continent: Geographic Distribution of the Continents

Geographic Distribution of the Continents

More than two thirds of the continental regions are in the Northern Hemisphere, rimming the Arctic Ocean. South America and Africa project into the Southern Hemisphere as southward-pointing triangles, forming extensive peninsular regions separating the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. In addition, the continents are generally antipodal to the ocean basins (i.e., ocean basins are found on the opposite side of the earth from continental masses). For example, there is an antipodal relationship between the continental Antarctic region and the Arctic Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean lies opposite Africa and Europe. The continental areas above sea level comprise about 29% of the earth's surface. However, from a geological point of view, a submerged continental shelf is also part of a continent. Inclusion of the shelf area increases the extent of the continents to 35% of the globe. The earth's average land elevation is c.2,700 ft (820 m) above sea level; the highest point is the summit of Mt. Everest at 29,032 ft (8,849 m); and the lowest point is the shore of the Dead Sea at c.1,400 ft (425 m) below sea level.

Sections in this article:

Introduction
Theories of Continental Formation
Floating Continents and Isostasy
Plateaus, Shields, and Mountains
Geology and Topography of the Continents
Geographic Distribution of the Continents

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Geology and Oceanography