Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent. At about 30.2 million
km (11.7 million sq mi) including adjacent islands, it covers six percent of the Earth's total
surface area and 20.4 percent of the total land area. [2] With 1.0 billion people (as of 2009,
see table), it accounts for about 15% of the world's human population. The continent is
surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along
the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to
the west. The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagoes. It has 54 fully
recognized sovereign states ("countries"), 10 territories and two de facto states with limited
recognition.[3]
Africa, particularly central Eastern Africa, is widely accepted as the origin of humans and
the Hominidae clade (great apes), as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and
their ancestors, as well as later ones that have been dated to around seven million years ago
including Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Australopithecus africanus, A. afarensis, Homo
erectus, H. habilis and H. ergaster with the earliest Homo sapiens (modern human) found
in Ethiopia being dated to circa 200,000 years ago.[4] Africa straddles the equator and
encompasses numerous climate areas; it is the only continent to stretch from the
northern temperate to southern temperate zones.[5] The African expected economic growth rate is
at about 5.0% for 2010 and 5.5% in 2011.[6]
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
Algeria
Algiers
Dinar
Arabic
Angola
Luanda
Kwanza
Portuguese
Benin
Porto-Novo (official)
Cotonou (seat of government)
CFA franc
French
Botswana
Gaborone
Pula
English
Setswana
Burkina Faso
Ouagadougou
CFA franc
French
Burundi
Bujumbura
Burundian
franc
Kirundi
French
Cameroon
Yaound
CFA franc
French
English
Cape Verde
Praia
Cape Verdean
Portuguese
escudo
Central African
Republic
Bangui
CFA franc
French
Sango
Chad
N'Djamena
CFA franc
French
Arabic
Comoros
Moroni
Comorian
franc
Comorian
Arabic
French
Congo (CongoBrazzaville)
Brazzaville
CFA franc
French
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
CFA franc
French
Democratic
Republic of the
Congo (CongoKinshasa)
Kinshasa
Congolese
franc
French
Djibouti
Djibouti
Djiboutian
franc
French
Arabic
Egypt
Cairo
Egyptian
pound
Arabic
Equatorial Guinea
Malabo
Equatorial
Guinean
peseta
Spanish
French
Portuguese
Eritrea
Asmara
Tallero
Tigrinya
Arabic
English
Ethiopia
Addis Ababa
Birr
Amharic
Gabon
Libreville
CFA franc
French
Gambia
Banjul
Gambian
dalasi
English
Ghana
Accra
Ghana cedi
English
Guinea
Conakry
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
Guinea-Bissau
Bissau
CFA franc
Portuguese
Kenya
Nairobi
Kenyan
shilling
Swahili
English
Lesotho
Maseru
Lesotho loti
English
Sesotho
Liberia
Monrovia
Libya
Tripoli
Dinar
Arabic
Madagascar
Antananarivo
Malagasy
ariary
Malagasy
French
Malawi
Lilongwe
Kwacha
English
Chichewa
Mali
Bamako
CFA franc
French
Mauritania
Nouakchott
Ouguiya
Arabic
Mauritius
Port Louis
Mauritian
rupee
Mauritian
Creole
French
English
Mayotte
Mamoudzou
Overseas department of France
Euro
French
Morocco
Rabat
Moroccan
dirham
Arabic
Berber
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
Mozambique
Maputo
Mozambican
metical
Portuguese
Namibia
Windhoek
Namibian
dollar
English
Niger
Niamey
CFA franc
French
Nigeria
Abuja
Naira
English
Runion
Saint-Denis
Overseas department of France
Euro
French
Rwanda
Kigali
Rwandan
franc
Kinyarwanda
English
French
Saint Helena,
Ascension and
Tristan da Cunha
Saint Helena
pound
English
Pound sterling
So Tom
Dobra
Portuguese
Senegal
Dakar
CFA franc
French
Seychelles
Victoria
Seychellois
rupee
Seychellois
Creole
French
English
Sierra Leone
Freetown
Leone
English
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
Somalia
Mogadishu
Somali
shilling
Somali
Arabic
Somaliland
Hargeisa
Somaliland
shilling
Somali
Arabic
Pretoria (administrative/executive)
Cape Town (legislative)
Bloemfontein (judicial)
Afrikaans
English
Southern
Ndebele
Northern
Sotho
South African Southern
rand
Sotho
Swazi
Tsonga
Tswana
Venda
Xhosa
Zulu
South Sudan
Juba
South
Sudanese
pound
English
Sudan
Khartoum
Sudanese
pound
Arabic
English
Swaziland
Mbabane (administrative)
Lobamba (royal and legislative)
Lilangeni
English
Swati
Tanzania
Dodoma (official)
Dar es Salaam (seat of government)
Tanzanian
shilling
Swahili
English
Togo
Lom
CFA franc
