Topography characteristics of the seven continents·What are the climate types, distribution patterns, and climate characteristics of the seven continents?
Basic characteristics of Asia’s terrain
First, plateaus and mountains are vast, accounting for about 3/4 of the continent’s area; second, the terrain is high in the middle and low on all sides, with plateaus and mountains Concentrated in the central part, the average altitude is more than 4,000 meters, and the altitude in the edge areas is mostly below 200 meters; third, the terrain is complex and diverse, with great fluctuations, including the world's highest Himalayas (the highest peak, Mount Everest, is 8,848 meters above sea level), as well as the The lowest depression is the Dead Sea (elevation - 400 meters) and the vast plains.
Basic characteristics of Africa's terrain
Africa's terrain is dominated by plateaus, with little undulations on the ground. It is called the "plateau continent". The average altitude is more than 600 meters, and the terrain slopes from southeast to northwest. There are the Atlas Mountains to the northwest and the Drakensberg Mountains to the southeast.
The terrain of Africa can be divided into three parts: first, the plateau. From north to south there are Ethiopian Plateau, East African Plateau and South African Plateau. Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 meters above sea level) is located on the East African Plateau and is the highest peak in Africa. There is a fault subsidence zone running from north to south in eastern Africa - the East African Rift Valley, which is more than 6,000 kilometers long. There is a series of long, narrow and deep lakes at the bottom of the valley; second, the basin. The central part is the vast Congo Basin, which was originally a vast inland lake. It was later formed by the rise of the earth's crust, the incision of rivers, and the leakage of lake water; the third is the desert. To the north is the Sahara Desert, which covers an area of more than 7.7 million square kilometers and is the largest desert in the world.
Basic features of European terrain
First, the European terrain is dominated by plains, which account for about 2/3 of the total area of the continent. The main plains include the Eastern European Plains and the Central European Plains ( Pod Plain) and the Western European Plain; secondly, the terrain is not undulating, with an average altitude of about 300 meters, making it the continent with the lowest average altitude in the world; thirdly, the glacial terrain is widespread, and Quaternary glaciers have a significant impact on vast areas of Europe , the undulating terrain in parts of the Eastern and Central European plains; the fjord coasts and numerous lakes in Northern Europe; and the wide valleys and peaks in the southern Alps are all the result of glaciation. Fourth, mountain ranges are mainly distributed in the north and south: the Scandinavian Mountains in the north and the Alps in the south.
Basic features of North American terrain
The terrain of North America is clearly divided into three north-south vertical belts, that is, the west is tall mountains, the middle is vast plains, and the east is low and gentle. Highlands.
The tall mountain system in the west belongs to the Cordillera Mountain System, which consists of several parallel mountain ranges such as the Coast Mountains, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. Plateaus and basins are distributed between the mountains.
The vast central plain is distributed between the western mountains and the eastern highlands, starting from the Arctic Ocean in the north and reaching the Gulf of Mexico in the south. It is a vast plain that runs through the central part of the North American continent. There is the largest freshwater lake in the world on the plain. Group - the five Great Lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario).
The low and gentle highlands in the east are composed of the Appalachian Mountains and the Labrador Plateau, which have been eroded over time into low and gentle mountains and highlands.
Basic features of South America's terrain
The terrain of South America is higher in the west and lower in the east. It can also be divided into three major terrain areas: tall mountains in the west, and vast alluvial plains and undulating areas in the east. plateaus (distributed in alternating patterns).
The high mountain range in the west is the extension of the Cordillera Mountains in South America, called the Andes. It is the longest mountain range in the world, with a total length of more than 9,000 kilometers, and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and Earthquake Belt.
There are three major plateaus in the east: Guyana Plateau, Brazilian Plateau, and Patagonia Plateau. The Brazilian Plateau is the largest plateau in the world (approximately 5 million square kilometers). These plateaus are gently undulating due to erosion over time.
There are three major plains in the east: from north to south, the Orinoco Plain, the Amazon Plain, and the La Plata Plain. The Amazon Plain is the largest alluvial plain in the world, covering an area of approximately 5.6 million square kilometers. It is low and flat and is the largest tropical rainforest area in the world.
