Counting Continents
There is no single “correct” number of continents; it depends on how you group landmasses.
| Method | Continents Included |
|---|---|
| 7 Continents | Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America |
| 6 Continents | Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Eurasia, North America, South America |
| 4 Continents | Africa-Eurasia, America, Antarctica, Australia |
Note
The Seven Continent model is the most widely adopted and used in schools today.
Relative Sizes of Continents
The following diagram represents the approximate relative sizes of the continents based on a grid system:
Islands
An Island is a landmass surrounded by water on all sides that is smaller than a continent.
- Largest Island: Greenland.
- India’s Islands: India has over 1,300 islands, including two major groups:
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal)
- Lakshadweep Islands (Arabian Sea)
Tip
Dakshin Gangotri: India’s first scientific base station in Antarctica, established in 1983.