MOST OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE (about 70 percent) is covered with water. The largest single body of water, the Pacific Ocean, alone covers about 30 percent of the surface. Most of the land is distributed as seven continents; these are (from largest to smallest) Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australasia. The physical features of the land are remarkably varied. Among the most notable are mountain ranges, rivers, and deserts. The largest mountain ranges— the Himalayas in Asia and the Andes in South America—extend for thousands of miles. The Himalayas include the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest (29,029 ft/8,848 m). The longest rivers are the Nile River in Africa (4,160 miles/6,695 km) and the Amazon River in South America (4,000 miles/ 6,437 km). Deserts cover about 20 percent of the total land area. The largest is the Sahara, which covers nearly a third of Africa. The Earth’s surface features can be represented in various ways. Only a globe can correctly represent areas, shapes, sizes, and directions, because there is always distortion when a spherical surface— the Earth’s, for example— is projected on to the flat surface of a map. Each map projection is therefore a compromise; it shows some features accurately but distorts others. Even satellite mapping does not produce completely accurate maps, although they can show physical features with great clarity.
Earth’s physical features
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GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY AND METEOROLOGY
published on 5:31 AM
MOST OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE (about 70 percent) is covered with water. The largest single body of water, the Pacific Ocean, alone covers about 30 percent of the surface. Most of the land is distributed as seven continents; these are (from largest to smallest) Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australasia. The physical features of the land are remarkably varied. Among the most notable are mountain ranges, rivers, and deserts. The largest mountain ranges— the Himalayas in Asia and the Andes in South America—extend for thousands of miles. The Himalayas include the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest (29,029 ft/8,848 m). The longest rivers are the Nile River in Africa (4,160 miles/6,695 km) and the Amazon River in South America (4,000 miles/ 6,437 km). Deserts cover about 20 percent of the total land area. The largest is the Sahara, which covers nearly a third of Africa. The Earth’s surface features can be represented in various ways. Only a globe can correctly represent areas, shapes, sizes, and directions, because there is always distortion when a spherical surface— the Earth’s, for example— is projected on to the flat surface of a map. Each map projection is therefore a compromise; it shows some features accurately but distorts others. Even satellite mapping does not produce completely accurate maps, although they can show physical features with great clarity.
