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INFORMATION AT YOUR FINGERTIP


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WORLD

ATLAS


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HOW TO USE THIS BOOK ....................................................................................4

PLANET EARTH ..................................................................................................................6

Planet Earth FACTFILE Moon FACTFILE Planet Earth from space Inside planet Earth Earth time Hot and cold planet

Summer and winter The solar system Time zones

EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANOES .............................................................8

Earthquake FACTFILE The cracked planet Ever-changing planet Story of an earthquake Frequency of earthquakes worldwide Inside a volcano Earthquake and volcano disasters Volcano FACTFILE

Worlds largest volcano

MOUNTAINS, LAKES, RIVERS, AND OCEANS.....................10

Making a mountain Worlds 10 highest mountain peaks The Andes Worlds 10 longest rivers The worlds oceans

Ocean depths and coastlines Ocean currents What is a lake? Worlds 10 largest lakes

PHYSICAL WORLD ....................................................................................................12

Physical world FACTFILE Physical MAP OF THE WORLD

Making maps The continents Worlds largest countries

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POLITICAL WORLD ...................................................................................................14

World population Highest population by country Age structure of world population Worlds largest cities by population Transport facts Life expectancy Wealth by continent

Political MAP OF THE WORLD Independent states and dependencies

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NORTH AMERICA AND CENTRAL AMERICA ..............................16

People FACTFILE Geography FACTFILE Highest mountains Longest rivers Largest islands Oil consumption Fast facts Political MAP OF NORTH AMERICA Political MAP OF CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Physical MAP OF NORTH AMERICA...................................................18

Physical MAP OF CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN................20 Climate: North and Central America

Habitats: North and Central America Land use: North and Central America San Andreas fault North America FACTFILES

Central America FACTFILES ...........................................................................................22--

SOUTH AMERICA ........................................................................................................24

People FACTFILE Geography FACTFILE Highest mountains (by country) Longest rivers Largest lakes

Habitats Amazon Rainforest facts Fast facts Political MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA

Land use Climate: South America Physical MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA........... .................... ........ South America FACTFILES

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AFRICA ..................................................................................................................

People FACTFILE Geography FACTFILE Highest mountains Longest rivers Largest islands Fast Oil consumption Political MAP OF AFRICA Mount Kilimanj

Physical MAP OF AFRICA ................... ................... ...............

Habitats and protecting Africas wildlife Climate: Africa.....

Land use The African baobab tree Africa FACTFILES

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EUROPE ................................................................................................................

People FACTFILE Geography FACTFILE Highest mountains (by country) Longest rivers Largest is Fast facts Oil consumption Political MAP OF EUROPE

Physical MAP OF EUROPE...................................................

Habitats Climate: Europe The European Union ............... European Union members EU flag and the Euro Land use Europe FACTFILES

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ASIA..........................................................................................................................

People FACTFILE Geography FACTFILE Highest mountains (by country) Largest lakes Largest isl Siberia Oil consumption Political MAP OF ASIA

Physical MAP OF ASIA.........................................................

Habitats The Asian rainforest Climate: Asia.................... Land use Fast facts Asia FACTFILES

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OCEANIA .............................................................................................................

People FACTFILE Geography FACTFILE

Highest mountains (by country) Largest islands Habitats Fast facts Political MAP OF OCEANIA Uluru Land use Climate: Oceania

Physical MAP OF OCEANIA...................................................

Oceania FACTFILES

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THE ARCTIC/ANTARCTICA ............................................................

GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................

INDEX .....................................................................................................................

CONTENTS

s edition published in the United States in 2006 by School Specialty Publishing, a member of the School Specialty Family.

yright ticktock Entertainment Ltd 2005 First published in Great Britain in 2005 by ticktock Media Ltd. Printed in China.

rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a central retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by

means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, withouth the prior written permission of the publisher.

tten by Dee Phillips. Special thanks to: Alan Grimwade, Cosmographics, Indexing Specialists (UK) Ltd, and Elizabeth Wiggans.

rary of Congress-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher.

d all inquiries to:

ool Specialty Publishing

0 Orion Place

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P O N M L K J I H DEFG

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The amount of oil produced,bought and sold, and used in the

world is measured in barrels.A barrel is equivalent to42 gallons.

Nigeria isAfricaslargest producerofoil2,356,000barrelsper day

TOP 5 CONSUMERSOF OIL(USAGE PER DAY)

E gy pt 5 62 ,0 00 b ar re lsSouthAfrica 460,000barrelsN ig er ia 2 75 ,0 00 b a rr el sL ib ya 2 16 ,0 00 b ar re lsA lg er ia 2 09 ,0 00 b a rr el s

28

Africa is the second largest continent in

the world. The worlds biggest desert,

the Sahara,dominates the landscape of

the north, while in the south forests and vast

grasslands are home to wild animals, such as

leopards, lions,and elephants. The Great Rift

Valley,one of the Earths major geological

features,runs from the Red Sea down to

Mozambique. This huge crack in the Earths

surface,caused by a series of faults,is made up of

mountains,volcanoes,deep valleys, and lakes.

NAME LOCATION HEIGHT (feet)

Mt. Kilimanjaro Tanzania 19,341

Mt. Kirinyaga (Mt. Kenya) Kenya 17,060

MountStanley(Margherita Peak) Dem.Rep.Congo/Uganda 16,765

Ras Dashen Ethiopia 15,157

NAME RIVER MOUTH LENGTH (miles)Nile Mediterranean 4,144

Congo Atlantic Ocean 2,900

Niger Atlantic Ocean 2,597

Zambezi Indian Ocean 2,200

NAME AREA (sq miles)

Madagascar Indian Ocean 226,657

Runion Indian Ocean 972

Almost90% ofthe rainforestinWestAfrica hasbeen destroyed.

90%of the rainforeston theAfricanisland ofMadagascarhasbeendestroyed.Around80%ofthe animalspeciesfound onMadagascar live onlyonthis island and nowhere elseonEarth(otherthanzoopopulations).

Namibia wasthe firstcountryinthe world toinclude protectingthe environment initsconstitution.Around 14%ofNamibia isnow protectedincludingthe entire NamibDesertcoast.

Ancient rock paintingsshowthat8,000yearsago theSahara Desertwas a lush,greenplace that washome to manywild animals.

Itis believed thatthe firstplaceinthe world tocultivate coffeewasEthiopia.It wasgrowninthe Kefa regionof Ethiopiaaround 1000years ago.

HIGHEST MOUNTAINS FAST FACTS

LONGEST RIVERS

LARGEST ISLANDS

OIL CONSUMPTION

P E O P L EFACTFILE

Total population:887,000,000

Highest population:Nigeria 128,771,988

Lowest population:Djibouti 476,703

Most populous city:Cairo, Egypt11,146,000 residents

Life expectancy:Male: 51 yearsFemale: 53 years

Highest infant mortality rate:Angola: 191 deaths per 1,000births the highest in the world

Average annual incomeper person (in USD):Highest: Mauritius $12,800Lowest: Sierra Leone $600

G E O G R A P H YFACTFILE

Total land area:11,697,000 square miles

Largest country:Sudan: 967,499 square miles

Smallest country:Mayotte: 144 square miles

Largest lake:Lake Victoria, East Africa26,641 square miles

Largest desert:Sahara Desert, North Africa3.5 million square milesLargest desert in the world

Highest waterfall:Tugela Falls, South AfricaTotal drop: 3,110 feet

See page 33AFRICA FACTFILES

An African leopard in theSamburu Game Reserve, Kenya.

See page 24 AMAZON RAINFORESTFACTS

See page 11 WORLDS10 LARGESTLAKES

Madeira

Canary Is.

COMOROSMayotte

Runion

SEYCHELLES

Mauritius

I N D I A NO C E A N

A T L A N T I C

O C E A NSAO TOME & PRINCIPE

REDSEA

MADAGASCAR

SOUTHAFRICA

LESOTHO

NAMIBIA

BOTSWANA

ZIMBABWE MOZAMBIQUE

ANGOLAZAMBIA

TANZANIA

SWAZILAND

K E N Y AUGANDA

E T H I O P I A

S U D A NC H A D

CENTRALAFRICANREPUBLIC

NIGERIA

CAMEROON

EQUATORIALGUINEA

GABON

COTEDIVOIRE

GHANA

TOGO

BENINBURKINO FASO

M A L IMAURITANIA

SENEGALGAMBIA

GUINEABISSAU G U I N E A

SIERRALEONE

LIBERIA

WESTERNSAHARA

A L G E R I A L I B Y A

TUNISIAMOROCCO

N I G E R

E G Y P T

SOMALIA

ERITREA

DJIBOUTI

RWANDA

BURUNDI

MALAWI

DEMOCRATIC

REPUBLIC

OF CONGO

REPUBLICOF

CONGO

CapeVerde Is.

MEDITERRANEANESEA

29

AfricasMount Kilimanjaro isan extinct volcano.It isthe highestmountainin the world that it ispossible toscale without specialclimbingskills orequipment. Around 22,000people climb Kilimanjaroeveryyear,makingit the worldsmostcl imbed mountain.

