and Asia, gradually expanding as they move to the east. and have much in common with American ones. Lichen and shrub tundras dominate, inhabited by lemmings, arctic foxes, reindeer, and wolves. Waterfowl are numerous in summer. Coniferous forests occupy vast areas. Typical podzolic soils are formed; heat and moisture are sufficient for the growth of woody plants. In Europe, spruce and pine predominate, in Asia - cedar and larch. The zone in Siberia has a greater extent to the south than in Europe. The taiga is characterized by fur-bearing animals (sable, weasel, ermine, fox). There are ungulates (elk, red deer, musk deer); predators (bear, wolf, wolverine); birds such as wood grouse, hazel grouse, crossbill, and nutcrackers also gravitate to the taiga. Mixed forests grow on soddy-podzolic soils, do not form a continuous strip, and are common only in Europe and the East. Asia. Broadleaf forests grow on brown and gray forest soils. In the West In Europe, beech trees with hornbeam and elm predominate; to the east they are replaced by oak trees with maples and linden. In the herbaceous layer there are saplings, ferns, lily of the valley, and lungwort. In Eastern Eurasia, these forests are preserved only in the mountains. Here, in addition to the usual species, southern species (bamboo, vines) and many relict forms are added. The fauna of mixed and deciduous forests is close to the taiga (hares, foxes, squirrels, red deer, roe deer, wild boars). In V. monkeys and a tiger are added. In the center and regions of the mainland, forests to the south are replaced by forest-steppe and steppe with a predominance of herbaceous vegetation on chernozem soils. In the European steppes, almost no natural fauna has been preserved, since they are plowed everywhere. Only gophers, marmots, and birds of prey have survived. To the east In parts of the mainland, true steppes give way to dry steppes (Gobi) with sparse vegetation on chestnut soils. To the Center, and Wed. Asia is home to semi-deserts and deserts. The soils are brown and gray-brown. in some places highly saline. Animals are represented by rodents (jerboas, gerbils), reptiles (lizards, snakes - efa, viper, cobra, arrow, turtles, monitor lizards). All are characterized by a period of winter dormancy; in summer, activity is predominantly nocturnal and twilight. In some places, kulans, goitered gazelles, and saigas have been preserved. There are also predators - caracal, wolf, fox, jackal. The tropical deserts of Mesopotamia and Arabia are similar to African deserts and have common plant and animal species. In the subtropical zone, which does not have a continuous distribution, there are zones of subtropical forests. European Mediterranean forests are peculiar, giving their name to the type of vegetation. Fertile brown soils are common, and the plants have a fuzzy or waxy coating to protect them from the summer heat. Natural vegetation (oaks, myrtle, strawberry tree, wild olive, laurel) has been preserved in small areas, since these areas have long been developed. There are few wild animals, most of them live only in protected areas (wild goats and sheep, reptiles, birds of prey, rodents). In the east of the continent there is a monsoon climate with a summer maximum of precipitation; very rich tropical forests have been preserved on red soils and yellow soils with magnolias, camphor laurel, camellias, and bamboo. They are mixed with deciduous and coniferous trees: oak, hornbeam, cypresses, pines, and many vines. Wild animals are preserved in the mountains (Himalayan black bear, bamboo panda bear, macaque monkeys, leopards; birds - pheasants, parrots). Wet eq. forests occupy the islands and peninsulas of South. and South-East. Asia. Some endemic animal species live here (orangutans, some reptiles), especially palm trees and bamboos. Huge regions of the continent are occupied by areas of high altitudinal zones, confined to the highest mountain systems. In high-mountain conditions, a unique climate with large amplitudes of t is formed, which leads to the formation of high-mountain deserts with low-growing cushion-shaped plants and burrowing animals. Yaks live in Tibet, there are several species of antelope, mountain sheep, special types of martens, foxes, bears, and rodents are common. In foreign Europe there are seven large natural complexes - North, Middle, South. Europe; Yugo-Zal." Central, East and Yuzh. Asia. Population. The most ancient civilizations on Earth developed in Europe. There are 3.5 billion people living on the mainland, the population density in some places reaches 700-1000 people/km2, but there are also uninhabited areas. The population is racially diverse. There are more than 60 states on the continent with different systems of organization and levels of development.

