Continent, the name applied to the largest divisions of land in the world. Although they form one landmass, Europe and Asia (often referred to as Eurasia) are counted as two continents. Antarctica is generally included among the continents even though there is evidence that it is several islands rather than a single landmass.
The Continents
Area (sq. mi.) (sq. km.) Asia 17,335,000 44,897,000 Africa 11,706,000 30,319,000 North America 9,360,000 24,240,000 South America 6,882,000 17,824,000 Antarctica 5,500,000 14,250,000 Europe 3,820,000 9,894,000 Australia 2,966,000 7,682,000
Asia is the most populous continent. Antarctica has no permanent population. For populations and other information, see articles on the continents.