Basic terrain features of Oceania
The Australian continent can also be divided into three terrain regions: first, the eastern mountains. The Great Dividing Range runs from north to south, with an altitude of about 800 to 1,000 meters. The east slope is steeper and the west slope is gentle; second, the western plateau. It is a low and broad plateau. The area accounts for more than 1/2 of the country's area, with a large area of desert and semi-desert; third, the central plain. The altitude is below 200 meters, with the lowest point being Lake Eyre (-12 meters). There are few surface rivers, but abundant underground water, forming the world-famous Great Artesian Basin.
Basic terrain features of Antarctica
First, Antarctica is the highest continent in the world, with an average altitude of 2,350 meters; second, most of the surface is covered with thick ice. The average thickness is more than 2,000 meters; third, there are various terrains under the ice. There is a lowland between the Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea, which divides the continent into east and west parts. The east is a plateau, and the west is distributed with a series of Fold Mountains.
In general
1. Relief and terrain characteristics
Relief: the general tendency of the ground to rise and fall. For example, China's terrain is higher in the west and lower in the east.
Topographic features: Topographic features refer to the terrain characteristics of a place, which are generally described in terms of altitude,
ground relief, terrain type and distribution, etc.
2. Topographic characteristics of the seven continents
Europe: The terrain is low and flat, and the terrain is mainly plains. It is the continent with the lowest altitude in the world.
Africa: The terrain is dominated by plateaus with less undulations. It is called "Plateau Continent".
Antarctica: Covered with thick ice and snow, with an average altitude of more than 2,000 meters, it is the highest continent in the world.
North and South America: The terrain consists of three major terrain areas: mountains, plateaus and plains. There are tall mountains in the west, vast plains in the center, and plateaus in the east.
Oceania: The terrain of Oceania is also composed of three major terrain areas. The west is a vast plateau, the middle is a plain, and the east is a mountainous area.
Asia: The terrain in Asia is relatively complex, with the main features being high in the middle and low on the surrounding areas. The central plateau and mountainous area are vast, accounting for about three-quarters of the continent's area. Plains are located around the continent.
Undersea topography
1. Continental shelf: The continental shelf is the part of the continent that extends to the ocean. The sea area on the continental shelf is close to the continent, and the depth generally does not exceed 200 meters.
Continental slope: There is a huge steep slope on the outer edge of the continental shelf, called the continental slope. The water depth increases from a few hundred meters to several thousand meters.
2. Beyond the continental slope is the bottom of the ocean. There are often deep trenches on the seabed near the continental slope. Most of the ocean floor is a vast ocean basin, and there is a long ridge in the center of the ocean.
Comparison of the area of the seven continents
Asia: with an area of 44 million square kilometers, accounting for approximately 29.4% of the world's total land area, it is the world's largest continent. ***There are 40 countries and regions. Its population is 3.229 billion, accounting for approximately 60% of the world’s total population, ranking first in the world.
Africa: Covering an area of approximately 30 million square kilometers, accounting for approximately 20.2% of the world’s total land area, it is the second largest continent in the world. ***There are 56 countries and regions. The population is 662 million, accounting for 12.3% of the world's total population, ranking third in the world.
North America: Covering an area of approximately 24 million square kilometers, accounting for approximately 16.2% of the world’s total land area, it is the third largest continent in the world. ***There are 37 countries and regions. It has a population of 432 million, accounting for approximately 8.1% of the world's total population, ranking fourth in the world.
South America: Covering an area of approximately 18 million square kilometers, accounting for approximately 12% of the world’s total land area, it is the fourth largest continent in the world. ***There are 13 countries and regions. It has a population of 302 million, accounting for approximately 5.6% of the world's total population, ranking fifth in the world.
Antarctica: Covering an area of 14 million square kilometers, accounting for approximately 9.4% of the world’s total land area, it is the fifth largest continent in the world. Antarctica has only some scientific expedition personnel and whaling teams from other continents, but no settled residents.
Europe: Covers an area of approximately 10 million square kilometers, accounting for approximately 6.8% of the world’s total land area. It is only larger than Oceania and is the sixth largest continent in the world. ***There are 37 countries and regions. With a population of 723 million, accounting for approximately 13.4% of the world's total population, it ranks second in the world and is the continent with the highest population density.
Oceania: With an area of about 9 million square kilometers, accounting for about 6% of the world's total land area, it is the smallest continent in the world. ***There are 24 countries and regions. With a population of 27 million, accounting for about 0.5% of the world's total population, it is the world's least populous continent except Antarctica.