Concise geographical dictionary. EdwART. 2008.

Eurasia

the largest continent on Earth, historically divided into two parts of the world - Europe And Asia, which do not have a clearly expressed nature among themselves. borders. The name of the continent was proposed in the 19th century. A. Humboldt. It is washed in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the north - north. Arctic, in the east - the Pacific, in the south - the Indian Ocean. From west to east it stretches for 16 thousand km, from north to south for 8 thousand km. Area approx. 53.4 million km², which is over 1/3 of the entire landmass.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Ekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of academician. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

Eurasia

the largest continent on Earth; comprises Europe And Asia, which do not have a clearly defined natural boundary between themselves. The division arose historically; the generalized name of the continent was first used in the 1st half. 19th century famous German geographer Alexander Humboldt. It is washed in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the north - north. The Arctic, in the east - the Pacific, in the south - the Indian oceans and their marginal seas. From west to east it extends for 16 thousand km, from north to south – for 8 thousand km. Pl. OK. 53.4 million km², which is St. 1 /3 of the earth's land surface; pl. islands approx. 2.75 million km². Eurasia is based on ancient platforms: East European with the Baltic and Ukrainian crystalline shields, Sino-Korean, South China, Indian. By eastern and south On the outskirts of the continent there are two mobile geosynclinal belts: East Asian and Alpine-Himalayan. For many districts Middle, Central, East. Asia and the Malay Archipelago are characterized by high seismicity. In Iceland, the Mediterranean, Kamchatka, the Vostochny Islands. and South-East. Asia has many active volcanoes.
2 /3 of its area. Basic mountain systems: Himalayas, Scandinavian mountains, Alps, Caucasus, Hindu Kush, Karakorum, Pamir-Alai, Tien Shan, Kunlun, Ural, Altai, Southern mountains. and Northeast. Siberia; highlands: Western Asian, Tibetan, Sayan-Tuva; plateaus: Deccan, Central Siberian. The most significant lowlands: East European (Russian), West Siberian, Turanian, Great Chinese, Indo-Gangetic. On the Arctic islands, Iceland and in the highlands of many mountain systems there is extensive modern glaciation of a total area. 228.8 thousand km².
The climate varies widely - from arctic in the north to equatorial in the south. In the outlying regions, the oceanic climate predominates (monsoon in the south and east), and in the interior regions it is continental and sharply continental. On the north-east continent (in the region of Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon) - the pole of cold North. hemispheres; The Arabian Peninsula is one of the hottest places on Earth. The contrasts in hydration are enormous: in the center. parts of the mainland there is a vast area of ​​deserts, where less than 200 mm of precipitation falls per year, and in the East. India (the town of Cherrapunji) has the highest amount of precipitation on Earth - up to 12 thousand mm. Basic rivers: Yangtze, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur, Yellow River, Mekong, Brahmaputra, Ganges, Indus, Tigris, Euphrates, Volga, Danube. In Eurasia, there is the most extensive area of ​​internal drainage on the globe, which includes bass. Caspian and Aral seas, lakes Balkhash and Lop Nor. The deepest lake in the world is located here. Baikal.
All geographical zones of the North are represented in Eurasia. hemispheres. In the Arctic zone there is a zone of arctic deserts, in the subarctic zone there are zones of tundra and forest-tundra, in the temperate and tropics huge areas are occupied by forests, in the south-west. and Center. Asia - deserts and semi-deserts. In the high mountains, altitudinal zonation is well defined. More than half of Eurasia (its northern part) in floristic and faunal terms belongs to the Holarctic; The south of Eurasia is occupied by the flora of the Paleotropical region and the fauna of the Indo-Malayan region. Map on pp. 176–177.

Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Edited by prof. A. P. Gorkina. 2006 .

