The southernmost part of Eurasia. Mainland Eurasia short description for kids

which are within it. The generalized name of the mainland was first used in the first half of the XIX in. famous geographer Alexander Humboldt.

Geographical names of the world: Toponymic Dictionary. - M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001 .

EURASIA

the largest continent, area - 53.44 million km2. It occupies a third of all land. Traditionally divided into parts of the world: Europe and Asia. The border is drawn along the east. at the foot of the Urals, r. Embe, Sev. coast of the Caspian Sea, Kumo-Manych depression north of the Caucasus, along the Azov, Black and Marmara seas, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. Lies in the north. hemisphere. The mainland is crossed by the tropic and the polar circle. Washed by all oceans. The coast is heavily indented. Geological structure and relief. Unlike other continents, E. consists of several platforms interconnected by folded mobile belts. The main cores are the European, Siberian, Chinese platforms. They were joined by fragments of Gondwana - the Arabian Peninsula and Hindustan. Within the platforms, a flat relief is common, sometimes disturbed by later uplifts (Aldan Highlands, mountain ranges of China). Most mountain systems are confined to mobile folded belts, the main of which is the Alpine-Himalayan (Alps, Caucasus, Himalayas). Mountain systems of different ages. Along the east The coast of the mainland stretches the second fold belt - the Pacific, where the process of mountain building has not been completed. Tectonic movements (volcanism and earthquakes) continue in the folded belts. Movements of the earth's crust occur along faults in ancient folded belts, where rejuvenated mountains are located (Tien Shan, Karakorum, Kun-Lun, Altai). Earthquakes, extinct volcanoes, many thermal and mineral springs are characteristic. The most powerful exogenous factor that formed the modern relief of Eurasia was ancient glaciation. In addition, Sev. part of the continent experienced long-term marine transgressions, which caused the appearance of a thick layer of sedimentary rocks on ancient platforms. The complex structure of the earth's crust determines the exceptional diversity of minerals. The outcrops of crystalline foundations are confined to ore deposits, in intermountain troughs, on sea shelves and ancient plains, oil and gas reserves, ancient destroyed mountains are famous for gems (Ural, Deccan), rivers deposited gold sands, there are diamond deposits. Climate. All types of climate have formed on the territory of the mainland, in almost every belt there are areas, the originality of which is determined by the position relative to the sea. Arctic and subarctic belt. The 3rd has a maritime climate with warm, mild winters and cool, rainy summers; the east has a continental climate with very cold winters. Temperate zone. Zap. coast of Europe - maritime climate influenced by west. winds and the warm Gulf Stream. With distance from the ocean, the amplitude of winter and summer 1 increases, and there is more precipitation in summer than in winter. This area is moderate continental climate, it is typical for the Center, and East. Europe. Beyond the Urals, an area of ​​sharply continental climate is formed with very cold and dry winters and humid, hot summers. To the east The coast of the mainland has a monsoonal climate with warm, humid summers and cold, dry winters. subtropical belt. All year 1; are positive. There are three areas: 3. - Mediterranean (dry tropical air dominates in summer, sea air dominates in winter temperate latitudes); in the region of the Near Asian Highlands, the climate is subtropical continental (with very dry and hot summers and relatively cold winters (possible 1; below 0 °); in the east - a monsoonal climate region with a summer maximum of precipitation. The tropical belt is expressed only in the Arabian Peninsula , in Mesopotamia, in the south of the Iranian Highlands and in the basin of the lower Indus. During the year, tropical air masses dominate, very dry and hot. It is replaced by a subequiv. belt with a monsoon climate on the Hindustan and Indochina peninsulas, in most of the Indo-Gangetic lowland and the very south of China.The equivalent belt occupies the Malay Peninsula and the islands of the Malay Archipelago. Inland waters. The mainland is unique in terms of the area of ​​internal runoff basins, the number of large rivers, and the diversity of their feeding and regimes. To the pool Sev. The Arctic Ocean includes the largest rivers of Russia: Sev. Dvina, Pechora, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Kolyma and others. The Atlantic Ocean basin includes the rivers Zap., Yuzh. and partly East. Europe (Seine, Vistula, Odra, Elbe, Rhine, Danube, Dniester). Rivers Pacific Ocean start in the mountains (Amur, Anadyr). The sources of the Yellow River, Yangtze and Mekong are in Tibet. The Indian Ocean basin includes rivers: Indus, Brahmalutra and Ganges start in the Himalayas, Tigris and Euphrates in the Armenian Highlands. In the center, the regions of E. lie the districts of internal flow (Volga, Amu Darya and Syr Darya). There are many lakes of different origin - the largest Caspian and Aral Seas, the deepest Baikal, Ladoga, glacial lakes of Northern Europe, picturesque mountain lakes. natural areas. They stretch in latitudinal bands, and due to the features of the relief and climate "sometimes do not have a continuous distribution. The largest areas are occupied by the temperate and subtropical zones. Arctic deserts, tundras and forest tundras are stretched in a narrow strip along the Arctic coast of Europe and Asia, gradually expanding when moving to the east. and have much in common with American ones.Lichen and shrub tundras inhabited by lemmings, arctic foxes, reindeer, and wolves dominate. waterfowl. Coniferous forests cover vast areas. Typical podzolic soils are formed, heat and moisture are sufficient for the growth of woody plants. In Europe, spruce and pine dominate, in Asia - cedar and larch. The zone in Siberia has a greater extent to the south than in Europe. The taiga is characterized by fur-bearing animals (sable, weasel, ermine, fox). There are ungulates (elk, red deer, musk deer); predators (bear, wolf, wolverine), birds such as capercaillie, hazel grouse, crossbill, and nutcrackers gravitate to the taiga. Mixed forests grow on soddy-podzolic soils, do not form a continuous strip, are common only in Europe and the East. Asia. Broad-leaved forests grow on brown and gray forest soils. In Zap. Europe is dominated by beech with hornbeam and elm, to the east they are replaced by oak with maples and linden. In the grassy layer, gout, ferns, lily of the valley, lungwort. In Eastern Eurasia, these forests have survived only in the mountains. Here, southern species (bamboo, lianas) are added to the usual ones, as well as many relic forms. Animal world mixed and deciduous forests close to the taiga (hares, foxes, squirrels, red deer, roe deer, wild boars). Monkeys and a tiger are added to V. In the center, the regions of the mainland, the forests to the south are replaced by forest-steppe and steppe with a predominance of herbaceous vegetation on chernozem soils. In the European steppes, almost no natural fauna has been preserved, since they are plowed everywhere. Only gophers, marmots survived, predator birds. In east. parts of the mainland, real steppes give way to dry steppes (Gobi) with sparse vegetation on chestnut soils. To Center, and Wed. Asia are semi-deserts and deserts. The soils are brown and gray-brown. very saline in places. Animals are represented by rodents (jerboas, gerbils), reptiles (lizards, snakes - efa, gyurza, cobra, arrow, turtles, monitor lizards). All are characterized by a period of winter dormancy; in summer, activity is predominantly nocturnal and twilight. Kulans, goitered gazelles, saigas have been preserved in some places. There are also predators - caracal, wolf, fox, jackal. tropical desert Mesopotamia and Arabia are similar to African and have general views plants and animals. In the subtropical zone, which does not have a continuous distribution, there are zones of subtropical forests. Peculiar European Mediterranean forests, which gave the name to the type of vegetation. Fertile brown soils are common, plants have a fluffy or waxy coating to protect against summer heat. Natural vegetation (oaks, myrtle, strawberry tree, wild olive, laurel) has been preserved in small areas, since these districts have long been mastered. There are few wild animals, most of them live only in protected areas (wild goats and sheep, reptiles, birds of prey, rodents). The east of the mainland has a monsoonal climate with a summer maximum of precipitation, and very rich tropical forests have been preserved on red and yellow soils with magnolias, camphor laurel, camellias, and bamboo. They are mixed with deciduous and coniferous trees: oak, hornbeam, cypresses, pines, many lianas. Wild animals preserved in the mountains (black Himalayan bear, bamboo bear panda, macaque monkeys, leopards; birds - pheasants, parrots). Wet equiv. forests occupy the islands and peninsula Yuzh. and South East. Asia. Some endemic species of animals (orangutans, some reptiles) live here, palm trees and bamboos are especially diverse. Huge districts of the mainland are occupied by areas of altitudinal zonation, confined to the highest mountain systems. In the conditions of high mountains, a peculiar climate with large amplitudes of t is formed, which leads to the formation of high-mountain deserts with undersized cushion-like plants and burrowing animals. Yaks live in Tibet, there are several types of antelopes, mountain sheep, special types martens, foxes, bears, rodents are common. In foreign Egypt, seven large natural complexes are distinguished - North, Middle, South. Europe; South Hall." Center, East and Yuzh. Asia. Population. Earth's most ancient civilizations developed in Egypt. 3.5 billion people live on the mainland, the population density in some places reaches 700-1000 people / km2, but there are also deserted districts. The population is racially diverse. There are more than 60 states on the continent with different systems of organization and level of development.