The origin of the names of the seven continents
Ancient people gave the current names to the seven continents of the world a long time ago. However, any one of these continents is determined by its location.
Asia: In ancient times, people called the place east of the Mediterranean Sea Asia (meaning "the place where the sun rises"). This is located in the east of the earth. Asia is the abbreviation of Asia.
Europe: Ancient people called the place west of the Mediterranean Sea Europa (meaning "the place of sunset"). It is located in the west of the earth, and Europe is the abbreviation of Europa.
Africa: The full name is "Africa", which means "scorching sun" in Latin. Because Africa is crossed by the equator in the middle, many parts of Africa are located in tropical and subtropical regions.
America: The general name for North America and South America. America is a so-called "New World" discovered by the Italian Amerigo during his voyage. In order to commemorate the discoverer of the "New World", Europeans called it America after Amerigo, or America for short. .
Latin America: refers to the area south of North America. In the past, it was a colony of Latin-speaking countries such as Spain and Portugal, so it is called Latin America.
Oceania: Discovered by Europeans in the 17th century, it got its name because it is surrounded by the world's oceans and is free from other continents. When it was discovered in the 17th century, people mistakenly thought it was the southernmost continent on earth, so it was called Australia (meaning southern continent) for a long time.
Antarctica: The continent where Antarctica is located.
This is the true southern continent on earth.
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Asia
The Asian continent spans cold, warm and hot zones . The main climate features are complex and diverse climate types, typical monsoon climate and significant continental nature. The southeastern half of East Asia is a humid temperate and subtropical monsoon area, Southeast Asia and South Asia are humid tropical monsoon areas, and Central Asia, West Asia, and the interior of East Asia are arid areas. Between the above humid monsoon areas and the inland arid areas, as well as most of North Asia, are semi-humid and semi-arid areas. Winter temperatures are very low in most parts of Asia. The areas with average temperatures below 0°C in the coldest month account for about two-thirds of the continent. In the areas of Upper Yansk and Oymyakon, the average temperature in January is as low as -50°C. The extreme minimum temperature in Oymyakon has reached as low as -71°C, which is the lowest temperature in the northern hemisphere and is called the cold polar region of the northern hemisphere. The temperature generally increases in summer, and the average temperature in the hottest month is between 10 and 15°C except for the Arctic coast, which is below 10°C. Areas above 20℃ account for about 1/2 of the entire continent. The extreme maximum temperature in Basra, Iraq, once reached 58.8℃, making it the hottest place in the world. There are great regional differences in precipitation distribution, with the main trend decreasing from the humid southeast to the dry northwest. It rains all year round near the equatorial zone, with annual precipitation exceeding 2,000 mm. Cherrapunji in northeastern India has an average annual rainfall of 11,430 mm, making it one of the rainiest regions in the world. Southwest Asia and Central Asia are areas with little rainfall throughout the year, and the annual precipitation in most areas is less than 15,000 mm. In September and October, strong cold air (cold wave) often moves southward over Siberia and the Mongolian Plateau, and most parts of East Asia are susceptible to invasion. Typhoons that occur in the western Central Pacific hit the eastern coastal areas of East Asia and Southeast Asia from May to October; hurricanes that occur in the Bay of Bengal hit the coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal from May to October, often causing serious disasters.
Africa
Africa is known as the "tropical continent". Its climate is characterized by high temperature, little rain, and dryness, and the distribution of climate zones is symmetrical from north to south. The equator runs across the center, and the climate generally decreases with increasing latitude from the equator. Approximately 95% of the continent's area has an average annual temperature above 20°C. More than half of the areas are hot all year round, and nearly half of the areas have hot warm seasons and warm cool seasons. Dallol in northeastern Ethiopia has an average annual temperature of 34.5°C, making it one of the places with the highest annual average temperatures in the world. In Aziziya, south of the Libyan capital Tripoli, the temperature reached 57.8°C on September 13, 1922, the highest temperature in Africa. Mount Kilimanjaro is located near the equator. Due to its high altitude, the top of the mountain is covered with snow all year round.
Precipitation in Africa decreases from the equator to the north and south, and the distribution of precipitation is extremely uneven. Some areas have almost no rain all year round, and some places have annual precipitation of more than 10,000 mm. One-third of the continent has an average annual rainfall of less than 200 millimeters. There is more precipitation on the windward slopes in the southeast, along the Gulf of Guinea coast and in the mountains.