Eurasia

the name of a continent that includes two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. This is the largest continent on Earth. Its area is 53,893 thousand square meters. km.

Encyclopedia Around the World. 2008 .

>> Eurasia - a continent of contrasts

Chapter 7

Continents are the largest natural

land complexes

§ 1. Eurasia - a continent of contrasts

Geographical position. Size and outline. Oceans and seas washing the continent.

Eurasia is the largest continent on Earth. Together with the islands, its area is 54 million km2 - this is one third of the land. The continent consists of two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. The border between them is drawn conditionally: along the eastern foot of the Ural Mountains, along the Emba River, the northern coast of the Caspian Sea and the Kuma-Manych depression. Further, Europe and Asia are separated by the Black and Azov Seas and the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, connecting the Black Sea with the Mediterranean. Eurasia is separated from Africa by the Suez Canal, and from North America by the Bering Strait.

Names of two parts of the world - Europe and Asia - come from the Assyrian words “ereb” - west and “asu” - east.

Occupying 1/3 of the entire landmass, Eurasia concentrates the 3D population of the planet, and the peoples inhabiting the continent are so numerous and diverse that just listing them could take several pages. Our state is also located in Eurasia - Russia.

Eurasia is located in the Northern Hemisphere. The prime meridian crosses its territory in the west. Coordinates of the extreme points of the mainland:

northern - Cape Chelyuskin - 78° N. latitude, 105° east. d.
southern - Cape Piai - 1° N. latitude, 104° east. d.
western - Cape Roca - 39° N. latitude, 9°w. d.
eastern - Cape Dezhnev - 67° N. latitude, 170°w. d.

Eurasia is washed by the waters of all four oceans, which form marginal and inland seas along its shores: the Baltic, Black, Azov, Mediterranean, North and Norwegian seas; The Straits of Gibraltar and the English Channel, as well as the Bay of Biscay, belong to the Atlantic Ocean. There are large islands here: Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland, as well as peninsulas: Scandinavian, Iberian, Apennine. The northern shores of Eurasia are washed by the seas of the Arctic Ocean: Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, Chukotka. The largest islands are Novaya Zemlya, Spitsbergen; peninsulas - Taimyr, Yamal. The Bering Strait connects the Arctic Ocean with Quiet, which forms the marginal seas off the coast of Eurasia: Bering, Okhotsk, Japan, Yellow, East China, South China. The largest islands: Sakhalin, Hokkaido, Honshu, Philippine, Greater Sunda; peninsulas: Kamchatka, Korea, Indochina.

The seas of the Indian Ocean (Red, Arabian) and bays (Persian, Bengal) extend deep into the land. They wash large peninsulas - Arabian, Hindustan, Malacca.

Eurasia is a continent of contrasts. Due to the enormous size of the continent, the nature of Eurasia is diverse and complex. Here is the greatest peak of the world - Mount Chomolungma (Everest) with a height of 8848 m and the deepest depression of land (relative to sea level) - the Dead Sea (-402 m); the cold pole of the Northern Hemisphere in Oymyakon, where a temperature of -70° is recorded, and the sultry regions of Mesopotamia; the arid regions of the Arabian Peninsula, where only 44 mm of precipitation falls annually, and the humid regions of North-Eastern India (Cherrapunji) with a precipitation of 12,000 mm or more per year; in the north of the continent there are arctic deserts, and in the south there are humid equatorial forests.

From the history of research. Long before the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries and the founding of the First Geographical Institute by the Portuguese Prince Henry, the inhabitants of Europe were actively exploring the lands around them and making geographical discoveries. One of the first were the Phoenicians, who in the 2nd century BC. e. explored the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, then the ancient Greeks completed the discovery of Southern Europe. And during the reign of the Romans, who conquered the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the name of the third part of the world appeared - Africa. During the Age of Great Geographical Discovery, the famous journey of the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama to India took place, as well as the circumnavigation of Ferdinand Magellan, who, having sailed across the Pacific Ocean, approached the islands of Indonesia. The nature of Central Asia, Siberia and the Far East has long remained a mystery to European geographers.