French
Tunisia
Tunis
South Africa
Flag
Name
Uganda
None
Capital
Kampala
Currency
Ugandan
shilling
Official
language
Swahili
English
Luganda
Western Sahara
Moroccan
dirham
See respective
Algerian dinar
claimants
Mauritanian
ouguiya
Zambia
Lusaka
Zambian
kwacha
English
Zimbabwe
Harare
various
English
Shona
Sindebele
Asia
Asia ( /e/ or /e/) is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in
the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area (or 30% of
its land area) and with approximately 4.3 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's
current human population. During the 20th century Asia's population nearly quadrupled. [9]
i
Asia is defined as comprising the eastwards four-fifths of Eurasia. It is located to the east of
the Suez Canal, the Ural river, and the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains(or
the Kuma-Manych Depression) and the Caspian and Black Seas.[10][11] It is bounded on the east by
the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Indian Ocean and on the north by the Arctic Ocean.
Given its size and diversity, Asia a toponym dating back to classical antiquity "is more
a cultural concept" incorporating diverse regions and peoples than a homogeneous physical
entity.[12] Asia differs very widely among and within its regions with regard to ethnic groups,
cultures, environments, economics, historical ties and government systems.
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official language
Abkhazia
Sukhumi
De facto sovereign state
lacking general international
recognition
Recognized by United
Nations as part of Georgia.
Russian ruble
Georgian
Abkhaz
Russian
Afghanistan
Kabul
Afghani
Pashto
Dari (Persian)
Euro
English
Greek
Armenia
Yerevan
Dram
Armenian
Azerbaijan [Europe]
Baku
Manat
Azerbaijani
Bahrain
Manama
Bahraini dinar
Arabic
Bangladesh
Dhaka
Taka
Bengali
Bhutan
Thimphu
Bhutanese
ngultrum
Dzongkha
Diego Garcia
British Indian Ocean
US dollar
Overseas territory of the United
Territory
UK pound
Kingdom
English
Brunei
Brunei dollar
Bahasa Melayu
Cambodia
Phnom Penh
Riel
Khmer
China
Beijing
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official language
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling)
Islands
West Island
External territory of Australia
English
Cyprus [Europe]
Nicosia
Euro
Greek
Turkish
Dili
US Dollar
Portuguese
Tetum
Georgia [Europe]
Tbilisi
Lari
Georgian
Hong Kong
India
New Delhi
Rupee
Hindi
English
Indonesia
Jakarta
Rupiah
Indonesian
Iran
Tehran
Rial
Persian
Iraq
Baghdad
Iraqi dinar
Kurdish
Arabic
Israel
Jerusalem
New Shekel
Hebrew
English
Arabic
Japan
Tokyo
Yen
Japanese
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official language
Jordan
Amman
Jordanian dinar
Arabic
Kazakhstan
Astana
Tenge
Kazakh
Russian
Kurdistan
Erbil
Dinar
Kurdish
Kuwait
Kuwait City
Kuwaiti dinar
Arabic
Kyrgyzstan
Bishkek
Som
Kyrgyz
Russian
Laos
Vientiane
Kip
Lao
Lebanon
Beirut
Lebanese pound
Arabic
Macau
Malaysia
Maldives
Mal
Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar
Tgrg
Mongolian
Myanmar (Burma)
Naypyidaw
Kyat
Burmese
Nagorno-Karabakh
Stepanakert
De facto sovereign state
lacking general international
recognition
Armenian dram
Armenian
Malaysian
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official language
Recognized by United
Nations as de jure part
of Azerbaijan
Nepal
Kathmandu
Nepalese rupee
Nepali
Northern Cyprus
Nicosia
De facto sovereign state
lacking general international
recognition
Recognized by United
Nation as de jure part
of Cyprus
Turkish lira
Turkish
North Korea
Pyongyang
North Korean
won
Korean
Oman
Muscat
Rial
Arabic
Pakistan
Islamabad
Pakistani Rupee
English
Urdu
Palestine
Israeli Shekel
Arabic
Philippines
Manila
Philippine Peso
Filipino
English
Qatar
Doha
Riyal
Arabic
Saudi Arabia
Riyadh
Saudi riyal
Arabic
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official language
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore dollar
English
Chinese
Malay
Tamil
South Korea
Seoul
South Korean
won
Korean
South Ossetia
Tskhinvali
De facto sovereign state
lacking general international
recognition
Recognized by United
Nations as de jure part
of Georgia
Russian ruble
Ossetic
Georgian
Russian
Sri Lanka
Sinhala
Tamil
Syria
Damascus
Syrian pound
Arabic
Taiwan
Taipei
De facto sovereign state
lacking general international
recognition
Recognized by United
Nations as part of China.