AFRICA

EUROPE

TheEquator

Tropicof Capricorn

Tropicof Cancer

POLITICAL MAP OF AFRICA

MOUNT KILIMANJARO

0 500 1000 miles

0 500 1000 1500 kilometers

Due to rainforestdestruction, many

Madagascan animals,such as this ring-tailedlemur, are endangered.

AFRICAAFRICA

See the GLOSSARYfordefinitions of LIFE

EXPECTANCY andINFANTMORTALITY RATE.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

JUST THE FACTS, WORLD ATLAS combines detailed world maps with a quick and easy-to-use

way to research geography facts and find information on the worlds people, cities, countries,

rivers, lakes, and mountains. Each of the worlds continents has its own section. In addition, there

e pages containing facts about the solar system, time zones, landforms, earthquakes, volcanoes, and

e oceans. For fast access to just the facts, follow the tips on these pages.

TWO QUICK WAYS

TO FIND A FACT:

Use the detailedCONTENTS

list on page 3to find your topic ofinterest.

rn to the relevantge and use the BOX HEADINGS to find theormation box you need.

Turn to the INDEX that starts on page60 and search for key words relating toyour research.

he index will direct you to the correct pageand where on the page to find the factyou need.

GLOSSARYA GLOSSARY of words and terms used in

begins on page 58.The glossary provides additional inforto supplement the facts on the main JUST THE FACTS

Each topic box presents the facts you needin lists; short, quick-to-read bullet points;charts, and tables

BOX HEADINGSLook for heading words linkedto your research to guide youto the right fact box.

PHYSICAL MAPSEach continent has a detailed physi

map that shows: Borders

Capital cities

Major cities

Highest mountains

Rivers and lakes

Land heights above and below sea leve

Oceans, seas, and major bodies of wate

HOW TO FIND A PLACE USINGTHE PHYSICAL MAPS

Look up the place you want to find in the Mon page 6064. There you will see a pag

and a letter/number code. Look for the lenumber on the grid at the edge of the relevDraw a line with your fingers from those tYou will find the place you are looking for

two tracks meet.

FACTFILES The section for each continent incluinformation on every country.

LINKSLook for the purple links throughout the book. Each link givesother pages where related or additional facts can be found.

GUADELOUPETotal area ( sq. miles ) : 687Total population :448,713Capital c ity: Basse-TerreCurrency: Euro(EUR)Languages:French

Farming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Bananas,sugarcane,fruit,vegetables,livestockNatural resources:Limited,butbeachesand climate good fortourismStatus:Frenchoverseasterritory

GUATEMALATotal area ( sq. miles ) : 42 , 043Total population :14,655,189Capital c ity: GuatemalaCurrency: Quetzal(GTQ),US dollar(USD)Languages:Spanish;Quiche,Cakchiquel,Kekchi,MamFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Sugarcane,corn,bananas,coffee,beansNatural resources ( top 5) :Oil,nickel,timber ,fish,chic le

HAITITotal area ( sq. miles ) : 10 , 714Total population :8,121,622Capital c ity: Port-au-PrinceCurrency: Gourde (HTG)Languages:French;CreoleFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Coffee,mangos,sugarcane,rice,cornNatural resources ( top 5) :Bauxite,copper,calc ium carbonate,gold,marble

HONDURASTotal area ( sq. miles ) : 43 , 278Total population :6,975,204Capital c ity: TegucigalpaCurrency: Lempira (HNL)Languages:Spanish,Ameri ndiandialectsFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Bananas,coffee,citrusfruits,cattle,timberNatural resources ( top 5) :Timber,gold,s ilver,copper,lead

JAMAICATotal area ( sq. miles ) : 4 , 244Total population :2,731,832Capital c ity: KingstonCurrency: Jamaicandollar(JMD)Languages:English,EnglishpatoisFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Sugarcane,bananas,coffee,citrusfruits,yamsNatural resources:Bauxi te,gypsum,limestone

MARTINIQUETotal area ( sq. miles ) : 425Total population :432,900Capital c ity: Fort-de-FranceCurrency: Euro(EUR)Languages:French,Creole patoisFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Pineapples, avocados, bananas,cutflowers,vegetables

Natural resources:Limited,butcoastline and beachesgood fortourismStatus:Frenchoverseasterritory

MEXICOTotal area ( sq. miles ) :761,606Total population:106,202,903Capital c ity: Mexico(DistritoFederal)Currency: Mexicanpeso(MXN)Languages : Spanish, Mayan, NahuatlFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Corn,wheat,soybeNatural resources ( top 5) :Oil,s ilver,copper,go

MONTSERRATTotal area ( sq. miles ) :39Total population: 9 , 341Capital c ity: Temporarygovernmentbuildingsat BradesEstate, CarrsBay and Little Bay due Currency: East Caribbeandollar (XCD)Languages :EnglishFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Cabbages,carrots,tomatoes, onionsNatural resources :Very limitedStatus :United Kingdom overseasterritory

NICARAGUATotal area ( sq. miles ) : 49 , 998Total population:5,465,100Capital c ity: ManaguaCurrency: Gold cordoba (NIO)Languages :SpanishFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Coffee,bananas,suNatural resources ( top 5) :Gold,s ilver,copper,t

PANAMATotal area ( sq. miles ) : 30 , 193Total population:3,039,150Capital c ity: PanamaCurrency: Balboa (PAB), US dollar (USD)Languages :Spanish,Engli shFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Bananas,rice,cornNatural resources :Copper,mahoganyforests,spower

PUERTO RICOTotal area ( sq. miles ) :3,515Total population:3,916,632Capital c ity: SanJuanCurrency: US dollar (USD)Languages :Spanish,Engli shFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Sugarcane,coffee,

plantains, bananasNatural resources :Copperand nickel(limitedfor onshore and offshore oilStatus : United Statesof America Commonwea

ST. KITTS AND NEVISTotal area ( sq. miles ) : 101Total population: 38 , 958

Capital c ity: BasseterreCurrency: East Caribbeandollar (XCD)Languages :EnglishFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Sugarcane,rice,yabananas

Natural resources :Arable land

Each country-by-country factfilecontains: totalareaof thecountry in squaremiles; totalpopulation;nameof the capital city; themain currencyused in thecountry; main languagesspoken (listed in order ofnumber of speakers); top fivefarming productsproduced (listed in order of importanceto thecountryseconomy); natural resources (of commercial importance; somecountriesdo not havenatural resources, suchasoil or minerals, but their coastlineand climateattract touristswhich arevital to thecountryseconomy); anda countrys statusif it isnot independent.

An inviting Virgin Islands beach.Formanycountries,the beauty

of the environment is theirmostimportant natural resource.

CENTRAL AMERICAFACTFILES

ANGUILLATotal area ( sq. miles ):39Total population: 13 , 254Capital c ity: The ValleyCurrency: East Caribbeandollar (XCD)Languages:EnglishFarming: Tobacco,vegetables,cattleNatural resources: S a l t , f ish,lobstersStatus :United Kingdom overseasterritory

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDATotal area ( sq. miles ): 170Total population: 68 , 722Capital c ity: Saint Johns(onAntigua)Currency: East Caribbeandollar (XCD)Languages:English,localdi alectsFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Cotton, vegetables, bananas, coconuts,cucumbersNatural resources:Limited,butcl imate good fortourism

ARUBATotal area ( sq. miles ): 74 . 5Total population: 71 , 566Capital c ity: OranjestadCurrency: Arubanguil der/florin(AWG)Languages:Dutch,Papiamento,EnglishFarming: Aloe plants,l ivestockNatural resources:Fish,white sandybeachesthatare goodfortouri smStatus :Self-governingNetherlandsterritory

BAHAMAS (THE)Totalarea( sq.miles ) : 5382Total population:301,790Capital c ity: NassauCurrency: Bahamia n d o llar (BSD)Languages:English,CreoleFarming: Citrusfruits,vegetabl es,poultryNatural resources:Salt,aragonite,timber

BARBADOSTotal area ( sq. miles ): 166Total population:279,254Capital c ity: BridgetownCurrency: Barbadia n d o llar(BCD)Languages:EnglishFarming: Sugarcane,vegetabl es,cottonNatural resources: O i l , f ish,naturalgas

BELIZETotal area ( sq. miles ) :8,867Total population: 279 , 457Capital c ity: BelmopanCurrency: Belizeandollar(BZD)Languages :English,Spanish,MayanFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Bananas,coca,citrusfruits,sugarcane,fishNatural resources :Timber,fish,hydroelectricpower

BERMUDATotal area ( sq. miles ) : 20 . 5Total population: 63 , 365Capital c ity: HamiltonCurrency: Bermudiandollar(BCD)Languages :English,PortugueseFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Bananas,vegetables,c itrusfruits,cutflowers,dairyproductsNatural resources :Limestone,climate good fortourismStatus :United Kingdom overseasterritory

