The seven continents
Our planet is divided into seven continents: Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania and Antarctica. Together they cover all the land on Earth — from the Antarctic ice sheet to the rainforests of the Amazon basin. On this page you will find the key figures, a world map and an explanation of how the classification works.
The seven continents at a glance
Below are the key figures for each continent, as of 2025.
Asia
The largest and most populous continent, from the Himalayas to the Pacific Ocean.
Africa
The fastest-growing continent, with the greatest diversity of cultures and ecosystems.
Europe
Small but densely populated, with 44 countries and a rich historical heritage.
North America
From the Canadian tundra to the tropical islands of the Caribbean.
South America
Home of the Amazon rainforest, the Andes and the world's largest waterfall.
Oceania
Australia, New Zealand and thousands of islands scattered across the Pacific.
Antarctica
The coldest, driest and windiest continent — almost uninhabited, with no countries.
Continents compared: key figures 2025
All figures are drawn from the UN World Population Prospects 2024, the CIA World Factbook and Worldometer 2025. Visit the comparison page for a sortable table with additional columns.
| Continent | Population 2025 | Area (km²) | Countries | Largest city |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | 4,840,000,000 | 44,580,000 | 48 | Tokyo (~37 M) |
| Africa | 1,550,000,000 | 30,370,000 | 54 | Lagos (~16 M) |
| Europe | 744,000,000 | 10,180,000 | 44 | Istanbul / Moscow |
| North America | 617,000,000 | 24,710,000 | 23 | Mexico City (~22 M) |
| South America | 438,000,000 | 17,840,000 | 12 | São Paulo (~22 M) |
| Oceania | 47,000,000 | 8,510,000 | 14 | Sydney (~5.3 M) |
| Antarctica | ~0 permanent | 14,200,000 | 0 | — (research stations) |
Sources: UN WPP 2024, Worldometer 2025, CIA World Factbook.
What makes something a continent?
A continent is a large, continuous landmass generally regarded as a distinct part of the world. The definition, however, is not purely geological: it blends geography, culture and convention. Physically, Europe and Asia form a single landmass — Eurasia — yet they have been treated as separate continents for centuries, for cultural and historical reasons.
What distinguishes a continent from a large island — such as Greenland or Australia — is less clear than it first appears. Australia counts as a continent because of its continental plate and considerable size; Greenland does not, even though it is the world's largest island. The boundaries are therefore partly a matter of convention. Read more at how many continents are there?.
Which model do we use?
Continenten.com follows the seven-continent model standard in most English-language and Dutch curricula: Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania and Antarctica as seven distinct continents. This model counts North and South America as separate units and distinguishes Oceania (including Australia) from the other continents.
Other models exist: in Latin America and some European countries, North and South America are combined as "America". Some approaches count only five or six continents. The page on the number of continents sets the different models side by side. For figures on oceans — the bodies of water separating continents — see the oceans.
Sources
- United Nations — World Population Prospects 2024 (population figures)
- Worldometer 2025 — current estimates by country
- CIA World Factbook — area and country counts
- IUCN Red List — conservation status of species
- Köppen-Geiger — climate classification