The famous expeditions of our compatriots - Semyon Dezhnev to Siberia and the Far East, Vladimir Atlasov to Kamchatka, Pyotr Chikhachev to Altai, Pyotr Semyonov-Tien-Shansky to the Tien Shan mountains, Nikolai Przhevalsky to Central Asia - filled the gaps on the geographical maps of Asia.

Relief and minerals. Diversity relief Eurasia is explained by the structural features of the earth's crust in different parts of the continent. The ancient platforms: East European, Siberian, Sino-Korean, Indian, African-Arabian correspond to vast stable plains: East European Plain, Central Siberian Plateau, Great Chinese Plain, Deccan Plateau, Arabian Plateau. The areas of new folding correspond to mountain belts: Alpine-Himalayan, including the Pyrenees, Apennines, Alps, Carpathians, Caucasus, Pamir, Himalayas; as well as the Pacific belt of folded mountains (part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”), stretching along the eastern shores of Eurasia from Kamchatka to the Malay Archipelago. Here, in the Pacific Ocean, there are deep-sea trenches. These are seismically active areas with frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the most famous of which are: Vesuvius (Apennine Peninsula), Etna (Sicily), Hecla (Iceland). The highest active volcano in Eurasia is Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4750 m) on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Fuji (Honshu Island), Krakatoa, located on a small island in the Malay Archipelago.

The Ural, Altai, and Tien Shan mountains appeared in the era of ancient folding. However, Altai and Tien Shan have undergone new uplifts - rejuvenation of the relief, in contrast to the Ural Mountains, which are heavily destroyed and smoothed.

In the vicinity of folded mountains in foothill troughs layer of the earth's crust Lowlands were formed, for example, the Indo-Gangetic (Hindustan Peninsula) and Mesopotamian (Arabian Peninsula).

Minerals of Eurasia extremely diverse, and their reserves are large. Iron ore deposits in the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula, on the Hindustan Peninsula and northeast China are associated with igneous rocks. A strip of deposits of such rare metals as tungsten and tin stretches across southern China, the Indochina and Malacca peninsulas, forming the so-called tin-tungsten belt. The mountains of the Alpine-Himalayan belt and the Deccan plateau abound in ores of non-ferrous metals.

The West Siberian Lowland, the coast of the Persian Gulf, the North Sea shelf, the Arabian Peninsula and the Mesopotamian Lowland are exceptionally rich in oil and gas. Coal deposits are also associated with sedimentary rocks, the largest of which are located in the Ruhr and Upper Silesian basins in Western Europe, in the Donets basin in southern Russia, as well as on the Great Chinese Plain and the Indo-Gangetic Lowland.

Iron ore deposits are associated with metamorphic rocks, such as the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly in Russia, as well as with sedimentary rocks (the Lorraine deposit in Western Europe). Bauxite is of sedimentary origin. Their deposits are located along the Alps, south of the Carpathians and on the Indochina Peninsula.

Eurasia is the only continent of the Earth that is located in all climatic zones and in all natural zones (Fig. 26). Its nature is extremely diverse, therefore, several large natural complexes are distinguished on its territory: Northern, Western, Central and Southern Europe; South-West, Central, East and South Asia. The patterns of development of the population and political map are also very different, so we will consider them separately for Europe and Asia.

Foreign Europe

The coasts of Europe are characterized by a maritime climate. Most of it lies in the temperate zone and is influenced by westerly winds carrying moisture from the Atlantic. Western transport contributes to the formation of cyclones on fronts of air masses with different properties (Arctic, temperate and tropical), which often causes cloudy and rainy weather: cool in summer, mild in winter, with temperatures above 0°C. The climate of Scandinavia is strongly influenced by the warm North Atlantic Current: thanks to it, coniferous and broad-leaved forests grow in the south of the peninsula, while most of the island of Greenland, which lies at approximately the same latitudes as the Scandinavian Peninsula, is covered with ice all year round.