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDSTotal area ( sq. miles ) :59Total population: 22 , 643Capital c ity: Road TownCurrency: US dollar(USD)Languages :EnglishFarming: Fruit,vegetables,livestock,poultryNatural resources :Fish,is l andsgood fortourismStatus :United Kingdom overseasterritory

CAYMAN ISLANDSTotal area ( sq. miles ) : 101Total population: 44 , 270Capital c ity: George TownCurrency: Caymaniandollar (KYD)Languages :EnglishFarming: Vegetables,fruit,l ivestock,turtle farmingNatural resources :Fish,c li mate and beachesgood fortourismStatus :United Kingdom overseasterritory

COSTA RICATotal area ( sq. miles ) : 19 , 730Total population:4,016,173Capital c ity: SanJoseCurrency: Costa Ricancolon(CRC)Languages :Spanish,EnglishFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Coffee,pineapples,bananas,sugarcane,cornNatural resources :Hydroelectricpower

CUBATotal area ( sq. miles ) : 42 , 803Total population:11,346,670Capital c ity: HavanaCurrency: Cubanpeso(CUP)Languages:SpanishFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Sugarcane,tobacco,citrusfruits,coffee, riceNatural resources ( top 5) :Cobal t,nickel,i ronore,chromium,copper

DOMINICATotal area ( sq. miles ) : 291Total population: 69 , 029Capital c ity: RoseauCurrency: EastCaribbeandollar(XCD)Languages: E n g lish,FrenchpatoisFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Bananas,citrusfruits,mangos,root vegetables, coconutsNatural resources:Timber ,hydroelectricpower

DOMINICAN REPUBLICTotal area ( sq. miles ) : 18 , 815Total population:8,950,034Capital c ity: SantoDomingoCurrency: Dominicanpeso(DOP)Languages:SpanishFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Sugar cane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobaccoNatural resources:N ickel,bauxite,gold,s ilver

EL SALVADORTotal area ( sq. miles ) : 8 , 124Total population:6,704,932Capital c ity: SanSalvadorCurrency: US dollar (USD)Languages:Spanish,NahuaFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Coffee,sugarcane,corn,rice, oilseedNatural resources:Hydroelectricpower,geothermalpower , o i l

GRENADATotal area ( sq. miles ) : 133Total population: 89 , 502Capital c ity: Saint GeorgesCurrency: EastCaribbeandollar(XCD)Languages: E n g lish,FrenchpatoisFarming ( top 5 produc ts ) : Bananas, cocoa, nutmeg,mace,citrusfruitsNatural resources:Timber ,tropicalfruit,deepwaterhar borsgood forshipping

SeetheGLOSSARYforwordsandtermsusedi ntheseFACTFILES.

22

NO

8 9

EARTHQUAKESAND VOLCANOES

Researchers believethatthe Earths crust is cracked into huge pieces

that fit together like a giant puzzle. The cracked sections, called

tectonic plates,are supported by the oozing,soft rocks of the mantle

beneath the Earths crust. The unstable borders between the plates are known

as rings of fire. These areas are danger zones for both volcanoes and

earthquakes. A volcano is an opening in the Earths crust which allows red-

hot magma (molten rock) from the mantle to escape onto the surface of the

Earth. An earthquake is a shaking of the ground caused by movements of

rocks beneath the Earths surface.

E A R T H Q U A K EFACTFILE

Seismologists:Scientists who study and measureearthquakes are calledseismologists.

Measuring earthquakes:Seismologists use measuringinstruments called seismographstorecord the pattern of anearthquakes seismic waves and todetermine out the strength andduration of the earthquake.

The Richter scale:The best known method ofrecording the magnitude ofearthquakes is the Richter Scale.

American seismologist, Charles F.Richter, developed this numberingsystem in 1935.

Earthquake depths:The focus, the starting point, of mostearthquakes is less than 50 milesbelow the Earths surface.

Largest recorded earthquake:On May 22, 1960, an earthquakeof 9.5 magnitude on the RichterScale struck the coast of Chile,South America. Seismographsrecorded seismic waves travelingaround the whole world for manydays afterward.

V O L C A N OFACTFILE

ACTIVE OR EXTINCT?

Active volcanoes are those thaterupt regularly or have the capacity

to erupt. They are sometimes called

dormantif they have not erupted fora very long period. Extinct

volcanoes are dead volcanoes.

They will not erupt again.

MAGMA/LAVA

Magma is the red-hot, melted rock

inside a volcano. As soon as

magma leaves a volcano andbursts out into the air or sea, it is

known as lava. Lava can erupt at

temperatures of up to 2192F.

PLINIAN ERUPTIONS

During a plinian eruption, gas-rich

magma explodes inside a volcano.

This causes cinder, ash, and gasesto be f ired up into the air

sometimes as high as 19 miles!

A volcano isa self-mademountain. Itshollowcentreprovidesa pathwaybetween theEarthsupper mantleand thesurface.

The magnitude ofanearthquake isa measurementofthe earthquakesstrengthand size.The measuringsystem used here isthe RichterScale.

The intensityofanearthquake isa measurementofthe shakingcausedbythe earthquake.

M a g ni t ud eDes c r ip t i on I nt ensi t y Av er ag enumb ereach year

2 t o 2 . 9 V e r y min o r R e c o rd e d b y s e i s mog r a p hs , 1 , 300 ,000butnotfeltbypeople

3 t o 3 .9 M i no r F e lt b y so m e p e op l e 1 3 0 ,0 0 04 t o4 .9 L ig ht F el t by m an y pe op le 1 3, 00 05 t o5 .9 M od er at e S li gh t da ma ge 1 ,3 196 to 6. 9 S tr on g D am ag in g 1 34

7 to 7. 9 M aj or D es tru ct iv e 1 78 an d hi gh er G r ea t D ev as ta ti ng 1

PLATE MOVEMENTSTwo tectonic plates slowly move,squeezing and stretching the rocksunderground. Enormous pressurebuilds up.

FOCUS OF THE EARTHQUAKEMiles underground, rocks break andgive way, releasing the pressure.The point where this happens iscalled the focusor hypocenter.

SEISMICWAVESVibrations, or seismicwaves , aresent out from the focus causing theground at the surface to shake. Thepoint on the surface directly abovethe focus is called the epicenter.

FAULTSSometimes, the Earths crust is putunder such pressure that it cracks.The places where the surface cracksopen are called faults. The lines thecracks create are called faultlines.

MOST DEADLYEARTHQUAKE

The worldsmostdeadly,recordedearthquake happened in1556.Theearthquake struck incentralChina.Around 830,000people were killedwhentheirhomes,whichwerecarved insoftrock,collapsed.

KRAKATOA

OnAugust27,1883, the volcanicisland ofKrakatoa,inIndonesia,

erupted ina massive explosionwhichcould be heard across8%ofthe Earthssurface.Thousandsofpeople were sweptouttosea by

a gianttsunamicaused bythe

eruption.Over36,000people

were killed.

EARTHQUAKES IN JAPAN

Japanissituated where fourof

the Earthsplatesmeet.In1 923,143,000people were killed inthe

area around Tokyo,Japanscapital,

whena magnitude-8.3earthquake

struck.OnJanuary17,1995, a

magnitude-7.2earthquake killed5,500people and destroyed

100,000homesin Kobe,Japan.

Mauna Loa, Hawaii, isthelargest volcano on Earth.Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984.

Mauna Loassummitis2 9,527feetfrom the oceanfloor.However,scientistsestimate thatitsgreatmassisactually squashingthe oceanfloordownbyanother26,246feet,givingthe volcanoa

totalheightofjustunder56,000feetfrom seafloorbase tosummit.

INSIDE A VOLCANO

FREQUENCY OF EARTHQUAKES WORLDWIDESTORY OF ANEARTHQUAKE

EARTHQUAKE AND VOLCANO DISASTERS

WORLDS LARGESTVOLCANO

See page 6INSIDEPLANETEARTH forinformation on the Earthscrustandmantle.

See page 9FREQUENCY OF EARTHQUAKES

WORLDWIDEto see howearthquakemagnitudesare measuredusing the

Richterscale.

OCEANPLATECONTINENTAL PLATE

SPREADINGRIDGE

Lava flowsoutthrougha riftinthe oceanfloorcreatingnewcrustand a range of

undersea mountains.

HOT SPOT VOLCANO

Hotspots are areasofgreatactivityinthe mantle where

magma forcesitswaythrougha tectonicplate.

MID-OCEANRIDGE

OCEANTRENCH

VOLCANOES

Where the platescollide,magma canescape tothesurface,creatingarangeofvolcani cmountains.

NEW VOLCANICISLAND

OCEANPLATE

CONTINENTAL RIFT

The point where twocontinentalplatesare movingapart.

SUBDUCTIONZONE

Where platescollide,the edge ofone isoftenpushed underneaththe other.This iscalled subduction.Itmaytake place betweencontinentalplates,

oceanplatesorone ofeach(asshownabove).

Epicenter

Focus

Normalfault

Reversefault

Horizontal fault

Seismicwaves

Ash cloudCraterLava flow

Main ventSidevent

Magmachamber

Earthscrust

CrustMagma rises from themantleintochambers insidetheEarths crust

Asatelliteimageof MaunaLoa.Thevolcanos base

spreads over50%of theisland of Hawaii.