New Taiwan
dollar
Standard Chinese
Tajikistan
Dushanbe
Somoni
Tajik
Thailand
Bangkok
Baht
Thai
Turkey [Europe]
Ankara
Turkish lira
Turkish
Turkmenistan
Ashgabat
Turkmen new
manat
Turkmen
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official language
United Arab
Emirates
Abu Dhabi
UAE dirham
Arabic
Uzbekistan
Tashkent
Uzbekistan som
(O'zbekiston
so'mi)
Uzbek
Vietnam
Hanoi
ng
Vietnamese
Yemen
Sana'a
Yemeni rial
Arabic
Tagalog
Notes
1. The Russian Federation is classified as a European country by the United Nations Statistics Division. Russia is
historically the successor of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, a medieval state of northeastern Europe. The
Russian conquest of Northern Asiabegins in the late 16th century. Today, most of the territory of Russia is in Asia,
but most of its population lives in the European part.
Europe
Europe ( /jrp/ EWR-p or /jrp/ YUR-p[13]) is, by convention, one of the world's
seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided
from Asia by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River,
the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting the Black and Aegean Seas.[14]Europe
is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean
Sea to the south, and the Black Sea and connected waterways to the southeast. Yet the borders of
Europea concept dating back to classical antiquityare somewhat arbitrary, as the
primarily physiographic term "continent" can incorporate cultural and politicalelements.
i
Europe is the world's second-smallest continent by surface area, covering about 10,180,000
square kilometres (3,930,000 sq mi) or 2% of the Earth's surface and about 6.8% of its land area.
Of Europe's approximately 50 states, Russia is by far the largest by both area and population,
taking up 40% of the continent (although the country has territory in both Europe and Asia),
while the Vatican City is the smallest. Europe is the third-most populous continent
after Asia and Africa, with a population of 733 million or about 11% of the world's population.[15]
Europe, in particular Ancient Greece, is the birthplace of Western culture.[16] It played a
predominant role in global affairs from the 15th century onwards, especially after the beginning
of colonialism. Between the 16th and 20th centuries, European nations controlled at various
times the Americas, most of Africa, Oceania, and large portions of Asia. In 1900, Europe's share
of the world's population was 25%.[17] Both World Wars were largely focused upon Europe,
greatly contributing to a decline in Western European dominance in world affairs by the mid20th century as the United States and Soviet Union took prominence.[18] During the Cold War,
Europe was divided along the Iron Curtain between NATO in the west and theWarsaw Pact in
the east. European integration led to the formation of the Council of Europe and the European
Union in Western Europe, both of which have been expanding eastward since the revolutions of
1989 and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
land Islands
Mariehamn
Autonomous region of Finland (recognized by Euro