Brief geographical dictionary. EdwART. 2008 .

Eurasia

the largest continent of the Earth, historically divided into two parts of the world - Europe and Asia, which do not have a pronounced nature among themselves. borders. The name of the mainland was proposed in the 19th century. A. Humboldt. It is washed in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the north by the North. Arctic, in the east - the Pacific, in the south - the Indian Ocean. It stretches 16,000 km from west to east and 8,000 km from north to south. Area approx. 53.4 million km², which is over 1/3 of the entire land.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of Acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

Eurasia

the largest continent of the Earth; consists of Europe and Asia, which do not have a pronounced natural border. The division arose historically; the generalized name of the mainland was first used in the 1st half. 19th century famous German geographer Alexander Humboldt. It is washed in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the north by the North. the Arctic, in the east - the Pacific, in the south - the Indian Oceans and their marginal seas. From west to east it extends for 16,000 km; from north to south, for 8,000 km. Pl. OK. 53.4 million km², which is St. 1 /3 of the earth's land surface; sq. islands ok. 2.75 million km². Eurasia is based on ancient platforms: East European with the Baltic and Ukrainian crystalline shields, Chinese-Korean, South Chinese, Indian. East and south. Two mobile geosynclinal belts run along the outskirts of the mainland: East Asian and Alpine-Himalayan. For many districts Wed, Central, East. Asia and the Malay Archipelago are characterized by high seismicity. In Iceland, the Mediterranean, in Kamchatka, the Vost Islands. and South East. Asia has many active volcanoes.
2 /3 of its area. Main mountain systems: Himalayas, Scandinavian mountains, Alps, Caucasus, Hindu Kush, Karakorum, Pamir-Alai, Tien Shan, Kunlun, Ural, Altai, South mountains. and North East. Siberia; highlands: Western Asian, Tibetan, Sayano-Tuva; plateaus: Deccan, Central Siberian. The most significant lowlands: East European (Russian), West Siberian, Turan, Great Chinese, Indo-Gangetic. On the islands of the Arctic, Iceland and in the highlands of many mountain systems - extensive modern glaciation with a total area. 228.8 thousand km².
The climate varies widely, from arctic in the north to equatorial in the south. Oceanic climate prevails in the outlying districts (monsoonal in the south and east), and continental and sharply continental in the interior. On S.-V. mainland (in the region of Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon) - the pole of cold North. hemispheres; The Arabian Peninsula is one of the hottest places on Earth. Huge contrasts of moisture: in the center. part of the mainland there is a vast area of ​​deserts, where less than 200 mm of precipitation falls annually, and in the East. India (the town of Cherrapunji) has the largest amount of precipitation on Earth - up to 12 thousand mm. Main rivers: Yangtze, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur, Huang He, Mekong, Brahmaputra, Ganges, Indus, Tigris, Euphrates, Volga, Danube. In Eurasia, it is the most extensive area of ​​internal runoff on the globe, to which bass belong. Caspian and Aral seas, lakes Balkhash and Lobnor. Here is the deepest lake in the world. Baikal.
In Eurasia, all geographical zones of the North are represented. hemisphere. In the Arctic zone there is a zone Arctic deserts, in the subarctic - tundra and forest-tundra zones, in the temperate and in the tropics vast areas are occupied by forests, in the South-West. and Center. Asia - deserts and semi-deserts. In the high mountains, altitudinal zonality is well expressed. More than half of Eurasia (its northern part) in floristic and faunal terms belongs to the Holarctic; Southern Eurasia is occupied by the flora of the Paleotropical region and the fauna of the Indo-Malayan region. Map on pp. 176–177.

Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Under the editorship of prof. A. P. Gorkina. 2006 .

Eurasia

the name of the mainland, which includes two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. This is the largest continent on Earth. Its area is 53,893 thousand square meters. km.

Encyclopedia Around the World. 2008 .

Eurasia is the largest continent on Earth, with an area of ​​53.893 million km², which is 36% of the land area. The population is more than 4.947 billion (2010), which is about 3/4 of the population of the entire planet.

Origin of the name of the continent

Initially, various names were given to the largest continent in the world. Alexander Humboldt used the name "Asia" for all of Eurasia. Carl Gustav Reuschle used the term "Doppelerdtheil Asien-Europa" in 1858 in his Handbuch der Geographie. The term "Eurasia" was first used by the geologist Eduard Suess in the 1880s.

Geographic location of the mainland

The continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere between approximately 9° W. and 169° W. while some of the Eurasian islands are located in the Southern Hemisphere. Most of continental Eurasia lies in the Eastern Hemisphere, although the extreme western and eastern ends of the mainland are in the Western Hemisphere.

Contains two parts of the world: Europe and Asia. The border line between Europe and Asia is most often drawn along the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Emba River, the northwestern coast of the Caspian Sea, the Kuma River, the Kuma-Manych Depression, the Manych River, the eastern coast of the Black Sea, the southern coast of the Black Sea, the Strait Bosphorus, the Sea of ​​Marmara, the Dardanelles, the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, the Strait of Gibraltar. This division has developed historically. Naturally, there is no sharp boundary between Europe and Asia. The continent is united by the continuity of land, the current tectonic consolidation and the unity of numerous climatic processes.

Eurasia stretches from west to east for 16 thousand km, from north to south - for 8 thousand km, with an area of ​​≈ 54 million km². This is more than a third of the total land area of ​​the planet. The area of ​​the Eurasian islands is approaching 2.75 million km².