Steepmountain sidescreated froma build-up oflava fromearliereruptions.

EVER-CHANGING PLANET

NORTH AMERICANPLATE

JUANDE FUCAPLATE

PACIFICPLATE

COCOSPLATE

NAZCAPLATESOUTH

AMERICANPLATE

CARIBBEANPLATE AFRICANPLATE

ANATOLIANPLATE

EURASIANPLATE

ARABIANPLATE INDIA

PLATE

ANTARCTICPLATE

AUSTRALIANPLATE

PHILIPPINEPLATE

PACIFICPLATE

THE CRACKED PLANET Thismap showstheedgesof thetectonicplatesthat makeup theEarthssurface. Theplatesareconstantlymoving by just a fewincheseach year.

TheEarthstectonicplatemovementsset off earthquakesand volcanoes,aswell ascreatemountain rangesand deep-sea trenches.

CONTINENT-BY-CONTINENT FACTSEach continents section opens with two pagesthat show key facts and statistics about thepeople and geography of that continent.

Pages packed with supplementary factsand geography information.

POLITICAL MAPSEach continent has a map that shows theterritories of all the countries.

See page 33 AFRICA FACTFILES


5/35

Because the Earth is curved like aball, the Suns rays are weakerand more spread out at the Arcticand Antarctic, making theseregions cold.

At the Equator, the Suns raysare the most concentrated, sothis region is very hot.

Our planet, calledEarth, is a ball of rock

traveling about 67,000 miles an hour through

space. Earth is moving around a star, called the

Sun. The pulling power, or gravity, of the Sun keeps the

Earth on an elliptical (oval-shaped) course. The time it

takes the Earth to make one complete orbit of the Sun is

called ayear.

Planet Average dis tance f rom Sun Time taken to orbit the Sun Per iod of rotat ion Diameter a(in millions of miles) (in Earth days) (in Earth days) Equ

Mercury 36 88 58.63 3033Venus 67 224.7 243 7521Earth 93 365.2 1 7926Mars 142 687 1.02 4222Jupiter 484 4331 0.41 88,846Saturn 891 10,747 0.44 74,897Uranus 1785 30,589 0.72 31,763Neptune 2793 59,800 0.67 30,775Pluto 3647 90,588 6.39 1485

When viewed from space theEarth looks blue, brownand white.

The vast areas of

blue are oceans.70.7% of theEarths surface iscovered in water: anarea of 138,984,000square miles.

The brown areas are landmasses.29.3% of the Earths

surface is dry land: anarea of 57,688,000square miles.

The white areasare clouds hanging

in the atmosphere(the layer of gases

surrounding the Earth).

The crustThickness varies from 3 miles(beneath the oceans) to 1243miles (where there arelandmasses and mountains).

The mantleMade of magnesium andsilicon and around 1,800miles thick. About 62 milesdown, the mantle becomesmolten (melted).

Outer coreMade of molten iron,

cobalt, and nickeland around 1,400

miles thick.

Inner coreMade of solidiron and around

800 miles thick.The temperature at

the core is 10,800F.

As the Earth spins, some partsof the world are in sunlight whileothers are in darkness. That is whyit is a different time in variousplaces in the world.

Therefore, the world has beendivided up into 24 time zones.Because the Earth rotates through360 degrees every 24 hours, eachtime zone covers 15 degrees oflongitude on a map of the world.

The zero point of longitude is atGreenwich in London. It is knownas the Greenwich meridian. As youmove east or west from Greenwichthrough each new time zone, youadd or subtract an hour of time.

As Earth spins, it also tilts,so its position in relation tothe Sun gradually changesthroughout the year.

When the northern hemisphere

is tilted toward the Sun, countries

in the north have summer.

Countries in the southern

hemisphere have winter.

PLANET EARTH FROM SPACE

TIME ZONES

INSIDE PLANET EARTH

L A N E T E A R T HFACTFILE

e of the Earth:billion years old

meter at the Equator:26 miles across

meter at the Poles:00 miles across

cumference at the Equator:627 miles around

eight (mass) of the Earth:sextillion tons

erage surface temperature:F

tational speed at

Equator:5 mph

Earth is a ball spinning on an, so places at the Equator spinh faster than at the North andth Poles.

O O N

ACTFILE

moon is a ball of rock thatbits a planet. Moons aremetimes calledsatellites.e Earth has one moon.

ngth of Moons orbit:Moon orbits the Earth once

ry 27 days, 7 hours, and 43

utes. It takes the same length ofe to rotate once on its own axis.

biting speed:00 mph

tance from the Earth:distance varies from,456238,857 miles.

cumference of the Moon:90 miles around the middle

A year

The exact time it takes for the

Earth to make one complete orbit

of the Sun is 365 days, 6 hours,

9 minutes and 10 seconds.

A leap year

Because it is more convenient

to use a calendar of 365 whole

days, every four years we have

to add up the extra 6 hours, 9

minutes and 10 seconds to make

an extra day. These 366-day years

are called leap years.

A day

As the Earth orbits the Sun it also

rotates, or spins around. One

complete rotation takes 23 hours,

56 minutes and 4 seconds.

We round this period up to 24

hours and call it a day.

PLANET EARTH

EARTH TIME

Tropic of Cancer

Arctic Circle

Antarctic Circle

The Equator Suns rays strongest

Sunsraysweakest

Sunsrays weakest

Tropic of Capricorn

Earth is dividied into differentsections by human beings sothat it

is easier to study.

Summer

Summer

Winter

Day for the half of theEarth facing the Sun.

12:00 pmGreenwich,London, UK

07:00 amNew York, USA

04:00 amSeattle, USA

3:00 pmMoscow, Russia T

Night for the half of facing away from the

The Earth travels 585,000,000 milesin a year to complete one orbit.

Winter

Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune

The Earth is one of nineplanets that make up the

Solar System.

HOT AND COLD PLANET

SUMMER AND WINTER

Earths orbit365days(approx)

GREENWICH

SEATTLENEW YORK

MOSCOW

TOKY

-12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +

NORTH

AMERICA

SOUTH

AMERICA

AFRICA

EUROPE ASIA

THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Sun


6/35

EARTHQUAKESAND VOLCANOES

Researchers believe that the Earths crust is cracked into huge

pieces that fit together like a giant puzzle. The cracked sections,

called tectonic plates, are supported by the oozing, soft rocks of the

mantle beneath the Earths crust. The unstable borders between the plates are

known as rings of fire. These areas are danger zones for both volcanoes and

earthquakes. A volcano is an opening in the Earths crust which allows red-

hot magma (molten rock) from the mantle to escape onto the surface of the

Earth. An earthquake is a shaking of the ground caused by movements of

rocks beneath the Earths surface.

A R T H Q U A K EACTFILE

smologists:entists who study and measurehquakes are calledmologists.

asuring earthquakes:mologists use measuringruments called seismographs toord the pattern of anhquakes seismic waves and to

ermine out the strength andation of the earthquake.

e Richter scale:best known method of

ording the magnitude ofhquakes is the Richter Scale.erican seismologist, Charles F.hter, developed this numberingem in 1935.

thquake depths:focus, the starting point, of mosthquakes is less than 50 miles

ow the Earths surface.

gest recorded earthquake:May 22, 1960, an earthquake.5 magnitude on the Richterle struck the coast of Chile,th America. Seismographs

orded seismic waves travelingund the whole world for manys afterward.

V O L CFACTF

ACTIVE OR EXTIN

Active volcanoes are

erupt regularly or hav

to erupt. They are som

dormantif they have

a very long period. E

volcanoes are dead v

They will not erupt ag

MAGMA/LAVA

Magma is the red-hot

inside a volcano. As s

magma leaves a volca

bursts out into the air

known as lava. Lava c

temperatures of up to

PLINIAN ERUPTIO

During a plinian erupmagma explodes insi

This causes cinder, as

to be fired up into the

sometimes as high as

A volcano is a self-made mountain. Its hollow centre provides a pathwaybetween the Earths upper mantle and the surface.

The magnitude of an earthquake is a measurement of the earthquakesstrength and size. The measuring system used here is the Richter Scale.

The intensity of an earthquake is a measurement of the shaking causedby the earthquake.

Magn it ude Desc rip ti on I nt en sit y Average numbereach year

2 to 2.9 Ve ry min or R ec ord ed by se is mo gra ph s, 1 ,3 00 ,0 00but not felt by people

3 to 3.9 Minor Felt by some people 130,0004 to 4.9 Light Felt by many people 13,0005 to 5.9 Moderate Slight damage 1,3196 to 6.9 Strong Damaging 1347 to 7.9 Major Destructive 178 and higher Great Devastating 1

PLATE MOVEMENTS

Two tectonic plates slowly move,squeezing and stretching the rocksunderground. Enormous pressurebuilds up.

FOCUS OF THE EARTHQUAKE

Miles underground, rocks break andgive way, releasing the pressure.The point where this happens iscalled the focus or hypocenter.

