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World Geography

Continents, oceans, deserts, countries and capitals.

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World Geography — Core

World geography — continents, oceans, key features
Notes

Seven continents (by area, largest to smallest):

  1. Asia (44.6 million km²) — largest, most populous. Highest point: Mt. Everest (8848 m).
  2. Africa (30.4 million km²) — second largest. Highest: Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, 5895 m).
  3. North America (24.7 million km²) — Mt. McKinley/Denali (6190 m).
  4. South America (17.8 million km²) — Aconcagua (Argentina, 6960 m).
  5. Antarctica (14.0 million km²) — uninhabited; coldest, driest, windiest. Vinson Massif (4892 m).
  6. Europe (10.2 million km²) — Mt. Elbrus (Russia, 5642 m) — Mont Blanc (4810 m) is highest of "western Europe".
  7. Australia/Oceania (8.5 million km²) — smallest. Puncak Jaya in New Guinea (4884 m) or Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia mainland (2228 m).

Five oceans:

  1. Pacific — largest, deepest (Mariana Trench: 11,034 m at Challenger Deep).
  2. Atlantic — second largest.
  3. Indian — third.
  4. Southern (Antarctic) Ocean — surrounds Antarctica.
  5. Arctic Ocean — smallest, partly frozen.

Major mountain ranges:

  • Himalayas (Asia) — highest, includes Everest.
  • Andes (S America) — longest mountain range (~7000 km).
  • Rockies (N America), Alps (Europe), Atlas (N Africa), Drakensberg (S Africa), Urals (Russia, Asia-Europe boundary).

Major deserts (largest):

  • Antarctic — coldest, technically a desert.
  • Sahara (Africa) — largest hot desert (~9 million km²).
  • Arabian (Middle East).
  • Gobi (Mongolia/China).
  • Kalahari (S Africa).
  • Patagonian (Argentina).
  • Great Victoria (Australia).
  • Atacama (Chile) — driest desert.
  • Thar (India/Pakistan).

Major rivers (longest first):

  • Nile (Africa, 6650 km) — flows north into Mediterranean.
  • Amazon (S America, ~6400 km) — largest by discharge.
  • Yangtze (China, 6300 km) — longest in Asia.
  • Mississippi-Missouri (USA, 6275 km).
  • Yenisei (Russia, 5539 km).
  • Yellow River / Huang He (China).

Famous water bodies:

  • Dead Sea (Israel/Jordan) — lowest point on land (-430 m); extremely salty (~34% — 10x normal sea).
  • Mariana Trench (Pacific) — deepest.
  • Lake Baikal (Russia) — deepest freshwater lake; oldest (25 million years).
  • Caspian Sea — largest enclosed water body (a "sea" but really a lake).
  • Lake Superior (US/Canada) — largest freshwater lake by area.
  • Great Barrier Reef (Australia) — world's largest coral reef.

Latitude/longitude basics:

  • Equator: 0° latitude. Divides Earth into N and S hemispheres.
  • Prime Meridian: 0° longitude through Greenwich, UK.
  • Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N), Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S) — limits of vertical sun.
  • Arctic Circle (66.5°N), Antarctic Circle (66.5°S) — limits of polar day/night.
  • International Date Line ~180° longitude.

Important straits: Gibraltar (Spain-Morocco), Bering (Russia-USA), Hormuz (Persian Gulf), Bosphorus (Turkey), Malacca (Asia chokepoint).

World geography — countries, capitals and currencies
Worked example

Largest countries by area (top 10):

  1. Russia (17.1 M km²)
  2. Canada (10.0)
  3. USA (9.8)
  4. China (9.6)
  5. Brazil (8.5)
  6. Australia (7.7)
  7. India (3.3)
  8. Argentina (2.8)
  9. Kazakhstan (2.7)
  10. Algeria (2.4)

Most populous countries:

  1. India (~1.43 billion) — overtook China in 2023.
  2. China (~1.41 billion).
  3. USA (~340 million).
  4. Indonesia (~280 million).
  5. Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Bangladesh.

Capitals you must know:

  • USA — Washington DC; UK — London; France — Paris; Germany — Berlin; Italy — Rome; Spain — Madrid; Russia — Moscow.
  • China — Beijing; Japan — Tokyo; South Korea — Seoul; North Korea — Pyongyang.
  • Pakistan — Islamabad; Bangladesh — Dhaka; Sri Lanka — Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative) + Colombo (commercial); Nepal — Kathmandu; Bhutan — Thimphu; Myanmar — Naypyidaw; Afghanistan — Kabul.
  • UAE — Abu Dhabi; Saudi Arabia — Riyadh; Iran — Tehran; Iraq — Baghdad; Israel — Jerusalem; Turkey — Ankara.
  • South Africa — three capitals: Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial).
  • Australia — Canberra (NOT Sydney).
  • Canada — Ottawa (NOT Toronto).
  • Brazil — Brasilia (NOT Rio).
  • Egypt — Cairo; Ethiopia — Addis Ababa; Kenya — Nairobi; Nigeria — Abuja.

Currencies of major countries:

  • USA: Dollar (USD); EU: Euro; UK: Pound (£); Japan: Yen; China: Yuan; Russia: Ruble.
  • India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka: Rupee.
  • Bangladesh: Taka; Myanmar: Kyat; Thailand: Baht; Vietnam: Dong; Indonesia: Rupiah; Philippines: Peso; South Korea: Won; Malaysia: Ringgit.
  • Saudi Arabia: Riyal; UAE: Dirham; Iran: Rial; Turkey: Lira; Egypt: Pound.
  • South Africa: Rand; Nigeria: Naira; Kenya: Shilling.
  • Brazil: Real; Argentina: Peso; Mexico: Peso; Canada: Canadian Dollar; Australia: Australian Dollar.

Time zones:

  • World has 24 time zones, 1 hour apart.
  • IST = UTC+5:30 (India spans only one zone despite being wide).
  • USA spans 6 zones (Hawaii-Aleutian, Alaska, Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern).
  • Russia spans 11 zones.

Famous boundary lines:

  • Durand Line: Pakistan – Afghanistan.
  • Radcliffe Line: India – Pakistan (drawn 1947).
  • McMahon Line: India – China (Arunachal Pradesh sector; China disputes).
  • Line of Control (LoC): India – Pakistan (Kashmir).
  • Line of Actual Control (LAC): India – China (de facto border).
  • 38th Parallel: North – South Korea.
  • 49th Parallel: USA – Canada (much of it).

Important international organizations:

  • UN (United Nations, founded 1945) — headquarters New York. 193 member states. Secretary-General: António Guterres (Portugal, since 2017).
  • WHO, UNESCO, UNICEF, IMF, World Bank, WTO, NATO, G7, G20, BRICS, ASEAN, SAARC, OPEC.
  • ICC (International Cricket Council) HQ in Dubai.
  • FIFA HQ in Zurich.