Continents

& Oceans
Fact Book

Name ___________________
©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource

2.
Asia

Asia is the largest of the seven continents. It covers one-

third of the Earth’s surface! Half of the people on Earth live on
Asia. Two of the world’s most crowded countries, China and
India, are in Asia.
Asia is home to 10 of the highest mountain peaks in the
world. Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is here.
Some animals of Asia are pythons, tigers, pandas, yaks, and
Indian Rhinoceroses. ©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource
1.
Continents

Continents are large pieces of land on the Earth’s surface.

There are seven continents. Some continents are joined to each
other. Some continents are completely surrounded by water.
Some continents have a lot of countries, while some just have a
few.

Interesting fact: All the continents’ names begin and end with
the same letter! ©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource

3.
Africa

Africa is the second largest continent. The longest river

in the world, called the Nile, is in Africa. The largest desert in
the world, the Sahara, is also found in Africa. The weather in
Africa is very hot because of its location on the Earth’s
surface.
Africa is rich in minerals like gold and diamonds. Ninety-
five percent of the world’s diamonds are in Africa. Some
animals of Africa are elephants, addax, lions, cheetahs, zebras,
giraffes, and the Egyptian mongoose.
©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource
4.
Australia

Australia is the smallest continent in the world. It is home to the

main island country of Australia along with several nearby
smaller islands. The continent lies completely in the Southern
Hemisphere, so it is called “The Land Down Under.”
Two-thirds of Australia is flat desert. Off the coast of
Australia is the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the
world. Some animals of Australia are kangaroos, koalas, the
platypus, and emu. ©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource

6.
Europe

Europe is the second smallest continent. It is on the same land

mass as Asia. Europe is the only continent without a desert.
London and Paris are two European cities with the most people.
The world’s smallest country, called The Vatican City, is located
in Europe. Both World War I and World War II were fought
mostly in Europe. Animals found in Europe are tree frogs, wild
boars, hedgehogs, and deer.
©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource
5.
Antarctica

Antarctica is the frozen land around the South Pole.

Antarctica is the driest, emptiest, coldest, and windiest place on
the Earth. 75% of the world’s ice is in Antarctica, along with
about 70% of the world’s freshwater.
Antarctica has no cities or towns, only settlements for
visiting researchers. In the winter, it is dark all day long. In the
summer, it is light all day. Besides insects, the weather is too
cold for land animals to live on Antarctica. However, penguins
and other sea animals do live in the waters off Antarctica.
©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource

7.
North America

North America has three major countries- Canada, Mexico, and

the United States. It is the only continent with all types of
climate. North America has 5 different time zones. It is the
third largest continent in size. Lake Superior, found between
the United States and Canada, is the largest freshwater lake in the
world. North America is the largest exporter of wheat, maize,
and soybeans. Animals common in North America are brown
bears, bald eagles, bullfrogs, and hummingbirds.
©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource
8.
South America

South America is the fourth largest continent. Angel Falls,

the highest waterfall in the world, is located in South America.
The Andes Mountain range, found on the West Coast of South
America, is the longest mountain range in the world. The
Amazon River, the longest river system in the world, is located
in South America.
Soccer is the most popular game on this continent. Animals
in South America are snakes, llamas, chinchillas, and butterflies.
©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource

10.
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the five oceans. It

covers about 30% of the Earth’s surface! The name Pacific
means “peaceful sea.” The Mariana Trench, found in the Pacific
Ocean, is the deepest known point of Earth.
The Pacific Ocean has 25,000 different islands. The
Pacific Ocean is surround by the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire
is a large area of active volcanoes. ©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource
9.
Oceans

About 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with oceans.

There are five major oceans in the world. Ocean tides are
caused by the gravitational pull of the moon on the ocean’s
waters. The oceans are full of life, both plants and animals.
Many are yet to be discovered!
The oceans are often used as a way to move people and
goods from one continent to the next. Many companies ship
their goods across the oceans from one port to another.
©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource

11.
Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean on the Earth. It is

about half the size of the Pacific Ocean. It covers about 21% of the
Earth’s surface. The name Atlantic comes from the Greek God Atlas.
Under the Atlantic Ocean is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It is the
longest mountain range on Earth. The Bermuda Triangle is located in
the Atlantic Ocean. It is known for some great mysteries.
©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource
12.
Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean. It covers

about 14% of the Earth’s surface. The Indian Ocean got its
name from the country India, which is bordered by the Indian
ocean.
The Indian Ocean is the largest breeding area for
humpback whales. It is also home to some unusual fish. The
Indian Ocean is an important transport route for oil for the
surrounding countries. ©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource

14.
Southern Ocean

The Southern Ocean is the second smallest of the oceans. It is the

area of water that surrounds Antarctica, the South Pole, and the
Antarctic Circle.
The Southern Ocean is home to the emperor penguin and the
wandering albatross. Because of the cold temperatures in this part of
Earth, icebergs can occur at any time in the Southern Ocean waters.
©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource
 13.
Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of Earth’s oceans. It is

located around the North Pole and the Arctic Circle. That is
where the name Arctic Ocean comes from. During the winter,
the Arctic Ocean is almost covered completely in ice.
Many polar bears live along the Arctic Ocean ice. The
Lion’s Mane jellyfish also lives in the Arctic Ocean. This jellyfish
lives on fish and plankton in the water. ©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource

15.
Continents and Oceans
Arctic Ocean

pe Asia
Euro
North
America
Atlantic
Ocean
Africa
Pacific Ocean
South Indian Ocean
America
Australia

Southern Ocean

Antarctica

©Jennifer Oglesby, The Rocket Resource