SEISMIC WAVES

Vibrations, or seismic waves, aresent out from the focus causing theground at the surface to shake. Thepoint on the surface directly abovethe focus is called the epicenter.

FAULTS

Sometimes, the Earths crust is putunder such pressure that it cracks.The places where the surface cracksopen are called faults. The lines thecracks create are called fault lines.

MOST DEADLY EARTHQUAKE

The worlds most deadly, recorded

earthquake happened in 1556. Theearthquake struck in central China.Around 830,000 people were killedwhen their homes, which werecarved in soft rock, collapsed.

KRAKATOA

On August 27, 1883, the volcanicisland of Krakatoa, in Indonesia,erupted in a massive explosionwhich could be heard across 8% ofthe Earths surface. Thousands ofpeople were swept out to sea by

a giant tsunami caused by theeruption. Over 36,000 people

were killed.

EARTHQUAKES IN JAPAN

Japan is situated where four ofthe Earths plates meet. In 1923,143,000 people were killed in the

area around Tokyo, Japans capital,when a magnitude-8.3 earthquakestruck. On January 17, 1995, amagnitude-7.2 earthquake killed5,500 people and destroyed100,000 homes in Kobe, Japan.

Mauna Loa, Hawaii,largest volcano on EMauna Loa last eru

Mauna Loas summitfeet from the ocean fHowever, scientists eits great mass is actuthe ocean floor down26,246 feet, giving total height of just unfeet from seafloor ba

INSIDE A VOLCANO

FREQUENCY OF EARTHQUAKES WORLDWIDESTORY OF ANEARTHQUAKE

EARTHQUAKE AND VOLCANO DISASTERS

WORLDS LAVOLCA

See page 6 INSIDE PLANET EARTH for information on the Earths crust and mantle.

See page 9FREQUENCY OF EARTHQUAKESORLDWIDE to see how earthquakeagnitudes are measured using the

Richter scale.

OCEAN PLATECONTINENTAL PLATE

SPREADING RIDGE

Lava flows out through a riftin the ocean floor creatingnew crust and a range of

undersea mountains.

HOT SPOT VOLCANO

Hot spots are areas of greatactivity in the mantle where

magma forces its way througha tectonic plate.

MID-OCEAN RIDGE

OCEAN TRENCH

VOLCANOES

Where the plates collide, magma can escape tothe surface, creating a range of volcanic mountains.

NEW VOLCANICISLAND

OCEAN PLATE

CONTINENTAL RIFT

The point where two continental platesare moving apart.

SUBDUCTION ZONE

ere plates collide, the edge of one is often pushed underneath the other.This is called subduction. It may take place between continental plates,

ocean plates or one of each (as shown above).

Epicenter

Focus

Normalfault

Reversefault

Horizontal fault

Seismic waves

Ash cloudCraterLava flow

Main ventSide vent

Magmachamber

Earthscrust

CrustMagma rises from the mantle intochambers inside the Earths crust

A satellite imageLoa. The volcan

spreads over 50island of Ha

Steepmountain sidescreated froma build-up oflava fromearliereruptions.

EVER-CHANGING PLANET

NORTH AMERICANPLATEJUAN DE FUCA

PLATE

PACIFIC PLATE

COCOSPLATE

NAZCA PLATESOUTH

AMERICANPLATE

CARIBBEANPLATE AFRICAN PLATE

ANATOLIANPLATE

EURASIANPLATE

ARABIANPLATE INDIA

PLATE

ANTARCTICPLATE

AUSTRALIANPLATE

PHILIPPINEPLATE

PACIFICPLATE

THE CRACKED PLANETThis map shows the edges of the tectonic plates that make up the Earths surface. The plates are constantlymoving by just a few inches each year.

The Earths tectonic plate movements set off earthquakes and volcanoes,as well as create mountain ranges and deep-sea trenches.


7/35

The Andes are the worldslongest chain of mountains.

They stretch down the westcoast of South America foraround 5,500 miles.

The Andes include the highest

mountain in South America,

Aconcagua in Argentina, which is

22,834 feet high. Many of the

mountains in the Andes are

volcanic.

The Andes were formed around

70 million years ago by the

collision of the Nazca Oceanic

Plate with the South American

Continental Plate.

A lake is a large body of water surrounded by land. Most laof fresh water. Lakes form in basins in the Earths surface. Rmelted snow and ice collect in the basin. Water also feeds inand streams.

L akes without a river flowing outward lose water through evawater becomes salty as minerals in the lake become m ore coThe worlds largest lake, the Caspian Sea, is a salt water lake

Lake Baykal in Russia is the worlds deepest lake. Its deepest5,315 feet deep.

Lake name Area

1. Caspian Sea Asia 1

2. Lake Superior Canada/USA

3. Lake Victoria East Africa

4. Lake Huron Canada/USA

5. Lake Michigan USA

6. Lake Tanganyika Central Africa

7. Great Bear Lake Canada

8. Lake Baykal Russia9. Lake Malawi/Nyasa East Africa

10. Aral Sea Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan

WHAT IS A LAKE?

WORLDS 10 LARGEST LAKES

THE ANDES

There are five oceans in the worldand many smaller seas withinthe oceans.

The Pacific ocean is the worldslargest ocean its total area isgreater than the amount of dryland on Earth.

The Southern Oceancircumnavigates the continent ofAntarctica. It officially became anocean in 2000, and was formedfrom the southern sections of theAtlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans.

The deepest points in each of the worlds oceans are listed below.They are measured from sea level(the surface of the ocean).

Cha ll enger Deep in the Mar iana Trench Pac if ic Ocean -35,840 feet

M ilwaukee Deep, Puer to Ri co Trench Atlanti c Ocean -28,232 feet

Java Trench Indian Ocean -23,812 feet

Southern end of South Sandwich Trench Southern Ocean -23,737 feet

Fram Basin Arctic Ocean -15,305 feet

Total length of coastline oneach ocean:

P ac if ic O ce an 8 4, 29 7 m il esA tl an ti c O cean 69,510 mil esI nd ia n O ce an 4 1, 33 7 m il esArctic Ocean 28,20 3 m ilesSou ther n Oc ea n 11,165 mil es

The oceans are never still.Tides rise and fall, and oceancurrents, which are like riversin oceans, move the wateraround.

Surface currentsare created bythe wind. Currentsdeep underwaterare created bytemperaturedifferences and theamount of salt in the water.

OCEAN CURRENTS

OCEAN DEPTHS AND COASTLINES

From the Himalayas, the worlds tallest mountains, to the deepest

ocean trench six and half miles below the surface of the Pacific

ocean, the Earths surface is slowly changing. Mountains grow inch-

by-inch and year-by-year, rivers carve new channels as they rush to the sea,

and oceans push and pull at the edges of the land.

MOUNTAINS, LAKES,RIVERS, AND OCEANS

untains are formed when theths tectonic plates move.

s layers of rocks push againstach other, they buckle andold at the edges. Mountainsre pushed up at upfolds, andalleys are formed in downfolds.

When the Earths crust cracksn a fault, layers of rock on oneide of the crack can be pushed

p to form a mountain.

When molten magma burstshrough the Earths crust, itardens and cools, sometimesorming a mountain.

eat from molten rock in themantle pushes layers of solid

ock in the Earths crust upwardreating a bulge on the Earthsurface.

MAKING AMOUNTAIN

Rivers begin their lives as small streams high up on mountains or hills.They grow and grow, joining with other small rivers, until they form onebig river which reaches the sea or lake. River water comes from rainfall,melted ice or snow, and groundwater from inside the Earths crust.

River Length (miles)

1. Nile Africa 4,144

2. Amazon South America 4,0073. Yangtze Asia 3,964

4. Mississippi-Missouri N. America 3,740

5. Yenisey-Angara Asia 3,448

6. Huang He (Yellow) Asia 3,395

7. Ob-Irtysh Asia 3,361

8. Congo Africa 2,900

9. Parana South America 2,796

10. Mekong Asia 2,702

WORLDS 10 LONGEST RIVERS

Some mountain peaks stand alone high above the surrounding landscape, but most mountains are joinedtogether to form a range. When several ranges of mountains are grouped together, they are called a chain.

The worlds ten highest mountain peaks are all in the same range of mountains in Asiathe Himalayas.

Mountai n nam e C ount ry Hei gh t ( fe et )1. Everest China/Nepal 29,035

2. K2 China/Pakistan 28,251

3. Kanchenjunga India/Nepal 28,169

4. Lhotse China/Nepal 27,939

5. Makalu China/Nepal 27,824

6. Cho Oyu China/Nepal 26,906

7. Dhaulagiri Nepal 26,811

8. Manaslu Nepal 26,758

9. Nanga Parbat Pakistan 26,660

10. Annapurna Nepal 26,502

WORLDS 10 HIGHEST MOUNTAIN PEAKS

Fold mountain

Mount Everestthe highest mountainin the world.

Coasts can be icy, rocky, orsandy, like these beaches at Rio

de Janeiro, Brazil, on SouthAmericas east coast.