Europe
Most parts of Europe have a mild and humid climate. The continent spans 35° of latitude from north to south, and only 47° including its affiliated islands. Except for the northern coast and islands in the Arctic Ocean, which belong to the frigid zone, and the coastal areas of southern Europe, which belong to the subtropical zone, almost all of them are in the temperate zone. It is the continent with the widest distribution area of temperate maritime climate in the world. No place in western Europe is more than 700 kilometers away from the ocean, while the farthest place in the east is up to 1,600 kilometers away from the ocean. Therefore, Europe transitions from a maritime climate to a continental climate from west to east. And due to the vastness of the plains, the moist westerly wind blowing from the vast Atlantic Ocean can penetrate deeply into the interior without any hindrance. The moist air regulates the temperature. The North Atlantic Warm Current makes the entire Western Europe and the coastal areas of western Europe warmer. The coldest month ranges from 0 to 16°C in most areas; the average temperature in the hottest month ranges from 8 to 14°C. The amount and distribution of precipitation vary depending on distance from the Atlantic Ocean and prevailing wind direction. On the windward slope close to the Atlantic Ocean, the average annual precipitation reaches more than 1,000 mm. In the vast low mountains, hills, plateaus and plains, the average annual precipitation is between 500-1,000 mm. The southern part of the three major peninsulas of Southern Europe is subtropical. In the Mediterranean winter precipitation area, winter precipitation accounts for about 30-40% of the annual precipitation. Water system: The European river network is relatively dense, with many short and abundant rivers, and many rivers are connected by canals. The outflow area accounts for about 80.5%, of which the drainage area of rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean (including flowing into the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Baltic Sea) accounts for about 68% of the entire continent; those flowing into the Arctic Ocean account for about 12.5%; the inward flow area accounts for about 19.5%, most of which are injected into Caspian Sea. The main rivers are the Volga, Danube, Ural, Dnieper, Don, Rhine, Rhone, Thames, etc. The highest waterfall in Europe is Olmeli Falls in Norway, with a height of 563 meters. Europe has many lakes, and it is a continent with many small lake groups, but the distribution is very uneven, mainly in the north and the Alps. Most European lakes were formed by glaciers. There are many large moraine lakes and structural lakes distributed in the foothills of the Alps, and many mountain rivers flow through the lakes.
North America
North America spans tropical, temperate and cold zones, with complex and diverse climates. The north is within the Arctic Circle, a world of ice and snow.
The southern Caribbean is benefited by the warm equatorial current, but is subject to tropical hurricanes. The vast area in the central part of the continent is located in the northern temperate zone. Since all mountains run north-south or approximately north-south, the moist air from the Pacific Ocean only reaches the western coastal areas; the cold air from the Arctic Ocean can drive southward through the central plains; the moist air blowing from the tropical Atlantic can also pass through the central The plains penetrate deep into the north, so the climate in North America is very unstable. Winters are sometimes cold and sometimes thawing. Severe cold and snow can also occur in the subtropical areas along the Gulf Coast in winter. The areas with average temperatures below 0°C in the coldest month of North America (January) account for about 3/4 of the entire continent; the entire Arctic Archipelago (the collective name for many islands north of the North American continent and west of Greenland) and the vast majority of Greenland Some areas are below -32°C, and central Greenland is as low as 0°C, making it the coldest polar region in the Western Hemisphere. In summer, temperatures generally increase across the continent. The average temperature in the hottest month (July, mostly August along the coast) is 0-3°C in central Greenland, making it the coolest region in the northern hemisphere in summer; the rest of the vast areas are between 0-32°C. , where the area above 20℃ accounts for more than half of the continent, and the area above 30℃ is smaller. Death Valley in the southwestern United States has an extreme maximum temperature of 56.7°C, making it the hottest area in the continent. Eastern North America receives more precipitation. The annual precipitation in the southeastern parts of Canada and Greenland, the eastern United States, and the Pacific coast of Canada and Alaska is about 500-300 mm; the Pacific coast of Canada and Alaska has an annual precipitation of more than 2,000 mm, making it the region with the most precipitation in North America; Florida The annual precipitation in the peninsula, the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains, and the Yukon Plateau is 250 mm; the Caribbean region has a tropical rainforest climate, with high temperatures and rain all year round. The areas with the least precipitation are the southwestern United States Great Basin, the lower Colorado River, and the Arctic Islands and northern Greenland, with average annual precipitation of less than 100 millimeters. From May to October every year, southeastern North America is often hit by hurricanes, often causing serious disasters. Cold and strong storms and land tornadoes often blow in central and northern North America in winter. After the west wind crosses the Rocky Mountains, it forms the Chinnock Foehn Wind in the eastern foothills.
