Earth's landmass is divided into seven continents — Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Antarctica. These continents were once believed to be part of a single supercontinent called Pangaea, which existed around 250 million years ago. Due to tectonic plate movement, the landmass gradually broke apart and drifted to current positions, a process that took approximately 1 million years to complete. For SSC CGL, knowing each continent's area rank, key superlatives, rivers, mountains, and peninsulas is essential.
The seven continents together cover the entire landmass of Earth, with Asia being the largest and Australia the smallest.
| Rank | Continent | Area (sq km) | % of World Land |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asia | 44,485,900 | ~30% |
| 2 | Africa | ~30,370,000 | ~20% |
| 3 | North America | 24,235,280 | ~16% |
| 4 | South America | 17,820,770 | ~12% |
| 5 | Antarctica | ~14,000,000 | ~9% |
| 6 | Europe | 10,530,750 | ~7% |
| 7 | Australia | 7,830,682 | ~5% |
Which is the largest continent by area?
What was the ancient single supercontinent called?
The smallest continent by area is .
Pangaea broke up due to movement.
Asia is the largest continent in the world with an area of 44,485,900 sq km, covering about 30% of Earth's land area.
What is the highest point of Asia (and the world)?
Which is the lowest point in Asia?
The area of Asia is about sq km.
Asia covers about of Earth's land area.
Africa is the 2nd largest continent in the world and is home to the Sahara Desert, the largest hot desert on Earth.
The Sahara Desert, the world's largest hot desert, is located in which continent?
The world's longest river, the Nile, is located in which continent?
Africa is the largest continent in the world.
The highest peak in Africa is , located in East Africa.
Europe ranks 6th by area with 10,530,750 sq km and is bounded by the Arctic Ocean in the west, the Mediterranean Sea in the south, and the Caucasus Mountains separating it from Asia.
What is the highest point of Europe?
Which is the busiest inland waterway of Europe?
Europe ranks by area among the continents.
The smallest sovereign and independent state in the world, surrounded by Italy, is .
North America is the 3rd largest continent with an area of 24,235,280 sq km and is connected to South America via the narrow Isthmus of Panama.
North America is connected to South America via the narrow:
What is the highest point of North America?
The lowest point in North America is , in California, USA.
The busiest inland waterway in North America is the .
South America is the 4th largest continent with an area of 17,820,770 sq km and is home to the Amazon River, the world's largest river by discharge.
The Andes, the longest mountain range in the world, runs along which continent?
The driest place on Earth, the Atacama Desert, is located in:
The highest point of South America is , the highest peak outside Asia.
South America is home to the River, the world's largest river by discharge.
Australia is the smallest continent and the only country that covers an entire continent; it lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.
Who discovered Australia in 1770?
The highest point of Australia is:
Australia is also known as the Continent.
The passes almost through the middle of the Australian continent.
Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent, underlying the South Pole, and is the coldest and driest continent on Earth.
Which is Earth's southernmost continent, underlying the South Pole?
What is the highest point of Antarctica?
Antarctica is surrounded by the Ocean.
The longest river in Antarctica is the River (25 km).
The four extreme climatic superlatives of the world are tested frequently in SSC CGL: hottest (Dalol/Ethiopia), coldest (Plateau Station/Antarctica), wettest (Mawsynram/India), driest (Atacama/Chile).
| Category | Place | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Hottest Place | Dalol, Denakil Depression, Ethiopia | Annual avg. temp 93.2°F (34°C) |
| Coldest Place | Plateau Station, Antarctica | Annual avg. temp −56.7°C |
| Wettest Place | Mawsynram, Assam, India | Annual avg. rainfall 11,873 mm (467.4″) |
| Driest Place | Atacama Desert, Chile | Imperceptible rainfall on a yearly basis |
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Largest total area | Russia — 17,098,242 sq km |
| Largest land area | Russia — 17,075,200 sq km |
| Largest water area | Canada — 891,163 sq km |
| Longest coastline | Canada — 243,792 km |
| Highest coastal population density | Micronesia — 8,706.553 per sq km |
| Most countries bordered | Russia & China |
| Largest forest area | Russia — 8,087,900 sq km |
The wettest place on Earth is:
Which country has the world's longest coastline?
The hottest place on Earth is , in the Denakil Depression, Ethiopia.
The country with the largest total area in the world is .
Mountain ranges are grouped by continent; the Himalayas (Asia) contain the world's highest peaks, while the Andes (South America) form the world's longest range.
| Mountain Range | Continent/Region |
|---|---|
| Himalayas | Asia |
| Andes | South America |
| Rockies | North America |
| Appalachian | North America (America) |
| Atlas | Africa |
| Kilimanjaro | Africa |
| Alps | Europe |
| Pyrenees | Europe |
| Ural | Europe |
| Carpathian | Europe |
| Caucasus | Europe / Asia border |
| Mount Eribus | Antarctica |
Which mountain range is the highest in the world, containing Mt. Everest?
Which mountain junction is known as the 'Roof of the World'?
The longest mountain range in the world is the , in South America.
The highest peak of the Alps, located in France, is .
Take 5 questions at a time — tap an option to check. After each round, revise the notes above and take the retest for 5 fresh questions, until you've mastered the whole chapter.