Foreign Europe has a dense river network belonging to the Atlantic Ocean basin (with rare exceptions). The longest river is the Danube (2850 km), other large rivers are the Rhine, Elbe, Odra, Vistula, Tagus, Duero. There are many lakes in Northern Europe, especially in Finland.

Northern Europe includes the islands: Spitsbergen, Iceland and Fennoscandia (the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula and Finland). The main attraction of the southwestern coast of the Scandinavian Peninsula are narrow, deep bays with steep banks - fjords. The depth of the largest of them - Sognefjord - is 1200 m, and the length is 220 km. The fjords were formed as a result of faults in the Scandinavian mountains. During glaciation, these faults were deepened and widened. Fennoscandia is a land of lakes and forests (mostly coniferous).

Central Europe occupies the Central European plains, the largest of which are the North German and Polish lowlands; the coasts of the North and Baltic seas; the region of medium-high mountains of Central Europe (French and Czech massifs, Ore Mountains), the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as the Alpine and Carpathian mountain ranges with adjacent plains. The southern coast of the North Sea is characterized by so-called secular fluctuations of the earth's crust, as a result of which the coastal lowlands gradually sink (by 1 mm per year). Many areas (in the Netherlands, for example) are already below sea level, so their populations have to fight the advancing sea and build dams.

Central Europe is located in a zone of deciduous forests of beech and oak, which are favored by a humid, warm climate and brown forest soils. However, the forests have been heavily cut down, and in their place are industrial areas, the largest of which - the Ruhr - is located in Germany.

Southern Europe is located in the subtropical zone in the Mediterranean climate area. It includes the Iberian, Apennine and Balkan peninsulas and the islands of the Mediterranean Sea. This is the most unstable section of the earth's crust in Europe, part of the Alpine-Himalayan belt. Despite this, Southern Europe is famous for its resorts. Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, and Bulgaria are visited by millions of tourists every year. The comfortable Mediterranean climate is formed under the influence of two different types of air masses that change with the seasons. In winter, westerly winds bring moist ocean air from temperate latitudes from the Atlantic. Summers here are hot and dry under the influence of tropical air masses. Evergreen hard-leaved forests and shrubs grow in the Mediterranean. The imported plants also do well here - various palm trees and citrus fruits.

Population and political map. Over 500 million people live in Foreign Europe. This is a region of ancient settlement, the “cradle” of several ancient civilizations (ancient and Christian). Over the course of several millennia, the most important events in world history took place on the territory of Europe, associated with conquests, wars, and mass migrations of people, which determined the very complex ethnic composition of its population. The majority of the current European population belongs to the Indo-European language family, which includes three language groups: Germanic, Romance and Slavic. In terms of the number of speakers, the Germanic group predominates (see atlas map).

Compared to other continents, the region of Foreign Europe is characterized by uniform settlement of territories, although there are differences in population density: higher population density is observed in Southern and Central Europe, the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula and Iceland are sparsely populated. 3/5 of the total population live in cities, the largest of which are London, Madrid, Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Rome.

The political map of Foreign Europe began to take shape a long time ago and has undergone many changes. On the modern political map of the region, there are 42 states, among which the most economically developed are Germany, Great Britain, France, and Italy. A special feature of the political map of Europe is the presence of a number of dwarf states: the Vatican, Monaco, Andorra and others.

Foreign Asia

The relief of Foreign Asia has significantly higher average heights than Europe. There are many highlands, the highest of which - Tibet - rises to 4.5 km. The climate of Asia is much hotter than Europe. The abundance of precipitation on the eastern and southeastern coasts gives way to an arid climate in Central and Southwestern Asia. There is a desert zone here. The climate of Asia is greatly influenced by its topography. Let's give an example. The Himalayas almost do not allow moist air masses from the Indian Ocean to pass to the north. Therefore, up to 12,000 mm of precipitation falls annually on the southern slopes, while to the north of the Himalayan mountains there is one of the driest deserts in the world - the Taklamakan.