(Numbers are rounded as appropriate.)

Fault mountain

Volcanic mountain

The Nile River snakesthrough Egypts capital

city, Cairo. The Nile flowsthrough northeast Africa outinto the Mediterranean Sea.

Dome mountain

See page 8THE CRACKED PLANET andEVER-CHANGING PLANET

See page 8EVER-CHANGING PLANET

for information on how oceantrenches are formed.

PPacific Ocean:60,000,000

sq. miles

Southern Ocean:7,800,000sq. miles

Arctic Ocean:5,400,000 sq. miles

Atlantic Ocean:29,600,000

sq. milesIndian Ocean:26,400,000

sq. miles

THE WORLDS OCEANS

Warm water currentsCold water currents

LakthelakeOvespefishits w

((numbers are rounded as appropriate.)

(Numbers are rounded as appropriate.)


8/35

P A C I F I C

O C E A N

A

N

D

E

S

RO

CK

YM

O

U

N

TAINS

A M A Z O NB A S I N

CARIBBEAN

SEA

NORTH

AMERICA

SOUTH

AMERICA

GR E E N

GULF

OF

ALASKA

GULF OF

MEXICO

PHYSICAL WORLD

K AL AHARI

D ESERT

P A C I F I

O C E A N

I N D I A N

O C E A N

ARABIAN

SE A

S A H A R A

ALPS

S I B E R I A

HIM

AL

A Y A S

PLATEAUOF TIBET

M E D ITERR

ANEA N S E A

R

E

D

S

E

AB A Y

O F

B E N G A L

BLACK SEA

U

R

A

L

M

OUNT

A IN

S

S O U T H E R N

O C E A N

EUROPEASIA

OCEA

A N T A R C T I C A

A F R I C A

L A N D

A R A B I A NP E N I N S U L A

Planet Earth is three dimensional: it has length, width, and height.

In order to create two dimensional maps for an atlas, map makers,

called cartographers, have devised ways to convert the Earths curved

surface into flat images, called projections . The projection below is a

physical map of the whole world. It shows physical features such as

mountains, and has a key that shows how the maps colors denote different

environments, such as tundra and desert.

HYS I CA L W ORL DACTFILE

tal surface area of Earth:6,672,000 square miles

tal length of coastlineEarth:

4,512 miles

gest ocean:ific Ocean

al area: 60 million square miles

gest oceanic island:enland, North America

al area: 836,330 square miles

gest lake:pian Sea, Asia is a

d-locked salt water lake.


gest freshwater lake:

e Superior in Canada/USAal area: 31,660 square miles

gest freshwater island:de Maraj, Brazil, South

erica, an island at the mouth ofAmazon River.


ngest river:e, Africaal length: 4,144 miles

lest mountain:unt Everest, Himalayas range,der of China and Nepal, Asia

ght: 29,035 feet

ngest cave system:mmoth Caves, USA0 miles of caves have been

ored and mapped.

gest gorge:nd Canyon, USA

al length: 277 milesdest point: 15 miles

gest desert:

ara desert, North Africaal area: 3.5 million square miles

ghest waterfall:gel Falls, Venezuela, South

erica has an uninterrupted fall,212 feet of water.

ttest recorded temperature:Aziziyah, Libya6F

west recorded temperature:tok Base, Antarctica

8F

C ON TI NE NT A re a ( sq ua re mi le s) P er ce nt ag e

Asia 17,177,000 29

Africa 11,697,000 20

North and Central America 9,357,000 16

South America 6,868,000 11

Antarctica 5,443,000 9

Europe 3,843,000 6

Oceania 3,303,000 5

THE CONTINENTS

Area (square miles)1. Russia 6,592,772

2. Canada 3,855,103

3. USA 3,718,711

4. China 3,705,407

5. Brazil 3,286,488

WORLDS LARGESTCOUNTRIES

PHYSICAL MAP OF THE WORLD

The projection on these pages wascreated by a process thats a bitlike peeling an orange, thensmoothing the skin out.

The flat, peeled version of theEarth was then stretched andmanipulated by computer tocreate the map we see below.

MAKING MAPS

ARCTIC OCEAN

ARCTIC OCEANW

Mountains

Ice

Forest

Grassland

Desert

Tundra

The Grand Canyon in Arizona was carved from thesurrounding rock by the flow of the Colorado River.

Its average depth is 4,000 feet.In the deepest places, the gorge is 6,000 feet deep.

Parts of the SaharaDesert in Africa can

go for severalyears without

having any rain.

MAP KEY

PHYSICAL MAP OF THE WORLD

CASPIANSEA

NORTHATLANTICOCEAN

The Angels Falls inVenezuela, SouthAmerica, were namedfor an Americanadventurer JamesAngel who crash-landed his plane nearthe top of the falls in1937.


9/35

C A N A D A

MEXICO CUBA

JAMAICABELIZE

DOMINICANREPUBLIC

HAITI PUERTORICOGUATEMALA

COSTA RICA

NICARAGUA

HONDURAS

EL SALVADOR

PANAMA

COLOMBIA

VENEZUELA

TRINIDAD &TOBAGO

GUYANA

SURINAME

FRENCH

GUIANA

ECUADOR

B R A Z I LPERU

PARAGUAY

ARGENTINA

URUGUAY

FALKLAND/MALVINAS ISLANDS

G R E E N L A N D(KALAALLIT NUNAAT)

UNIT ED STATES

OF AMERICA

C

H

I

L

E

HAWAII

GALAPAGOS IS

N O R T H

A T L A N T I C

O C E A N

CARIBBEANSEA

GULF OFMEXICO

ICELAND

FINLAND

DENMARKUNITED

KINGDOMIRELAND

FRANCE

BELGIUM

NETHERLANDS

LUXEMBOURG

GERMANY

LITHUANIARUSSIA

POLANDBELARUS

U K R A I N E

SPAINPORTUGAL

CZECHREP.

AUSTRIASWITZERLAND

ITALY

SLOVAKREP.

HUNGARY

SERBIA-MONTENEGROBULGARIA

ROMANIA

MOLDOVA

GREECETURKEY

CYPRUS

MOROCCO

WESTERNSAHARA

A L G E R I A L I B Y A

TUNISIA

MAURITANIA

SENEGALGAMBIA

GUINEA-BISSAU

GUINEA

SIERRA LEONE

LIBERIA

M A L I

BURKINAFASO

IVORYCOAST G H

A N A

TOGO

B E N I N NIGERIA

N I G E R C H A D

E G Y P T

S U D A NERITREA

E T H I O P I ACENTRAL AFRICANREPUBLIC

CAMEROON

EQUATORIALGUINEA

GABONREPUBLIC OF

CONGORWANDA

BURUNDI

UGANDA KENYA

SOMALIA

ANGOLA

NAMIBIA

ZAMBIA

TANZANIA

MALAWI

ZIMBABWE

BOTSWANA

MOZAMBIQUE

MADAGASCAR

SWAZILAND

LESOTHOSOUTHAFRICA

MAURITIUS

RUNION

GEORGIA

ARMENIA AZERBAIJAN

SYRIALEBANON

ISRAELJORDAN

IRAQ I R A N

SAUDI

ARABIA

QATARUNITEDARAB

EMIRATES

OMAN

YEMEN

I N D I A

AFGHANISTAN

PAKISTAN

TURKMENISTAN

U Z BE K IS T AN K YR G YZ ST A N

TAJIKISTAN

KAZAKHSTAN

SRILANKA

NEPAL BHUTAN

BANGLADESH

LAOS

THAILAND

CAMBODIA

VIETNAM

M A L A Y S I ABRUNEI

PHILIPPINES

TAIWAN

I N D O N E S I A PAPUANEW

GUINEASOLOISLA

A U S T R A L I A

R U S S I A NF E D E R A T I O N

M O N G O L I A

NORTHKOREA

SOUTHKOREA

JAPANC H I N A

ANDORRA

N

O

RW

AY

S

WE

DE

N

LATVIA

ESTONIA

CROATIABOSNIA-

HERZEGOVINA

ALBANIAMACEDONIA

KUWAIT

DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC

OF CONGO

DJBOUTI

SLOVENIA

BURMA

SINGAPORE

S O U T H

A T L A N T I C

O C E A N

P A C I F I C

O C E A N

I N D I A N

O C E A N

ARABIAN SE A

M ED I TERRA

NEA N S EA

B A YO F

B E N G A L

BLACK SEA

Life expectancy at birthtotal population:Male: 63 yearsFemale: 66 years

Highest life expectancy:Andorra, Europe 83.5 years

Lowest life expectancy:Botswana, Africa 34 years

dian age is the age that dividesopulation in two half theple are younger than this age,half are older.

al world populationdian age: 27.6 yearsle: 27 years

male: 28.2 years

This chart shows the worldspopulation by age group.

POLITICAL WORLD

This map is a political map of the world. The colors on the map

show how people divide up the world into territories, or individual

countries. The number of countries in the world changes often.