Extreme points of Eurasia

mainland points

• Cape Chelyuskin (Russia), 77°43′ N sh. - extreme northern mainland point.
• Cape Piai (Malaysia) 1°16′ N sh. - extreme southern mainland point.
• Cape Roca (Portugal), 9º31′ W d. - the extreme western mainland point.
• Cape Dezhnev (Russia), 169°42′ W d. - extreme eastern mainland point.

island points

• Cape Fligeli (Russia), 81°52′ N sh. - extreme northern island point (However, according to topographic map Rudolf Island, the coast stretching in the latitudinal direction to the west of Cape Fligely lies several hundred meters north of the cape at coordinates 81°51′28.8″ N. sh. 58°52′00″ E (G)(O)).
• South Island (Cocos Islands) 12°4′S sh. - the southernmost point of the island.
• Monchique Rock (Azores) 31º16′ W d. - the extreme western island point.
• Ratmanov Island (Russia) 169°0′ W d. - the extreme eastern island point.

Largest peninsulas

• Arabian Peninsula
• Peninsula Asia Minor
• Balkan Peninsula
• peninsula
• The Iberian Peninsula
• Scandinavian Peninsula
• Taimyr Peninsula
• Chukotka Peninsula
• Peninsula Kamchatka
• Peninsula Indochina
• Hindustan Peninsula
• Peninsula Malacca
• Yamal Peninsula
• Kola Peninsula
• Peninsula Korea

Geological characteristics of the continent

Geological structure of Eurasia

The geological structure of Eurasia is qualitatively different from the structures of other continents. Eurasia is composed of several platforms and plates. The continent was formed in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras and is the youngest in geologically. This distinguishes it from other continents, which are the heights of ancient platforms formed billions of years ago.

The northern part of Eurasia is a series of plates and platforms formed during the Archean, Proterozoic and Paleozoic periods: the East European platform with the Baltic and Ukrainian shields, the Siberian platform with the Aldan shield, the West Siberian plate. The eastern part of the mainland includes two platforms (Sino-Korean and South China), some plates and areas of Mesozoic and Alpine folding. The southeastern part of the mainland is an area of ​​Mesozoic and Cenozoic folding. The southern regions of the mainland are represented by the Indian and Arabian platforms, the Iranian plate, as well as areas of Alpine and Mesozoic folding, which also prevail in southern Europe. The territory of Western Europe includes zones of predominantly Hercynian folding and slabs of Paleozoic platforms. The central regions of the continent include zones of Paleozoic folding and plates of the Paleozoic platform.

In Eurasia, there are many large faults and cracks that are found in Siberia (Western and Lake Baikal), Tibet and some other areas.

Story

The period of formation of the mainland covers a huge period of time and continues today. The beginning of the process of formation of ancient platforms that make up the continent of Eurasia occurred in the Precambrian era. Then three ancient platforms were formed: Chinese, Siberian and East European, separated by ancient seas and oceans. At the end of the Proterozoic and in the Paleozoic, the processes of closing the oceans separating the land masses took place. At this time, the process of land growth around these and other platforms and their grouping took place, which ultimately led to the formation of the Pangea supercontinent by the beginning of the Mesozoic era.

In the Proterozoic, the process of formation of the ancient platforms of Siberian, Chinese and East European Eurasia took place. At the end of the era, the land area south of the Siberian Platform increased. In the Silurian, extensive mountain building occurred as a result of the connection of the European and North American platforms, which formed the large North Atlantic continent. In the east, the Siberian platform and a number of mountain systems united, forming new mainland- Angarida. At this time, the process of formation of ore deposits took place.

A new tectonic cycle began in the Carboniferous period. Intensive movements led to the formation of mountainous areas that connected Siberia and Europe. Similar mountainous regions were formed in the southern regions of modern Eurasia. Before the beginning of the Triassic period, all the ancient platforms were grouped and formed the mainland Pangea. This cycle was long and divided into phases. In the initial phase, mountain building took place in the southern territories of present-day Western Europe and in the regions of Central Asia. In the Permian period, new major mountain-building processes took place, in parallel with the general uplift of the land. As a result, by the end of the period, the Eurasian part of Pangea was a region with large folding. At this time, the process of destruction of old mountains and the formation of powerful sedimentary deposits took place. In the Triassic period, geological activity was weak, but in this period the Tethys Ocean gradually opened in the east of Pangea, later in the Jurassic dividing Pangea into two parts, Laurasia and Gondwana. In the Jurassic period, the process of orogeny begins, the peak of which, however, fell on the Cenozoic era.

The next stage in the formation of the continent began in Cretaceous when the Atlantic Ocean began to open. Finally, the Laurasia continent was divided in the Cenozoic.

At the beginning cenozoic era northern Eurasia was a huge landmass, which formed the ancient platforms, interconnected by regions of the Baikal, Hercynian and Caledonian folding. In the east and southeast, this massif was joined by areas of Mesozoic folding. In the west, Eurasia was already separated from North America by the narrow Atlantic Ocean. From the south, this huge massif was propped up by the shrinking Tethys Ocean. In the Cenozoic, there was a reduction in the area of ​​the Tethys Ocean and intense mountain building in the south of the continent. By the end of the Tertiary period, the continent took on its modern shape.

Physical characteristics of the mainland

Relief of Eurasia

The relief of Eurasia is extremely diverse, it contains some of the largest plains and mountain systems in the world, the East European Plain, the West Siberian Plain, and the Tibetan Plateau. Eurasia is the highest continent on Earth, its average height is about 830 meters (the average height of Antarctica is higher due to the ice sheet, but if we consider the height of the bedrock as its height, then the continent will be the lowest). In Eurasia, there are the highest mountains on Earth - the Himalayas (ind. Abode of snows), and the Eurasian mountain systems of the Himalayas, Tibet, Hindu Kush, Pamir, Tien Shan, etc. form the largest mountainous region on Earth.

The modern relief of the continent is due to intense tectonic movements during the Neogene and Anthropogenic periods. The East Asian and Alpine-Himalayan geosynclinal belts are characterized by the highest mobility. Powerful neotectonic movements are also characteristic of a wide band of structures of different ages from Gissar-Alay to Chukotka. High seismicity is inherent in many regions of Central, Central and East Asia, the Malay Archipelago. The active volcanoes of Eurasia are located in Kamchatka, the islands of Eastern and South-East Asia, Iceland and the Mediterranean.

The average height of the continent is 830 m, mountains and plateaus occupy about 65% of its territory.

The main mountain systems of Eurasia:

• Himalayas
• Alps
• Hindu Kush
• Karakorum
• Tien Shan
• Kunlun
• Altai
• Mountains of Southern Siberia
• Mountains of North-Eastern Siberia
• Western Asian highlands
• Pamir-Alai
• Tibetan Plateau
• Sayano-Tuva Highlands
• Deccan Plateau
• Central Siberian Plateau
• Carpathians
• Ural mountains

Major plains and lowlands of Eurasia

• the East European Plain
• West Siberian Plain
• Turan lowland
• Great Plain of China
• Indo-Gangetic Plain

The relief of the northern and a number of mountainous regions of the continent was affected by ancient glaciation. Modern glaciers have been preserved on the islands of the Arctic, in Iceland and in the highlands. About 11 million km² (mainly in Siberia) is occupied by permafrost.