international treaty)
Swedish
Albania
Tirana
Lek
Albanian
Andorra
Andorra la Vella
Euro
Catalan
Austria
Vienna
Euro
German
Belarus
Minsk
Belarusian
ruble
Belarusian
Russian
Belgium
Brussels
Euro
Dutch
French
German
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
Sarajevo
Convertible
mark
Bosnian
Croatian
Serbian
Bulgaria
Sofia
Lev
Bulgarian
Croatia
Zagreb
Kuna
Croatian
Denmark
Copenhagen
Danish
krone[a]
Danish
Estonia
Tallinn
Euro
Estonian
Flag
Currency
Official
language
Name
Capital
Faroe Islands
Trshavn
Self-governing territory of the Danish Realm
Faroese krna
Faroese
Danish
Finland
Helsinki
Euro
Finnish
Swedish
France
Paris
Euro
CFP franc
French
Germany
Berlin
Euro
German
Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Overseas territory of the United Kingdom
Gibraltar
pound
English
Greece
Athens
Euro
Greek
Guernsey
Pound sterling
English
French
Hungary
Budapest
Forint
Hungarian
Iceland
Reykjavk
Icelandic
krna
Icelandic
English
Ireland
Dublin
Euro
Isle of Man
Douglas
British Crown dependency
Pound sterling
English
Manx
Italy
Rome
Euro
Italian
Jersey
Saint Helier
British Crown dependency
Pound sterling
English
French
Kosovo
Pristina
Euro
De facto sovereign state recognized by over 80
UN member states
Irish
Albanian
Serbian
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
Ryga
Euro
Latvian
Liechtenstein
Vaduz
Swiss franc
German
Lithuania
Vilnius
Lithuanian
litas
Lithuanian
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Euro
Luxembourgish
French
German
Macedonia
Skopje
Macedonian
denar
Macedonian
Malta
Valletta
Euro
Maltese
English
Moldova
Chiinu
Monaco
Monaco
Euro
French
Montenegro
Podgorica
Euro
Montenegrin
Netherlands
Amsterdam
Euro
US dollar
Dutch
NA guilder
Aruban florin
Norway
Oslo
Norwegian
krone
Norwegian
Bokml
Nynorsk
Poland
Warsaw
Zoty
Polish
Portugal
Lisbon
Euro
Portuguese
Romania
Bucharest
Russia
Moscow
Russian
Russian ruble 27 others coofficial
San Marino
San Marino
Euro
Serbia
Belgrade
Slovakia
Bratislava
Euro
Slovak
Slovenia
Ljubljana
Euro
Slovene
Spain
Madrid
Euro
Spanish
Catalan
Italian
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
Galician
Basque
Svalbard
Longyearbyen
Special territory of Norway (recognized by
international treaty)
Norwegian
krone
Norwegian
Sweden
Stockholm
Swedish
krona
Swedish
Switzerland
Bern
Swiss franc
German
French
Italian
Romansh
Transnistria
Tiraspol
De facto sovereign state lacking general
international recognition
Recognized by United Nations as de jure part
of Moldova
Transnistrian
ruble
Russian
Moldovan
Ukrainian
Ukraine
Kiev
Ukrainian
hryvnia
Ukrainian
United
Kingdom
London
Vatican City
Vatican City
Euro
Italian
Notes
1.
Transcontinental countries in Europe and Asia, classified as West Asian countries by the United Nations
Statistics Division:
Azerbaijan,
Georgia,
Turkey,
Armenia.
Cyprus.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within
the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of theAmericas.[19] It is
bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west and
south by the Pacific Ocean, and to the southeast by South America and theCaribbean Sea.