Southwest Asia is located on the Arabian Peninsula, the Mesopotamian Lowland, as well as on the vast highlands: Asia Minor, Armenian and Iranian, along the outskirts of which rise high, relatively recently formed folded mountains. As you move east from the Mediterranean Sea, the climate from Mediterranean gradually becomes subtropical continental. The penetration of moisture to the east is prevented by mountain ranges. Arabia is located in a tropical dry climate region. The Rub al-Khali desert is located here. Desert landscapes characterize much of Southwest Asia. The most convenient places for people to live are along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and in the Mesopotamian lowland, where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (the Indian Ocean basin) create favorable conditions for irrigated agriculture.

central Asia is a combination of huge plateaus and highlands with high mountain ranges of the Tien Shan and Kun-Lun, the peaks of which rise 7 km or more. The main feature of the climate of Central Asia is sharp continentality with large daily and annual temperature amplitudes. This is a land of dry steppes and deserts, the largest of which - the Gobi - is located northeast of the Tibetan Plateau. High ridges prevent moist air masses from the oceans from penetrating into Central Asia, so Tibet receives only 100 mm of precipitation per year. Here are the glaciers that give rise to large rivers: the Yangtze, Yellow River, Mekong, Brahmaputra, Indus.

East Asia includes mainland (Eastern China and the Korean Peninsula) and island (Japanese Islands) natural complexes. This is an area of ​​monsoon climate with variable-humid (monsoon) forests. From north to south, the region is crossed by two climatic zones: temperate and subtropical. Therefore, in the north, the winter monsoon is dry and cold (average temperatures are negative), while the summer monsoon is humid and hot. To the south, winter and summer temperatures gradually increase. The large Chinese rivers Yangtze (5800 km) and Yellow River (4845 km), carrying their waters to the Pacific Ocean, flood in the summer during the wet monsoon.

A characteristic feature of the climate of East Asia and the Japanese Islands is typhoons. These are hurricane-force winds originating in the Pacific Ocean. They cause great destruction and are accompanied by heavy rainfall.

South Asia includes the Himalayas - the greatest mountain system in the world, whose ten peaks exceed 8 km; the Indo-Gangetic lowland with the deep rivers Indus (3180 km) and Ganges (2700 km), flowing into the Indian Ocean; the Hindustan Peninsula, where the Deccan plateau is located, exceptionally rich in ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals; the Indochina Peninsula with its tin-tungsten belt, as well as deposits of zinc, silver, gold and diamonds; as well as the Malay Archipelago, whose islands are covered with equatorial rainforests.

South Asia is located in the subequatorial and equatorial belts and is under the influence of the southwest monsoons.

Altitudinal zonation is clearly expressed in the Himalayas. Here you can find almost all the natural zones of the Earth, which replace each other as you climb the mountains. It is not without reason that plant hunters flock to the Himalayas, because here you can collect an extraordinary collection, especially since the places are difficult to access and little developed by man.

Population and political map. Foreign Asia is the most populous region on Earth: about 4 billion people live here, i.e. over half of all humanity. The population is extremely diverse in terms of race and ethnicity. Representatives of all three major races live here, as well as peoples who combine the characteristics of different races in their appearance. The most numerous peoples speak Indian and Sino-Tibetan languages. In South-West Asia, Arabic and Iranian languages ​​are spoken.

Due to the peculiarities of the relief, the population is distributed extremely unevenly throughout the territory. Very high population densities in the river valleys and coastal regions of South and East Asia. The high mountainous and desert central areas of the region are very sparsely populated. The population of Overseas Asia is growing very quickly, especially in China and India. 34% of the population live in cities. Largest cities: Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul, Mumbai (Bombay), Shanghai, Jakarta, Kolkata. On the political map of the region there are 48 states, differing greatly in size and population. Almost all countries are classified as developing countries in terms of economic development, and Japan leads the list of developed countries. The world's largest country, China, as well as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore have achieved significant economic success in recent years (see atlas map).