South America
Most of South America has a tropical rainforest and savanna climate. The climate is characterized by warm and humid climate, mainly tropical and not obviously continental. Except for the mountainous areas across the continent, the average temperature in the coldest month of winter is above 0°C. In the tropical areas, which account for the main part of the continent, the average temperature exceeds 20°C. Winters are much warmer than in North America.
The average temperature in the hottest month of summer in most areas is between 26-28°C, which is far less hot than the tropical areas of Africa and Australia. The annual temperature range in various parts of South America is small and does not change as drastically as in Asia and North America. Precipitation is abundant across the continent. Areas with an annual precipitation of more than 1,000 mm account for more than 70% of the continent's area. It is the continent with the smallest desert area among all continents.
Water system: The South American water system is divided by the Andes Mountains of the Cordillera Mountains, and the east and west are divided into the Atlantic water system and the Pacific water system. The Pacific water system has short sources and rapid flows, and most of them flow alone into the sea. Most of the rivers in the Atlantic system have long origins, numerous tributaries, abundant water, and wide drainage areas. Among them, the Amazon River is one of the longest rivers in the world with the widest drainage area and largest flow. There are more than 20 tributaries with a length of more than 1,000 kilometers. The inland flow area of South American water systems is very small, and inland rivers are mainly distributed in the desert plateaus of west-central South America and northwest Argentina. Except for the southernmost part of South America, rivers do not freeze all year round. There are many waterfalls in South America. Angel Falls has a height of 979 meters, making it the largest waterfall in the world. There are not many lakes in South America. There are many structural lakes in the desert plateau areas of the Andes, such as Lake Titicaca and Lake Polo; there are many glacial lakes in the Patagonia plateau area in the south; and there are many inland salt marshes in the endorheic areas. Lake Maracaibo in northwestern South America is the largest lake.
Oceania
Most of Oceania is located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Cancer. Most of the areas are tropical and subtropical. Except for the inland areas of Australia, the climate is continental. The area has a maritime climate. The average annual temperature in most areas is between 25 and 8°C. The average temperature of the coolest month increases from 16°C to 25°C in the northern hemisphere from the northernmost part of the Hawaiian Islands toward the equator; in the southern hemisphere it increases from 6°C to 25°C from near 50° south latitude toward the equator; the South Island of New Zealand and the mountainous areas of southeastern Australia can Reach below 0℃. The average temperature of the hottest month increases from 24°C to over 28°C in the northern hemisphere from the northernmost Hawaiian Islands to the Mariana Islands; in the southern hemisphere it increases from 12°C to 32°C from near 50 degrees south latitude to northwest Australia. Cloncurry in Queensland, Australia, has an extreme maximum temperature of 53°C, making it the hottest place in Oceania. The average annual precipitation in central and western desert areas of Australia is less than 250 millimeters, making it the region with the least precipitation in Oceania. The average annual precipitation in the northeastern part of Kauai Island in Hawaii is more than 12,000 millimeters, making it one of the wettest regions in the world. The northern part of New Guinea and the three major island groups of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia are tropical precipitation areas with rainy weather throughout the year. The average annual precipitation on the windward slope is more than 2,000 mm. In northern Melanesia, northern New Guinea and southern Marshall Islands, the average annual precipitation can reach 3,000,000 mm, while the leeward slope is only about 1,000 mm.
Northern Australia and the southeastern coast of New Guinea belong to the warm season rainfall area, with an average annual precipitation of 750,000 mm. The warm season precipitation accounts for about 50% of the annual precipitation. Southeastern Australia and New Zealand are temperate zone precipitation areas with relatively even monthly precipitation but slightly more precipitation in winter. The average annual precipitation is more than 500,000 mm, and in some areas it is as high as more than 5,000 mm. The southwest and southwest coast of Australia belong to the Mediterranean-style winter precipitation area, and winter precipitation accounts for about 40-60% of the annual precipitation.
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