North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles),
about 4.8% of the planet's surface or about 16.5% of its land area. As of July 2008, its
population was estimated at nearly 529 million people across 23 independent states. North
America is the third-largest continent in area, following Asia and Africa, and the fourth in
population after Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
Anguilla
The Valley
Overseas territory of the United
Kingdom
East Caribbean
Dollar
English
Antigua and
Barbuda
St. John's
East Caribbean
Dollar
English
Aruba
Oranjestad
Constituent country of the Kingdom Aruban florin
of the Netherlands
Papiamento
Dutch
Bahamas
Nassau
Bahamian Dollar
English
Barbados
Bridgetown
Barbadian Dollar
English
Belize
Belmopan
Belize Dollar
English
Bermuda
Hamilton
Overseas territory of the United
Kingdom
Bermudian Dollar
English
Bonaire
Kralendijk
Special municipality of the
Netherlands
Road Town
Overseas territory of the United
Kingdom
Canada
Ottawa
Canadian Dollar
French
English
Cayman Islands
George Town
Overseas territory of the United
Kingdom
Cayman Islands
Dollar
English
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
Clipperton Island
uninhabited
Overseas territory of France
Euro
French
Costa Rica
San Jos
Spanish
Cuba
Havana
Cuban peso
Spanish
Curaao
Willemstad
Netherlands
Constituent country of the Kingdom
Antillean guilder
of the Netherlands
Dominica
Roseau
Papiamento
Dutch
East Caribbean
Dollar
English
Dominican peso
Spanish
El Salvador
San Salvador
Greenland
Nuuk
Self-governing territory of
the Danish Realm
Danish Krone
Greenlandic
Grenada
St. George's
East Caribbean
Dollar
English
Guadeloupe
Basse-Terre
Overseas department of France
Euro
French
Guatemala
Guatemala City
Haiti
Port-au-Prince
Haitian gourde
French
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
Honduras
Tegucigalpa
Honduran lempira
Spanish
Jamaica
Kingston
Jamaican Dollar
English
Martinique
Fort-de-France
Overseas department of France
Euro
French
Mexico
Mexico City
Mexican peso
Spanish
Montserrat
Plymouth (official)
Brades (seat of government)
Overseas territory of the United
Kingdom
East Caribbean
Dollar
English
Navassa Island
Nicaragua
Managua
Panama
Panama City
Puerto Rico
San Juan
Insular area of the United States of
America
Saba
The Bottom
Special municipality of the
Netherlands
Saint Barthlemy
Gustavia
Overseas collectivity of France
Euro
English
Spanish
French
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
East Caribbean
Dollar
English
Saint Lucia
Castries
East Caribbean
Dollar
English
Saint Martin
Marigot
Overseas collectivity of France
Euro
French
Saint-Pierre
Overseas collectivity of France
Euro
French
Kingstown
East Caribbean
Dollar
English
Sint Eustatius
Oranjestad
Special municipality of the
Netherlands
Sint Maarten
Philipsburg
Netherlands
Constituent country of the Kingdom
Antillean guilder
of the Netherlands
Trinidad and
Tobago Dollar
English
Cockburn Town
Overseas territory of the United
Kingdom
United States
Washington, D.C.
Charlotte Amalie
Insular area of the United States of
America
South America
South America is a continent located in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern
Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere.[20][21]
It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic
Ocean; North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest. It is formed by twelve
sovereign states
- Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uru
guay, and Venezuela - the French Guiana, which is an overseas region ofFrance, and
the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory. In addition to this, the ABC islands of
the Netherlands may also be considered part of South America, as well as Trinidad and Tobago.
The South American states that border the Caribbean Sea Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana,
Suriname, and French Guiana are also known as Caribbean South America.
South America has an area of 17,840,000 square kilometers (6,890,000 sq mi). Its population as
of 2005 has been estimated at more than 371,090,000. South America ranks fourth in area
(after Asia, Africa, and North America) and fifth in population (after Asia, Africa, Europe,
and North America). The word America was coined in 1507 by cartographers Martin
Waldseemller and Matthias Ringmann, after Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first European to
suggest that the lands newly discovered by Europeans were not India, but a New Worldunknown
to Europeans.