Mainland geographic records

In Eurasia there is the highest mountain of the Earth - Chomolungma (Everest), the largest lake - the Caspian Sea and the deepest - Baikal, the largest mountain system by area - Tibet, the largest peninsula - Arabian, the largest geographical area- Siberia, the most low point sushi - Depression of the Dead Sea. The cold pole of the northern hemisphere, Oymyakon, is also located on the continent. Eurasia also has the largest natural area Earth - Siberia.

Historical and geographical zoning

Eurasia is the birthplace of the most ancient civilizations of the Sumerian and Chinese, and the place where almost all the ancient civilizations of the Earth were formed. Eurasia is conditionally divided into two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. The latter, due to its size, is divided into smaller regions - Siberia, the Far East, the Amur Region, Primorye, Manchuria, China, India, Tibet, Uyguria (East Turkestan, now Xinjiang as part of the PRC), middle Asia, Middle East, Caucasus, Persia, Indochina, Arabia and some others. Other, less well-known regions of Eurasia - Tarkhtaria (Tartaria), Hyperborea are almost forgotten today and are not recognized.

The climate of the mainland Eurasia

All climatic zones and climatic zones are represented in Eurasia. In the north, the polar and subpolar climatic zones prevail, then the temperate zone crosses Eurasia with a wide strip, followed by the subtropical zone. The tropical belt on the territory of Eurasia is interrupted, stretching across the continent from the Mediterranean and Red Seas to India. The subequatorial belt protrudes to the north, covering India and Indochina, as well as the extreme south of China, while the equatorial belt covers mainly the islands of southeast Asia. The climatic zones of the maritime climate are located mainly in the west of the continent in Europe, as well as the islands. Monsoon climate zones prevail in the eastern and southern regions. With a deepening inland, the continentality of the climate grows, this is especially noticeable in the temperate zone when moving from west to east. The most continental climate zones are found in Eastern Siberia (see Sharply continental climate).

nature on the continent

natural areas

All are represented in Eurasia natural areas. This is due to the large size of the mainland and the length from north to south.

northern islands and high mountains partially covered by glaciers. The zone of polar deserts extends mainly along the northern coast and a significant part of the Taimyr Peninsula. Next comes a wide belt of tundra and forest-tundra, occupying the most extensive areas in Eastern Siberia (Yakutia) and the Far East.

Almost all of Siberia, a significant part of the Far East and Europe (northern and northeastern), is covered with coniferous forest - taiga. On South Western Siberia and on the Russian Plain (central and western parts), as well as mixed forests in Scandinavia and Scotland. There are areas of such forests in the Far East: in Manchuria, Primorye, Northern China, Korea and the Japanese Islands. Deciduous forests predominate mainly in the west of the mainland in Europe. Small patches of these forests are found in eastern Asia (China). In the southeast of Eurasia, there are massifs of moist equatorial forests.

The central and southwestern regions are predominantly occupied by semi-deserts and deserts. In Hindustan and Southeast Asia, there are areas of light forests and variable-humid and monsoon forests. Subtropical and tropical forests of the monsoon type also prevail in eastern China, and their temperate counterparts in Manchuria, the Amur Region and Primorye. In the south of the western part of the continent (mainly the Mediterranean and on the Black Sea coast) there are zones of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs (forests of the Mediterranean type). Large areas are occupied by steppes and forest-steppes, occupying the southern part of the Russian Plain and the south of Western Siberia. Steppes and forest-steppes are also found in Transbaikalia, the Amur region, their vast areas are in Mongolia and northern and northeastern China and Manchuria.

In Eurasia, areas of altitudinal zonation are widespread.

Fauna, animal world

A large, northern, part of Eurasia belongs to the Holarctic zoogeographic region; the smaller, southern one, to the Indo-Malay and Ethiopian regions. for the most part Africa is part of the Ethiopian region. Some southeastern islands of the Malay Archipelago are classified by most zoogeographers as part of the Australian zoogeographic region. This division reflects the features of the development of the Eurasian fauna in the process of changing natural conditions during the end of the Mesozoic and the entire Cenozoic, as well as connections with other continents. To characterize modern natural conditions, the ancient extinct fauna known only in the fossil state, the fauna that disappeared in historical time as a result of human activity, and modern fauna are of interest.

At the end of the Mesozoic, a diverse fauna formed on the territory of Eurasia, consisting of monotremes and marsupials, snakes, turtles, etc. With the advent of placental mammals, especially predators, lower mammals retreated south to Africa and Australia. They were replaced by proboscis, camels, horses, rhinos, which inhabited most of Eurasia in the Cenozoic. The cooling of the climate at the end of the Cenozoic led to the extinction of many of them or retreat to the south. Proboscis, rhinos, etc. in the north of Eurasia are known only in a fossil state, and now they live only in South and Southeast Asia. Until recently, camels and wild horses were widespread in the interior arid parts of Eurasia.

The cooling of the climate led to the settlement of Eurasia by animals adapted to harsh climatic conditions (mammoth, aurochs, etc.). This northern fauna, the center of formation of which was in the area of ​​the Bering Sea and was common with North America, gradually pushed the heat-loving fauna to the south. Many of its representatives have died out, some have survived in the composition of the modern fauna of the tundra and taiga forests. The drying up of the climate of the interior regions of the mainland was accompanied by the spread of the steppe and desert fauna, which survived mainly in the steppes and deserts of Asia, and partially died out in Europe.

in eastern Asia, where climatic conditions did not undergo significant changes during the Cenozoic, many pre-glacial animals found refuge. In addition, through East Asia there was an exchange of animals between the Holarctic and Indo-Malay regions. Within its limits, far to the north, such tropical forms as the tiger, the Japanese macaque, and others penetrate.

The distribution of modern wild fauna across the territory of Eurasia reflects both the history of its development and the features of natural conditions and the results of human activity.

On the northern islands and in the extreme north of the mainland, the composition of the fauna almost does not change from west to east. The fauna of the tundra and taiga forests has minor internal differences. The farther to the south, the differences in latitude within the Holarctic become more and more significant. The fauna of the extreme south of Eurasia is already so specific and so different from the tropical fauna of Africa and even Arabia that they are assigned to different zoogeographic regions.

The fauna of the tundra is especially monotonous throughout Eurasia (as well as North America).

Most common large mammal tundra - reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). It is almost never found in Europe in the wild; this is the most common and valuable domestic animal in the north of Eurasia. The tundra is characterized by arctic fox, lemming and white hare.

Eurasian countries

The list below includes not only states located on the Eurasian mainland, but also states located on islands classified as Europe or Asia (an example is Japan).

• Abkhazia
• Austria
• Albania
• Andorra
• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brunei
• Butane
• Vatican
• United Kingdom
• Hungary
• East Timor
• Vietnam
• Germany
• Greece
• Georgia
• Denmark
• Egypt (partially)
• Israel
• India
• Indonesia (partially)
• Jordan
• Ireland
• Iceland
• Spain
• Italy
• Yemen
• Kazakhstan
• Cambodia
• Qatar
• Kyrgyzstan
• Republic of China (Taiwan)
• Kuwait
• Latvia
• Lebanon
• Lithuania
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg Malaysia
• Maldives
• Malta
• Moldova
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Myanmar
• Nepal
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Pakistan
• State
• Palestine
• Poland
• Portugal
• The Republic of Korea
• Republic
• Kosovo
• Macedonia
• Russia
• Romania
• San Marino
• Saudi Arabia
• Serbia
• Singapore
• Syria
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
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The size of the territory and geographical position

This is the largest continent on Earth. She is almost 7 times more australia, 2 times - Africa and more than Antarctica, North and South America combined. Eurasia is 1/3 of the planet's land area - about 53.4 million km2.

The continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere and stretches from north to south for 8 thousand km through all belts - from the Arctic to the equatorial. Its length along the parallel is 16 thousand km. This is more than a hemisphere (almost 200 °): the mainland occupies the entire Eastern Hemisphere, and its extreme western and eastern points are in the Western.

The Huge Size of Eurasia determine the diversity and uniqueness of its nature. No other continent has such a number of natural complexes, changing from north to south and as they move away from the coasts.

The outline of the coast of Eurasia

The massif of the mainland is so large that it separates all the oceans of the Earth. Its shores are washed by the waters of all four oceans of the planet. The coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, washing the western coast, is heavily indented with peninsulas and bays. There are many islands and seas near the mainland. The seas, deeply protruding into the land, separate parts of the world (Europe and Asia) and continents (Eurasia and Africa).

To northern edge of Eurasia adjoins the wide shelf of the Arctic Ocean. Its coastline is smoother.
It is divided into peninsulas by narrow bays and the White Sea. Large islands and archipelagos are separated from the mainland by the Norwegian, Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian marginal seas.

Pacific Ocean coastline poorly divided. Marginal seas are cut into East Coast mainland wide contours. They are separated from the ocean by arcs and chains of volcanic islands and peninsulas. South coast Eurasia, washed by the Indian Ocean, stretches as a broken line: large peninsulas protrude into the ocean - Arabian (the largest on the planet), Hindustan and Malacca. There are only two seas near the southern outskirts of the mainland - the Red and the Arabian.

Configuration coastline determines the possibilities and degree of participation of oceanic air in the formation of the climate of the mainland.

On the nature of Eurasia affected by the surrounding continents. Eurasia has two close neighbors. In the southwest - Africa, separated by the Suez Canal, and in the east - North America, separated by the Bering Strait. A "bridge" with a length of more than 3 thousand km - the largest island region of the planet - the Greater and Lesser Sunda Islands (Malay Archipelago), the Philippine Islands - connects Eurasia with Australia. The furthest, separated from Eurasia by the oceans, are South America and Antarctica.

The composition of the territory of Eurasia

Mainland Eurasia includes two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. The boundary between them is conditional. It is carried out along the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains, down the Ural River to the Caspian Sea, along the northern foot of the Caucasus, the Black Sea, the Bosporus, the Sea of ​​Marmara, the Dardanelles. The division of Eurasia into two parts of the world has developed historically - as a result of the settlement and development of its territory (by various peoples from different directions). But it also has a scientific justification. The continent was formed as a result of the union of lithospheric blocks that had previously developed under different conditions. After unification over millions of years, it develops as one natural-territorial complex. Therefore the mainland is a unique geographical system: large, complex, but at the same time integral.

Regions of Europe and Asia

The territory of Eurasia is very vast. On this vast territory, not only nature has significant differences, but also the population, as well as its economic activity. In order to better study this diversity, to understand its causes and patterns, regionalization is carried out: less extensive territories - regions - are distinguished as part of a large mainland. Countries that have common features geographical location, as well as the similarity of historical and modern social economic development. As part of the European part of the mainland, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Europe are distinguished. Countries of Eastern Europe, occupying a neighboring position in relation to our Motherland - Belarus - are united in an independent region of the Belarusian borderland. This region also includes Russia - the largest state on the mainland, located in both Eurasian parts of the world. The Asian part of the mainland is subdivided into Central, East, Southeast, South and Southwest Asia. The boundaries between regions are drawn along state borders countries included in them.

Geographical discoveries and explorations of Eurasia. The territory of Eurasia has been inhabited by different peoples since ancient times. Each of them conducted the development and study of the continent, guided by their goals and needs, gradually expanding the circle of territories known to him.

>> Eurasia - a continent of contrasts

Chapter 7

Continents are the largest natural

land complexes

§ 1. Eurasia - the continent of contrasts

Geographical position. size and outline. Oceans and seas surrounding the mainland.

Eurasia is the largest continent on Earth. Together with the islands, its area is 54 million km 2 - this is one third of the land. The mainland consists of two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. The border between them is drawn conditionally: along the eastern foot of the Ural Mountains, along the Emba River, the northern coast of the Caspian Sea and the Kuma-Manych depression. Further, Europe and Asia are separated by the Black and Sea of ​​Azov and the Bosporus and Dardanelles, connecting the Black Sea with the Mediterranean. Eurasia is separated from Africa by the Suez Canal, and from North America by the Bering Strait.

Names of two parts of the world - Europe and Asia - come from the Assyrian words "ereb" - west and "asu" - east.

Occupying 1/3 of the entire land, Eurasia concentrates 3D of the planet's population, and the peoples inhabiting the mainland are so numerous and diverse that their listing alone could take several pages. Our state is also located in Eurasia - Russia.

Eurasia is located in the Northern Hemisphere. The prime meridian crosses its territory in the west. The coordinates of the extreme points of the mainland:

northern - Cape Chelyuskin - 78 ° N. latitude, 105° east d.
southern - Cape Piai - 1° N. sh., 104 ° in. d.
western - Cape Roca - 39 ° N. latitude, 9° W d.
eastern - Cape Dezhnev - 67 ° N. latitude, 170° W d.

Eurasia is washed by the waters of all four oceans, which form marginal and inland seas: Baltic, Black, Azov, Mediterranean, North and Norwegian seas; the Straits of Gibraltar and the English Channel, as well as the Bay of Biscay, belong to the Atlantic Ocean. There are large islands here: Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland, as well as peninsulas: Scandinavian, Iberian, Apennine. The northern shores of Eurasia are washed by the seas of the Arctic Ocean: Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, Chukchi. The largest islands New Earth, Svalbard; peninsulas - Taimyr, Yamal. The Bering Strait connects the Arctic Ocean with Quiet, which forms marginal seas off the coast of Eurasia: Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, Yellow, East China, South China. The largest islands: Sakhalin, Hokkaido, Honshu, Philippine, Greater Sunda; peninsulas: Kamchatka, Korea, Indochina.

The seas of the Indian Ocean (Red, Arabian) and bays (Persian, Bengal) protrude deep into the land. They wash large peninsulas - Arabian, Hindustan, Malacca.

Eurasia is a continent of contrasts. Due to the enormous size of the mainland, the nature of Eurasia is diverse and complex. Here is the greatest peak in the world - Mount Chomolungma (Everest) with a height of 8848 m and the deepest land depression (in relation to sea level) - the Dead Sea (-402 m); the cold pole of the Northern Hemisphere in Oymyakon, where a temperature of -70°C was recorded, and the sultry regions of Mesopotamia; arid regions of the Arabian Peninsula, where only 44 mm of precipitation falls per year, and humid regions of Northeast India (Cherrapunji) with a rainfall of 12,000 mm or more per year; Arctic deserts are located in the north of the mainland, and humid equatorial forests are located in the south.