Sometimes, large countries divide up into smaller countries. Other times, a

group of small countries will join together to become one large country.If

you were to look at a political map of the world 50 years from now, it might

look quite different to how the political world looks today.

LIFE EXPECTANCY

Total length of roadsin the world:

20,098,354 miles

Total length of railwayin the world:692,956 miles

Number of airportsin the world:

49,973

TRANSPORT FACTS

AGE STRUCTURE OF WORLD POPULATION

otal world population in2005:

6,446,131,400

World population growthper year:

1.14%

C hina 1,30 6,313 ,8 12ndia 1,08 0,264 ,3 88

USA 295,734,134

nd ones ia 241,973,879

Brazil 186,112,794

P aki st an 1 62 ,4 19 ,9 46

Bangladesh 144,319,628Russia 143,420,309

Nigeria 12 8,771 ,9 88

Japan 127,417,244

Tokyo Japan 35,327,000

Mexico City Mexico 19,013,000

New York USA 18,498,000

Mumbai (Bombay) India 18,336,000

S~ao Paulo Brazil 18,333,000

Delhi India 15,334,000

Kolkata (Calcutta) India 14,299,000

Buenos Aires Argentina 13,349,000

Jakarta Indonesia 13,194,000

Shanghai China 12,665,000

014 years

1564 years

65+ years

27.8%

64.9%

7.3%

mbers include the city and surrounding urban areas.)

Territories anddependencies are noted in

the country-by-countryFACTFILES.

See the GLOSSARY forLIFE EXPECTANCY

SOUTHERN

ORLD POPULATION

GHEST POPULATIONBY COUNTRY

ORLDS LARGEST CITIES BY POPULATION

Share of worldswealth by contine

In the world today, there are 192 countries,

or states, which have their own governmentand are completely independent.There are also many countries that are

territories or dependencies of one of

the independent states. Territories and

dependencies are governed and protected

by the independent country

INDEPENDENT STATES AND DEPENDENCIES

KeyEuropeOceania

AsiaAfricaSouth AmericaNorth America

World population by continent

WEALTH BY CONTINENT

2.2%

3.7%

7.1%15.5%

0.4%

58.3%

6.7%

12%

32.7%

24

POLITICAL MAP OF THE WORLDPOLITICAL MAP OF THE WORLD


10/35

Oil is a fossil fuel (a naturalresource) that we burn to producepower for heating and lighting. Itis also used as fuel for cars,trucks, and planes.

Oil production and consumption ismeasured in barrels. A barrel isequivalent to 42 gallons.

TOP 5 CONSUMERS OF OIL(USAGE PER DAY)

USA 19,650,000 barrels

C anada 2 ,2 00,00 0 barrels

Pue rt o R ic o 190,000 b ar re ls

Cuba 163,000 barrelsJamaica 66,000 barrels

The North American continent lies between

the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This

varied region stretches from the icy plains

of arctic North America to the hot deserts and lush

tropical forests of Central America and the

Caribbean islands. Dominating western North

America are the Rocky Mountains, which stretch

for 3000 miles from Canada to New Mexico,

through the United States of America.

NORTH AMERICA AND

CENTRAL AMERICA


Mt. McKinley USA (Alaska) 20,322

Mt. Logan Canada 19,849

Pico de Orizaba Mexico 18,406

Mt. St Elias USA/Canada 18,008

NAME RIVER MOUTH LENGTH (miles)

Mis sis si pp i- Mi ss our i G ul f of M ex ic o 3 ,7 40

Mackenzie Arctic Ocean 2,635

Yukon Pacific Ocean 1,979

Rio Grande Gulf of Mexico 1,889

NAME LOCATION AREA (sq miles)

Greenland Atlantic Ocean 836,330

Baffin Island Canada 196,100

Victoria Island Canada 81,900

The center of Greenland hassunk to 1,000 feet below sealevel due to the weight of thehuge ice sheet that covers mostof the island.

At 282 feet below sea level,Death Valley in California is thelowest place in the westernhemisphere. Summertemperatures often exceed120F.

The USA is the worlds thirdlargest producer of oil7,800,000 barrels each day.

The saguaro cactus only growsin the Sonoran desert in theUSA and Mexico. Saguaros cangrow to 50 feet tall and live for175 years.

Cuba is the fifth largest island inthe region at 42,803 squaremiles.

HIGHEST MOUNTAINS FAST FACTS

LONGEST RIVERSLONGEST RIVERS

LARGEST ISLANDSLARGEST ISLANDS

OIL CONSUMPTION

M E X I C O

U N I T E DS T A T E S O FA M E R I C A

C A N A D A

Alaska(USA)

GREENLAND(KALAALLIT NUNAAT)

BERMUDA

C U B AHAITI

JAMAICA

DOMINICANREPUBLIC

PUERTORICO

St. Lawrence Island

KodiakIsland

QUEEN CHARLOTTEISLANDS

VictoriaIsland

Belcher Is.

BaffinIsland

Newfoundland

EllesmereIsland

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

St.-Pierre &Miquelon

VANCOUVER ISLAND

R U S S I A NF E D E R A T I O N

QUEENEL IZABETHISLANDS

A R C T I C

O C E A N

C H U K C H I S E A

B E R I N G S E A

B E A U F O R T S E A

GUL F OF AL ASK A

P A C I F I C O C E A N

G U L F O F M E X I C O

H u d s o n B a y

B a f f i n B a y

L A B R A D O R S E A

A T L A N T I CO C E A N

No r thM a g n e t i cPo le

POLITICAL MAP OF NORTH AMERICA

P A N A M ACOSTARICA

NICARAGUA

HONDURAS

EL SALVADOR

GUATEMALA

BELIZE

C U B AHAITI

JAMAICA

DOMINICANREPUBLIC

PUERTO

RICO

THEBAHAMAS

CAYMANISLANDS

TURKS &CAICOSISLANDS

M E X I C O

Aruba

Lake Nicaragua

BritishVirginIslandsAndros I.

BaAnSt.Kitts

& NevisMontserrat

St.Lucia

NetherlandsAntilles

L E S S E R AN

TI

L

L

E

S

GR

E A T E R A N T I L LE S

AnG U L F O F M E X I C O

B a y o f C a m p e c h e

Gulf ofTehuantepec

MosquitoGulf

C A R I B B E A N

S E A

Gulf ofHonduras

G

u

lf

o

f

C

a

li

fo

rn

i

a YucatnCh

anne

l

Virgin Is

POLITICAL MAP OF CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

E O P L EACTFILE

tal population:rth America: 328,600,000tral America: 185,800,000

ghest population:A 295,734,134

west population:Pierre and Miquelon 7,012

st populous city:xico City, Mexico013,000 residents

e expectancy:rth America: 77 yearstral America: 73 years

ghest infant mortality rate:ti: 73 deaths per 1,000 births

erage annual incomer person (in USD):hest: USA $40,100es t: Hait i $1,500

E O G R A P H YACTFILE

tal land area:57,000 square miles

gest country:ada: 3,855,103 square milesond largest country in the world

allest country:muda: 20.5 square miles

gest lake:e Superior, Canada/USAal area: 31,660 square miles

gest desert:at Basin Desert, USA


ghest waterfall:bon Fall, Yosemite Nationalk, USAal drop: 1,612 feet

See page 21NORTH AMERICA FACTFILES

and page 22CENTRAL AMERICA FACTFILES

See page 11 WORLDS 10 LARGEST LAKES

HAWAII

MAUI

OAHU

KAUAI

NORTHAMERICA

ASIA

Arctic Circ

Tropic ofCancer

CENTRAL AMERICA

Rising majestically from thedesert floor, 1000-feet high

sandstone rock forms inMonument Valley, Utah.

See the GLOSSARY forefinitions of LIFE EXPECTANCY

and INFANT MORTALITY RATE.

SOUTHAMERICA

The Equator

For Bermuda, see map a

0 500

0 500 1000 15

NORTH AMERICA AND CENTRAL A


11/35

PHYSICAL MAP OF NORTH AMERICA PHYSICAL MAP OF NORTH AMERICA1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11


N

E

S

W


12/35

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 91

B

C

D

E

F

PHYSICAL MAP OF CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

10 11 12

A

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

12

CANADATotal area (sq. miles) :3,855,103

Total population:32,805,041Capital city: OttawaCurrency: Canadian dollar (CAD)Languages: English, FrenchFarming (top 5 products): Wheat, barley, oilseed,tobacco, fruitNatural resources (top 5) : Iron ore, nickel, zinc,copper, gold

GREENLANDTotal area (sq. miles):836,330

Total population: 56,375Capital city: NuukCurrency: Danish krone (DKK)Languages: Greenlandic (Inuit mixed with Danish);Danish, EnglishFarming: Forage crops (for animals), vegetables,sheep, reindeerNatural resources (top 5): Coal, iron ore, lead, zinc,molybdenumStatus: Self-governing Danish territory

SAINT PIERREAND MIQUELON

Total area (sq. miles) : 93Total population: 7,012Capital city: Saint-PierreCurrency: Euro (EUR)Languages: CreoleFarming: Vegetables, poultry, livestockNatural resources: FishStatus: French overseas territory

UNITED STATESOF AMERICA

Total area (sq. miles) :3,718,711

Total population: 295,734,134Capital city: Washington DCCurrency: US dollar (USD)Languages: English, SpanishFarming (top 5 products): Whecereal crops, fruit, vegetables, cNatural resources (top 5) : Coalmolybdenum, phosphates

Each country-by-country factfile contains: total area of the country in square miles; total population; name of the capital city; the maiused in the country; main languages spoken (listed in order of number of speakers); top five farming products produced (listed in oimportance to the countrys economy); natural resources (of commercial importance); and a countrys status if it is not independent.

