Continents and Oceans
Grade 2 · Social Studies · Study Guide
Explore the seven continents and five oceans that make up our amazing planet Earth.
Look at a globe and you will see two main things: land and water. The large pieces of land are called continents, and the giant bodies of salt water are called oceans. Together, continents and oceans cover every part of Earth's surface.
Earth has seven continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia (also called Oceania). Asia is the biggest continent — it is so large that it holds more than half of all the people on Earth! Antarctica is at the very bottom of the globe and is covered in thick ice. No one permanently lives there, but scientists visit to study the environment.
Earth has five oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic. The Pacific Ocean is the biggest — it covers more area than all the land on Earth combined! The Arctic Ocean sits around the North Pole and is mostly frozen. Oceans are incredibly important because they provide food, regulate our weather, and allow ships to travel between continents.
If you could look at Earth from space, you would see mostly blue water. About 71 percent of Earth's surface is covered by ocean. That is why Earth is sometimes called the Blue Planet!
| Continent | Notable Feature |
|---|---|
| Asia | Largest continent; most people live here |
| Africa | Second largest; home to the Sahara Desert |
| North America | Includes the USA, Canada, and Mexico |
| South America | Home to the Amazon Rainforest |
| Antarctica | Coldest continent; covered in ice |
| Europe | Many countries in a small area |
| Australia | Smallest continent; surrounded by ocean |
Key terms
- continent
- One of the seven large landmasses on Earth
- ocean
- One of the five huge bodies of salt water that cover most of Earth
- globe
- A round model of Earth that shows continents, oceans, and countries
- equator
- An imaginary line around the middle of Earth that divides it into north and south halves
- hemisphere
- Half of the Earth — either the Northern, Southern, Eastern, or Western half
Flashcards
- Continent
- One of the seven large landmasses on Earth
- Ocean
- One of the five huge bodies of salt water covering most of Earth
- Pacific Ocean
- The largest ocean on Earth
- Asia
- The largest continent on Earth
- Antarctica
- The coldest, iciest continent at the bottom of the globe
- Equator
- An imaginary line dividing Earth into Northern and Southern halves
Practice questions
How many continents does Earth have?
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
Show answer
Answer: Seven
Earth has exactly seven continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.
The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean on Earth.
Show answer
Answer: True
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of Earth's five oceans, covering more area than all land on Earth combined.
The imaginary line around the middle of the Earth is called the ___.
Show answer
Answer: equator
The equator is an imaginary line at 0 degrees latitude that circles the middle of the Earth, equally distant from both poles.
Which continent is completely covered in ice and has no permanent human residents?
- Australia
- Europe
- Antarctica
- Asia
Show answer
Answer: Antarctica
Antarctica sits at the South Pole and is covered by a massive ice sheet. Scientists visit, but no one lives there permanently.
More than half of Earth's surface is covered by land.
Show answer
Answer: False
About 71 percent of Earth is covered by ocean water — land makes up only about 29 percent of the surface.
Fun facts
- The Pacific Ocean is so big that all seven continents could fit inside it with room to spare!
- Antarctica holds about 70 percent of Earth's fresh water, all frozen as ice.
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