From the history of the study. Long before the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries and the founding of the First Geographical Institute by the Portuguese Prince Henry, the inhabitants of Europe actively explored the surrounding lands and made geographical discoveries. One of the first were the Phoenicians, who in the II century BC. e. explored the shores mediterranean sea, then the ancient Greeks completed the discovery of southern Europe. And during the reign of the Romans, who conquered the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the name of the third part of the world appeared - Africa. During the Age of Discovery, the famous voyage of the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama to India took place, as well as the circumnavigation of Ferdinand Magellan, who, having crossed the Pacific Ocean, approached the islands of Indonesia. The nature of Central Asia, Siberia and the Far East has long remained a mystery to European geographers.

Famous expeditions of our compatriots - Semyon Dezhnev to Siberia and the Far East, Vladimir Atlasov to Kamchatka, Pyotr Chikhachev to Altai, Pyotr Semenov-Tien Shansky to the Tien Shan mountains, Nikolai Przhevalsky to Central Asia- filled in the gaps on the geographical maps of Asia.

Relief and minerals. Diversity relief Eurasia is explained by the peculiarities of the structure of the earth's crust in different parts of the mainland. Ancient platforms: East European, Siberian, Sino-Korean, Indian, African-Arabian correspond to vast stable plains: the East European Plain, the Central Siberian Plateau, the Great Chinese Plain, the Deccan Plateau, the Arabian Plateau. The areas of new folding correspond to mountain belts: the Alpine-Himalayan, including the Pyrenees, the Apennines, the Alps, the Carpathians, the Caucasus, the Pamirs, the Himalayas; as well as the Pacific belt of folded mountains (part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire"), stretching along the eastern coast of Eurasia from Kamchatka to the Malay Archipelago. Here, in the Pacific Ocean, there are deep-sea trenches. These are seismically active areas with frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the most famous of which are: Vesuvius (Apennine Peninsula), Etna (Sicily), Hekla (Iceland). The highest active volcano in Eurasia is Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4750 m) on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Fujiyama (Honshu Island), Krakatoa, located on a small island in the Malay Archipelago.

The Ural, Altai, Tien Shan mountains appeared in the era of ancient folding. However, the Altai and Tien Shan underwent new uplifts - the rejuvenation of the relief, in contrast to the Ural Mountains, which are severely destroyed and smoothed out.

Next to the folded mountains in the foothills layer of the earth's crust lowlands were formed, for example, the Indo-Gangetic (Hindostan Peninsula) and Mesopotamian (Arabian Peninsula).

Minerals of Eurasia extremely diverse, and their reserves are large. Iron ore deposits in the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula, in the Hindustan Peninsula and northeast China are associated with igneous rocks. A strip of deposits of such rare metals as tungsten and tin stretched across southern China, the Indochina and Malacca peninsulas, forming the so-called tin-tungsten belt. Non-ferrous metal ores abound in the mountains of the Alpine-Himalayan belt, the Deccan plateau.

We are exceptionally rich in oil and gas West Siberian lowland, coast Persian Gulf, the North Sea shelf, the Arabian Peninsula and the Mesopotamian lowland. With sedimentary rocks coal deposits are also connected, the largest of which are located in the Ruhr and Upper Silesian basins in Western Europe, in the Donets Basin in the South of Russia, as well as on the Great Chinese Plain and the Indo-Gangetic Lowland.

Iron ore deposits are associated with metamorphic rocks, such as the Kursk magnetic anomaly in Russia, as well as with sedimentary ones (the Lorraine deposit in Western Europe). Bauxites are of sedimentary origin. Their deposits are located along the Alps, south of the Carpathians and on the Indochina peninsula.

Eurasia is the only continent of the Earth, which is located in all climatic zones and in all natural zones (Fig. 26). Its nature is extremely diverse, therefore, several large natural complexes are distinguished on its territory: Northern, Western, Central and Southern Europe; Southwest, Central, East and South Asia. The patterns of population development and the political map are also very different, so we will consider them separately for Europe and Asia.

Foreign Europe

The coasts of Europe are characterized by a maritime climate. Most of it lies in the temperate zone and is influenced by westerly winds carrying moisture from the Atlantic. The western transfer contributes to the formation of cyclones on the fronts of air masses of different properties (Arctic, temperate and tropical), which often causes cloudy and rainy weather: in summer - cool, in winter - soft, with temperatures above 0 ° C. For Scandinavian climate strong influence exerts a warm North Atlantic current: thanks to it, coniferous and broadleaf forests, while most of the island of Greenland, which lies at about the same latitudes as the Scandinavian Peninsula, is ice-bound all year round.

Foreign Europe has a dense river network belonging to the Atlantic Ocean basin (with rare exceptions). The most long river- Danube (2850 km), other large rivers: Rhine, Elbe, Odra, Vistula, Tahoe, Duero. There are many lakes in Northern Europe, especially in Finland.

Northern Europe includes islands: Svalbard, Iceland and Fennoscandia (countries Scandinavian Peninsula and Finland). The main attraction of the southwestern coast of the Scandinavian Peninsula is narrow deep bays with steep banks - fjords. The depth of the largest of them - Sogne Fjord - is 1200 m, and the length is 220 km. Fjords were formed as a result of faults in the Scandinavian mountains. During the glaciation, these faults were deepened and expanded. Fenno-Scandia - the land of lakes and forests (mainly coniferous).

Central Europe occupies the Central European plains, the largest of which are the North German and Polish lowlands; coasts of the North and Baltic seas; the region of medium-altitude mountains of Central Europe (French and Czech massifs, the Ore Mountains), the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as the mountain ranges of the Alps and the Carpathians with adjacent plains. For south coast The North Sea is characterized by the so-called secular fluctuations of the earth's crust, as a result of which the coastal lowlands are gradually lowered (by 1 mm per year). Many of their sites (in the Netherlands, for example) are already below sea level, so their population has to fight the advancing sea and build dams.

Central Europe is located in the zone of broad-leaved beech and oak forests, which are favored by a humid warm climate and brown forest soils. However, the forests are heavily cut down, and in their place are industrial areas, the largest of which - the Ruhr - is located in Germany.

Southern Europe located in the subtropical zone in the Mediterranean climate. It includes the Iberian, Apennine and Balkan Peninsula and islands in the Mediterranean. This is the most unstable part of the earth's crust in Europe, which is part of the Alpine-Himalayan belt. Despite this, Southern Europe is famous for its resorts. Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Bulgaria are annually visited by millions of tourists. The comfortable Mediterranean climate is formed under the influence of two different types of air masses that change with the seasons. In winter, westerly winds bring humid oceanic air from temperate latitudes from the Atlantic. And the summer here is hot and dry under the influence of tropical air masses. Evergreen hardwood forests and shrubs grow in the Mediterranean. The brought plants also feel good here - various palm trees and citrus fruits.

Population and political map. More than 500 million people live in foreign Europe. This is the region of the most ancient settlement, the "cradle" of several ancient civilizations (ancient and Christian). On the territory of Europe for several millennia played out major events world history associated with aggressive campaigns, wars, mass migrations of peoples, which led to a very complex ethnic composition of its population. Most of the current European population belongs to the Indo-European language family, which includes three language groups: Germanic, Romance and Slavic. The number of speakers is dominated by the Germanic group (see map of the atlas).