The largest continent on planet Earth is Eurasia. It consists of two parts, the conditional border between which passes through the Ural Mountains, Embe, the Caspian and Black Seas, the Caucasus and the Taman Peninsula. It is also worth noting that the area of ​​Eurasia is striking in its size. It is here that the deepest depression of land and the highest peak of the Earth are located. Here you can find absolutely all types of soils and climates, from humid forests to northern ones. Eurasia is the only continent in the world whose rivers are connected to the basins of all oceans. Their nutrition in different parts of the continent is different: rain, snow, ground and glaciers, depending on climatic conditions and other factors.

Description of Eurasia

The largest and most complex continent is Eurasia. It is mostly associated with America and Africa. Various transactions are most often concluded between these continents. In terms of size, it ranks first. The area is almost 53.9 million km2. The oceans, washing it from all sides, have a special influence on the climate, filling it with certain natural features. The relief on the mainland is very diverse. You can find both lowlands and large mountains on which entire countries stand. Due to the fact that they create a kind of lattice, Eurasia is full of numerous basins. Such factors greatly influence the formation of both the climate and the entire water network.

Eurasian states

Almost all countries of Eurasia are independent. And some of them also occupy leading positions throughout the world in terms of their influence and power.

Europe is an important part of the continent. It gave the world talented artists Raphael and Michelangelo, writers Shakespeare and Cervantes, poets Shevchenko and Byron, travelers Magellan and Columbus, scientists Copernicus and Newton, composers Verdi and Gounod, actors Bernard and Shchepkin, singers Caruso and Krushelnitskaya. We can say that in terms of science and art, Europe has opened up a lot for the world.

In Asia there are rich countries and Brunei, which were able to build their economy thanks to oil, Japan, which has become an example for the whole world due to its very rapid economic growth. Israel has distinguished itself by using advanced technology to transform the desert into a blooming garden.

Russian Federation

Russia ranks second in the world in terms of army power. It controls several countries and includes 22 republics. It ranks first in terms of population density on the Eurasian continent. The geography of this country is also quite interesting due to the enormous extent of the state. Thanks to these facts, Russia has every chance not only to prevent any interference from other countries in politics, economics and finance, but also to become the most powerful state on the planet. The Russian Federation occupies a large area of ​​Eurasia.

France

This power is part of the UN and is the fifth most powerful state in the world. It can easily influence many. It must be said that France is a nuclear country. It has a powerful army, as well as a well-developed economy. The hallmark of this state is its attractions, achievements in science, technology, culture and cuisine. Since ancient times, France has made it clear that it is a majestic country that always strives only for the new.

PRC (China)

It is impossible to remain silent and not talk about such a great power as China. For almost 2000 years, the republic has been the leader in population in the world. China is the birthplace of silk, feathers, compasses, and gunpowder. The PRC occupies a significant area of ​​Eurasia after Russia (third place in the world, second in Asia). Its industry is developed at the highest level and is exported to almost all countries of the world. It is truly a powerful country, which has a strong and numerous army with good weapons. China has nuclear weapons and a developed economy, so its membership in the UN is quite significant and can significantly influence the organization’s decisions.

Great Britain

This state is considered the most stable; it is also part of the European Union. He is a leader in music, cinema and retains first place in world politics. It has nuclear weapons and exports capital on a fairly large scale. It consists of four fairly developed countries: Northern Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland. Thanks to this union, Great Britain has a well-developed industry and is a powerful state.

In addition to the listed states, the leading countries of Eurasia can also be called Italy, Poland, Belarus, Germany, Japan and India.

As a continent, Eurasia occupies a sufficient amount of space on planet Earth. More than five billion people live here, which is no small number. The area of ​​Eurasia is surprising.

Of course, Asia occupies most of the continent; Europe, in turn, took only a fifth. The country connecting these two parts is the Russian Federation, its prosperity is ensured due to its favorable location. She is the undisputed leader in terms of territory on this continent. Also, many countries of Eurasia are quite powerful and influential throughout the world.