Flag
Name
Argentina
Capital
Buenos Aires
Currency
Peso
Official
language
Spanish
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
language
Bolivia
Sucre (official)
La Paz (seat of government)
Boliviano
Spanish
Quechua
Aymara
Brazil
Braslia
Real
Portuguese
Chile
Santiago
Peso
Spanish
Colombia
Bogot
Peso
Spanish
Ecuador
Quito
Spanish
Falkland
Islands
Stanley
Overseas territory of the United
Kingdom
Falkland Islands
pound
English
French Guiana
Cayenne
Overseas department of France
Euro
French
Guyana
Georgetown
Guyanese dollar
English
Paraguay
Asuncin
Guaran
Spanish
Guaran
Peru
Lima
Nuevo sol
Spanish
Suriname
Paramaribo
Surinamese dollar
Dutch
Uruguay
Montevideo
Uruguayan peso
Spanish
Flag
Name
Venezuela
Capital
Caracas
Currency
Bolvar fuerte
Official
language
Spanish
Oceania
Geopolitical Oceania
Area, 8,560,000 km2
(3,310,000 sq mi)
Population, 38,304,000 (2013, 5th)
Pop. density, 4.47 per km2 (11.57 per sq mi)
Countries, 14
Flag
Name
American
Samoa
Capital
Currency
Pago Pago
Insular area of the United States of United States dollar
America
Ashmore and
Cartier Islands
External
territory of
Australia
Australia
Canberra
Australian dollar
Baker Island
Cook Islands
Avarua
Self-governing parliamentary
New Zealand dollar
democracy in free association with Cook Islands dollar
New Zealand
Coral Sea
Islands
External territory of
Australia
Fiji
Suva
Fijian dollar
French
Polynesia
Papeete
Overseas collectivity of France
CFP Franc
Guam
Hagta
Howland
Island
Jarvis Island
Official
language
English
Samoan
None[c]
English
Cook Islands
Mori
French
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Johnston Atoll
Kingman Reef
Kiribati
South Tarawa
Marshall
Islands
Majuro
Micronesia
Palikir
Midway Atoll
Nauru
Nouma
New Caledonia Sui generis collectivity (special
collectivity) of France
Official
language
CFP Franc
French
Wellington
Maori
New Zealand
Sign
English
Niue
Alofi
Self-governing
parliamentary democracy in
free association with New
Zealand
Norfolk Island
Kingston
Self-governing territory of
Australia
New Zealand
Flag
Name
Capital
Northern
Mariana
Islands
Saipan
Palau
Ngerulmud
Palmyra Atoll
Papua New
Guinea
Port Moresby
Pitcairn
Islands
Adamstown
Samoa
Apia
Solomon
Islands
Honiara
Tokelau
Tonga
Nukualofa
Tuvalu
Funafuti
Currency
Official
language
Vanuatu
Port Vila
Vanuatu vatu
Wake Island
Bislama
French
English
Flag
Name
Wallis and
Futuna
Capital
Mata-Utu
Overseas collectivity of France
Currency
CFP Franc
Official
language
French
Antarctica
Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has the highest
average elevation of all the continents.[35] Antarctica is considered a desert, with
annualprecipitation of only 200 mm (8 inches) along the coast and far less inland.[36] The
temperature in Antarctica has reached 89 C (129 F). There are no permanent human
residents, but anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people reside throughout the year at the research
stations scattered across the continent. Only cold-adapted organisms survive there, including
many types of algae, animals (for
example mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades), bacteria, fungi, plants, and protista.
Vegetation where it occurs is tundra.
Although myths and speculation about a Terra Australis ("Southern Land") date back to
antiquity, the first confirmed sighting of the continent is commonly accepted to have occurred in
1820 by the Russian expedition of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail
Lazarev on Vostok and Mirny. The continent, however, remained largely neglected for the rest of
the 19th century because of its hostile environment, lack of resources, and isolation.
The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by 12 countries; to date, 49 countries have signed the
treaty. The treaty prohibits military activities and mineral mining, prohibits nuclear explosions
and nuclear waste disposal, supports scientific research, and protects the continent's ecozone.
Ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists from many nations.
Antarctica is regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System, which defines it as all land and ice
shelves south of 60S, and has no government and belongs to no country. However, the
following territorial claims in Antarctica have been made:
Argentina: Argentine Antarctica
Australia: Australian Antarctic Territory
Brazil: Brazilian Antarctica (unofficial)
Chile: Antrtica
France: Adlie Land
New Zealand: Ross Dependency
Norway: Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land
United Kingdom: British Antarctic Territory
(Unclaimed: Marie Byrd Land)
Moreover, the following dependent territories are situated in the wider Antarctic Region:
Flag
Name
Capital
Currency
Official
Language
Bouvet Island
Dependent territory of
Norway
French Southern
Territories
French
Pound
sterling
English