Compared to other continents, the region of Foreign Europe is characterized by uniform settlement of territories, although there are differences in population density: a higher population density is observed in Southern and Central Europe, the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula and Iceland are poorly populated. 3/5 of the total population live in cities, the largest of which are: London, Madrid, Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Rome.

The political map of Europe abroad began to take shape a very long time ago and has undergone many changes. On modern political map There are 42 states in the region, among which Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy are the most economically developed. A feature of the political map of Europe is the presence of a number of dwarf states: the Vatican, Monaco, Andorra and others.

Overseas Asia

The relief of Foreign Asia has a much higher average height than Europe. There are many highlands here, the highest of which - Tibet - rises to 4.5 km. The climate of Asia is much hotter than that of Europe. The abundance of precipitation on the eastern and southeastern coasts is replaced by an arid climate in Central and Southwestern Asia. This is the desert area. The climate of Asia is largely influenced by relief. Let's take an example. The Himalayas almost do not allow moist air masses from the Indian Ocean to pass north. Therefore, up to 12,000 mm of precipitation falls annually on the southern slopes, while to the north of the Himalayan mountains is one of the driest deserts in the world - Takla Makan.

Southwest Asia located on the Arabian Peninsula, the Mesopotamian lowland, as well as on the vast uplands: Asia Minor, Armenian and Iranian, along the outskirts of which rise high, relatively recently formed folded mountains. With the advancement from the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the climate from the Mediterranean gradually becomes subtropical continental. The mountain ranges prevent the penetration of moisture to the east. Arabia is located in an area of ​​tropical dry climate. Here is the desert of Rub al-Khali. Desert landscapes are characteristic of most of Southwest Asia. The most convenient places for people to live are along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and on the Mesopotamian lowland, where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (Indian Ocean basin) create favorable conditions for irrigated agriculture.

central Asia is a combination of huge plateaus and uplands with high mountain ranges of the Tien Shan and Kun-Lun, the peaks of which rise to 7 km or more. Main feature climate of Central Asia - sharp continentality with large daily and annual temperature ranges. This is the land of dry steppes and deserts, the largest of which - the Gobi - is located northeast of the Tibetan Plateau. High ridges prevent the penetration of moist air masses from the oceans into Central Asia, so only 100 mm of precipitation falls in Tibet per year. Glaciers are located here, giving rise to large rivers: the Yangtze, the Yellow River, the Mekong, the Brahmaputra, the Indus.

East Asia includes mainland (Eastern China and the Korean Peninsula) and insular (Japanese Islands) natural complexes. This is an area of ​​monsoon climate with variable wet (monsoon) forests. From north to south, the region is crossed by two climatic zones: temperate and subtropical. Therefore, in the north, the winter monsoon is dry and cold (average temperatures are negative), and the summer monsoon is humid and hot. To the south, winter and summer temperatures gradually increase. The large Chinese rivers Yangtze (5800 km) and Yellow River (4845 km), carrying their waters to the Pacific Ocean, overflow in summer during the wet monsoon.

A characteristic feature of the climate of East Asia and the Japanese islands is typhoons. These are hurricane winds originating in the Pacific Ocean. They cause great destruction and are accompanied by heavy downpours.

South Asia includes the Himalayas - the greatest mountain system in the world, ten peaks of which exceed 8 km; Indo-Gangetic lowland deep rivers Indus (3180 km) and Ganges (2700 km), flowing into the Indian Ocean; the Hindustan Peninsula, where the Deccan Plateau is located, exceptionally rich in ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals; the peninsula of Indochina with its tin-tungsten belt, as well as deposits of zinc, silver, gold and diamonds; as well as the Malay Archipelago, whose islands are covered with humid equatorial forests.

South Asia is located in the subequatorial and equatorial belts and is influenced by the southwest monsoons.

In the Himalayas, altitudinal zonality is pronounced. Here you can find almost all the natural zones of the Earth, which replace each other when climbing the mountains. It is not for nothing that plant hunters tend to the Himalayas, because here you can collect an extraordinary collection, especially since the places are difficult to access and little mastered by man.

Population and political map. Foreign Asia is the most populous region of the Earth: about 4 billion people live here, i.e. over half of all mankind. The population is extremely diverse in racial and national composition. Representatives of all three major races live here, as well as peoples who combine in their appearance the features of different races. The most numerous peoples speak Indian and Sino-Tibetan languages. In Southwest Asia, they speak Arabic and the languages ​​of the Iranian language group.

Due to the peculiarities of the relief, the population is distributed over the territory extremely unevenly. Very high population density in the river valleys and coastal regions of South and East Asia. The high-mountainous and desert central regions of the region are very sparsely populated. The population of Overseas Asia is growing very rapidly, especially in China and India. 34% of the population lives in cities. Largest cities: Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul, Mumbai (Bombay), Shanghai, Jakarta, Calcutta. On the political map of the region, there are 48 states that vary greatly in size and population. Almost all countries in terms of economic development are among the developing countries, and Japan is in the lead in the list of developed countries. Significant economic success in last years achieved by the largest country in the world - China, as well as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Singapore (see map of the atlas).

Eurasia is the largest continent, occupying 1/3 of all land. The area of ​​Eurasia is 53.4 million km2. extreme points Eurasia:

Northern: Cape Chelyuskin (78°N, 104°E);

Southern: Cape Piai (1°N, 103°E);

Western: Cape Roca (39°N, 9°W);

Eastern: Cape Dezhnev (67°N, 169°W).

The southern coast of Eurasia is less indented; large geographic features: the huge Arabian Peninsula and Hindustan, the Arabian Sea, almost as large as the Bay of Bengal.

The border between Europe and Asia is drawn rather conditionally: it is customary to consider it a line running from the Arctic Ocean along Ural mountains, then - along the Ural River, the northern coast of the Caspian Sea, the Kumo-Manych depression. Further, Europe and Asia are separated by the seas: Black and Mediterranean.

On the Mediterranean coast there are large reserves of non-ferrous metal ores, bauxites, in northern Asia (territory of Russia) there are large reserves of gold and copper-nickel ores. Along the coast there is a "tin belt" - a number of deposits of tin ores. Diamond deposits are located in the north and on, others are mined in gems emeralds, rubies, turquoise.

Eurasia is rich in rivers and lakes, rivers flow into all four oceans, and there are also large areas of internal flow. Pechora, Yenisei, carry their waters to the Arctic Ocean. The largest of them - the Ob, Yenisei, Lena - originate in the mountains and plateaus, they are quite full-flowing, as they feed on the melting of glaciers and precipitation, in addition, spring floods are pronounced in all the rivers of the Arctic Ocean, since in these quite snowy winters- melting, the snow feeds the rivers. These rivers have a huge number of large and small tributaries, the West Siberian Plain, which is located between the Ob and, is very swampy

Rivers of the Pacific Basin, . They originate in mountainous regions, but in the main course they flow along the plain, because of this, the rivers are quite full-flowing. The Yellow River and the Yangtze flood heavily, forming sediments. The Yellow River is not in vain called the “yellow river” - its waters carry a huge amount of sand and small particles of soil. This is especially noticeable at the place where it flows into the sea - the water of the Huang He differs markedly in color from the sea.

The largest rivers of the Indian Ocean are the Indus, Ganges, Tigris,. These rivers flow through a fairly hot area, and if the Indus and Ganges valleys are highly moistened due to the Himalayas, then the Tigris and Euphrates flow through arid areas. Due to the fact that the sources of these rivers are located on the hills, they are the main reason for the fertility of the soil, a lot of water is used for irrigation.

Other large lakes: and, are connected by natural and artificial channels to each other, as well as from one side and from the other. Thus, they are an important element of the transport route from Europe to the Arctic Ocean.

The huge size of the continent affects its climatic conditions. Because of long distance from north to south, Eurasia is located in all, the difference in climate in the northern and southern regions of the mainland is very large. Due to the huge extent from west to east, the influence of the ocean is weakened, a sharply continental type of climate is formed, therefore, not only sublatitudinal, but also submeridional climate change is characteristic of Eurasia.

Another specificity of the Eurasian climate is that the mountains in the south and east of the country block the way from the Pacific and, especially, from the warm Indian Ocean. On the contrary, the air masses that form over the Atlantic and have significant influence on the climate of the mainland. Warm winds blow from the Atlantic Ocean, thanks to which it is quite mild. But from the Arctic Ocean to the north and center of the mainland, cold winds penetrate almost unhindered.

All this leads to an uneven distribution of temperature on the mainland in winter months. January isotherms do not pass sublatitudinally, but practically repeat the outlines of the coastline, especially in the west, gradually smoothing out to the east. In the north of the Asian part of the mainland, the cold pole of the northern hemisphere is located: the city of Oymyakon, -71 ° С.

Precipitation is also very unevenly distributed. The central part of the mainland, remote from all oceans, is quite arid, deserts form here, including the largest desert in Eurasia - the Gobi. Little precipitation falls in the north of the Asian part. The coasts of the Atlantic, Pacific and, with rare exceptions (the Arabian Peninsula), are quite well moistened. With advancement inland, the average annual precipitation decreases sharply in the south (moist air is blocked by mountains) and gradually in the east and west.

The northern coast of Eurasia is located within the Arctic climatic zone. These territories are located beyond the Arctic Circle, in winter the polar night reigns here - the sun does not rise from the horizon. Accordingly, the territories of the Arctic belt receive very little solar energy. In the summer, the days become quite long, but most of the energy is reflected from the surface of the earth covered with snow. Therefore, the average temperatures of the summer months are also low. There is little precipitation here, since the cold air cannot be humid, and moist sea masses do not form over the Arctic Ocean.

To the south, a strip of the subarctic climatic zone stretched, rather narrow in the west of the mainland and expanding to the east. This area is characterized by large temperature fluctuations in summer and winter, as well as possible abrupt shifts weather influenced by cold air from the ocean. In the western part, the climate is moderated by the influence of the warmer Atlantic Ocean.

The temperate climatic zone runs through a wide strip. It begins north of 40 ° north latitude, in the western part of the mainland it reaches the Arctic Circle.

The coast of Europe is located in the zone of the sea temperate climate, winters are mild, temperatures rarely drop below freezing, and warm summer. There is a lot of precipitation on the coast (up to 1000 mm), the weather is very changeable.

The European part of Eurasia is located in the temperate continental climate zone. Humid air masses from the Atlantic Ocean come from the west, which moderate the climate, thanks to which the average amount of precipitation (500-600 mm) falls here. However, the temperature difference between winter and summer is quite high.

The central part of Eurasia is occupied by a sharply continental temperate climate. It is characterized by sharp temperature changes, not only seasonal, but also during the day. Winters are very cold and dry, with little precipitation (200 mm) also falling in summer.

The east coast is influenced by a temperate monsoonal climate. In winter, it is cold and clear here, without thaws, and there is little precipitation. In summer, on the contrary, it is very humid and rather cool, the sky is often covered with clouds.

The south of Europe, the Middle East, the territory of the Pamirs and the south of China are in the subtropical climate zone. In the west, the climate is softened by the proximity of the seas, the Mediterranean type of climate is formed here: summers are hot and dry, winters are quite warm and humid. When moving east, deep into the mainland, a zone of continental subtropical climate begins with hot summers, warm winter and very little precipitation (100-150 mm). The Pacific coast is dominated by a monsoonal subtropical climate: winters are warm and dry, summers are hot and humid.

The tropical climate is characteristic of the Arabian Peninsula and the coast of the Persian Gulf. It is dry here, very hot in summer and quite cool (up to 0°C) in winter. Deserts form in this zone.

The subequatorial climate is typical for the Hindustan peninsula and the south: it is warm here both in summer and in winter. Winter and spring are dry, summer is dominated by a humid monsoon, bringing heavy, long-term downpours from the Indian Ocean.

The equatorial type of climate is observed mainly on the islands located along the equator. There are no serious temperature fluctuations here, it is always warm and there is a lot of precipitation.

In Eurasia, there are all natural zones, the boundaries between them are very clear.

The zone of arctic deserts and semi-deserts occupies the islands of the Arctic Ocean. Most of the territory is covered with ice, the soil freezes many meters deep. Marine animals live here - seals, seals and numerous sea birds.

To the south is the zone of tundra and forest-tundra. Mosses and lichens, dwarf trees grow here. Birch and alder appear in the southern part of the forest-tundra. The fauna is very limited: there are lemmings, reindeer, arctic foxes.

In the temperate climate zone, a large forest belt is formed, consisting of two natural zones: mixed and broad-leaved forests. Taiga occupies almost the entire Scandinavian and, northern part East European and West Siberian Plain, as well as the Central Siberian Plateau. The taiga is a dense, sometimes swampy coniferous forest, mainly fir, cedar grow, podzolic soils are formed. Among the animals live martens, chipmunks, hares, moose, brown bears. There are many birds, both insectivorous and predatory. The zone of mixed and broad-leaved forests is formed mainly in the European part of the mainland. Pine, spruce, oak, chestnut and brown forest soils grow here. This natural area is very densely populated by humans, there is little natural fauna left, mostly small ones - squirrels, chipmunks, hares.

Forests in the south gradually turn into forest-steppes, and then into steppes. Many rodents live in these zones: marmots, ground squirrels, mice, various herbs grow. The most fertile soil, chernozem, is formed in the steppe zone, so cereals are grown in abundance here.

Deserts and semi-deserts are located in the center of the mainland. Very little precipitation falls in this zone, and winters are quite cold. The fauna is practically absent, wormwood and saxaul predominate among plants.

On the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs has been formed. Palm trees grow, heat-loving coniferous plants, oil trees, citrus fruits.

On the opposite, eastern, side of the mainland is a zone of variable-humid (monsoon) forests. Beech, oak, magnolias, bamboo grow here - plants that tolerate dry, cool winters well and begin to grow actively in the warm season. There are many rather large animals: monkeys, leopards, the Himalayan bear, in the forests of India - antelopes, crocodiles, tigers, jackals. There are a lot of snakes - about 200 species.

A savannah zone has formed on the Hindustan peninsula. Many herbs grow here, as well as drought-resistant trees: bamboo, acacia. There are also many large animals: elephants, buffaloes.

The zone of humid equatorial forests is formed on the southern islands of Eurasia. A variety of palm trees, ficuses, lianas grow here. The animal world is diverse: there are many large and small monkeys, there are wild boars, buffaloes, rhinos, crocodiles, lizards and snakes.

There are many areas of altitudinal zonation in Eurasia, where natural zones change with height.