LAND USE: NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAForest, including treesgrown for timber

Permanent pasture

Permanent crops,such as fruit trees orgrapevines

Arable crops, such aswheat and rice, that arereplanted each year

Other roads, towns,and barren land

25.7%

17.2%

0.4%

12.1%

44.6%

Cc

wc1

The RockyMountains aremade up of 100separate mountainranges.

This map shows the differenthabitats across the continent.

CLIMATE: NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA

TEMPERATURES IN JANUARY TEMPERATURES IN JULY

TROPIC OF CANCERTROPIC OF CANCER

CLIMATES KEYHABITATS KEY

NORTH AMERICA FACTFILE

N

E

S

W

PacificOcean

HABITATS: NORTH AND CENTRAL AM

SAN ANDREAS FAULT

The San Andreas fault on thePacific coast of California, is746 miles long.The fault is part of the boundarybetween the Pacific and NorthAmerican tectonic plates, and isone of the worlds majorearthquake zones.

See page 8 THECRACKED PLANET

See THE GLOSSARY for words and terms used in these FACTFILES. See page 22 CENTRAL AMERICA FACTFILES

over 90 F

75 to 90 F

60 to 75 F

45 to 60 F

30 to 45 F

15 to 30 F

0 to 15 F

-10 to 0 F

below -10 F

Ice and snow

Tundra

Mountains/barren landForest

Grassland

Semidesert

Desert

The plates at the Sanfault slide past each about two inches ea



13/35

GUADELOUPETotal area (sq. miles) : 687Total population: 448,713Capital city: Basse-TerreCurrency: Euro (EUR)Languages: FrenchFarming (top 5 products): Bananas, sugar cane, fruit, vegetables,livestockNatural resources: Limited, but beaches and climate good for tourismStatus: French overseas territory

GUATEMALATotal area (sq. miles) : 42,043Total population: 14,655,189Capital city: GuatemalaCurrency: Quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD)Languages: Spanish; Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, MamFarming (top 5 products): Sugar cane, corn, bananas, coffee, beansNatural resources (top 5) : Oil, nickel, timber, fish, chicle

HAITITotal area (sq. miles) : 10,714Total population: 8,121,622

Capital city: Port-au-PrinceCurrency: Gourde (HTG)Languages: French; CreoleFarming (top 5 products): Coffee, mangos, sugar cane, rice, cornNatural resources (top 5) : Bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate,gold, marble

HONDURASTotal area (sq. miles) : 43,278Total population: 6,975,204Capital city: TegucigalpaCurrency: Lempira (HNL)Languages: Spanish, Amerindian dialectsFarming (top 5 products): Bananas, coffee, citrus fruits, cattle, timberNatural resources (top 5) : Timber, gold, silver, copper, lead

JAMAICATotal area (sq. miles) : 4,244Total population: 2,731,832Capital city: KingstonCurrency: Jamaican dollar (JMD)Languages: English, English patoisFarming (top 5 products): Sugar cane, bananas, coffee,citrus fruits, yamsNatural resources: Bauxite, gypsum, limestone

MARTINIQUETotal area (sq. miles) : 425Total population: 432,900Capital city: Fort-de-FranceCurrency: Euro (EUR)Languages: French, Creole patoisFarming (top 5 products): Pineapples, avocados, bananas,cut flowers, vegetablesNatural resources: Limited, but coastline and beachesgood for tourismStatus: French overseas territory

MEXICOTotal area (sq. miles) : 761,606Total population: 106,202,903Capital city: Mexico (Distrito Federal)Currency: Mexican peso (MXN)Languages: Spanish, Mayan, NahuatlFarming (top 5 products): Corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beansNatural resources (top 5) : Oil, silver, copper, gold, lead

MONTSERRATTotal area (sq. miles) : 39Total population: 9,341Capital city: Temporary government buildingsat Brades Estate, Carrs Bay and Little Bay due to 1997 volcanoCurrency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)Languages: EnglishFarming (top 5 products): Cabbages, carrots, cucumbers,tomatoes, onionsNatural resources: Very limitedStatus: United Kingdom overseas territory

NICARAGUATotal area (sq. miles) : 49,998Total population: 5,465,100

Capital city: ManaguaCurrency: Gold cordoba (NIO)Languages: SpanishFarming (top 5 products): Coffee, bananas, sugar cane, cotton, riceNatural resources (top 5) : Gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead

PANAMATotal area (sq. miles) : 30,193Total population: 3,039,150Capital city: PanamaCurrency: Balboa (PAB), US dollar (USD)Languages: Spanish, EnglishFarming (top 5 products): Bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugar caneNatural resources: Copper, mahogany forests, shrimps, hydroelectricpower

PUERTO RICOTotal area (sq. miles) : 3,515Total population: 3,916,632Capital city: San JuanCurrency: US dollar (USD)Languages: Spanish, EnglishFarming (top 5 products): Sugar cane, coffee, pineapples,plantains, bananasNatural resources: Copper and nickel (limited amounts), potentialfor onshore and offshore oilStatus: United States of America Commonwealth

ST. KITTS AND NEVISTotal area (sq. miles) : 101Total population: 38,958Capital city: BasseterreCurrency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)Languages: EnglishFarming (top 5 products): Sugar cane, rice, yams, vegetables,bananasNatural resources: Arable land

ST. LUCIATotal area (sq. miles) : 238Total population: 166,312Capital city: CastriesCurrency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)Languages: English, French patoisFarming (top 5 products): Bananas, coconuts, vegcitrus fruits, root vegetablesNatural resources (top 5) : Forests, beaches (for tomineral springs, potential for geothermal power

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADITotal area (sq. miles) : 150Total population: 117,534Capital city: KingstownCurrency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)Languages: English; French patoisFarming (top 5 products): Bananas, coconuts, swespices, livestockNatural resources: Hydroelectric power

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGOTotal area (sq. miles) : 1,980Total population: 1,088,644Capital city: Port-of-Spain

Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)Languages: English, Hindi, French, Spanish, ChinesFarming (top 5 products): Cocoa, sugar cane, rice,Natural resources: Oil, natural gas, asphalt

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDSTotal area (sq. miles) : 166Total population: 20,556Capital city: Grand TurkCurrency: US dollar (USD)Languages: EnglishFarming: Corn, beans, cassava, citrus fruitsNatural resources: Fish, spiny lobsters, conch (tropStatus: United Kingdom overseas territory

VIRGIN ISLANDSTotal area (sq. miles) : 136Total population: 108,708Capital city: Charlotte AmalieCurrency: US dollar (USD)Languages: English, Spanish or Spanish Creole, FreFarming: Fruit, vegetables, sorghum, cattleNatural resources: Limited, but climate and beacheStatus: United States unincorporated territory

country-by-country factfile contains: total area of the country in square miles; total population; namee capital city; the main currency used in the country; main languages spoken (listed in order ofber of speakers); top five farming products produced (listed in order of importance to the countrysomy); natural resources (of commercial importance; some countries do not have natural resources, suchl or minerals, but their coastline and climate attract tourists which are vital to the countrys economy); and

untrys status if it is not independent.An inviting Virgin Islands beach.For many countries, the beautyof the environment is their most

important natural resource.

CENTRAL AMERICAFACTFILES

UILLAea (sq. miles) : 39

opulation: 13,254city: The Valley

cy: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

ges: Englishg: Tobacco, vegetables, cattle resources: Salt, fish, lobstersUnited Kingdom overseas territory

IGUA AND BARBUDAea (sq. miles) : 170

opulation: 68,722city: Saint Johns (on Antigua)

cy: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)ges: English, local dialectsg (top 5 products): Cotton, vegetables, bananas, coconuts,bers resources: Limited, but climate good for tourism

BAea (sq. miles) : 74.5

opulation: 71,566city: Oranjestad

cy: Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)ges: Dutch, Papiamento, Englishg: Aloe plants, livestock resources: Fish, white sandy beaches that are goodismSelf-governing Netherlands territory

AMAS (THE)ea (sq. miles): 5382

opulation: 301,790city: Nassau

cy: Bahamian dollar (BSD)ges: English, Creoleg: Citrus fruits, vegetables, poultry resources: Salt, aragonite, timber

BADOSea (sq. miles) : 166

opulation: 279,254city: Bridgetown

cy: Barbadian dollar (BCD)ges: Englishg: Sugar cane, vegetables, cotton resources: Oil, fish, natural gas

BELIZETotal area (sq. miles) : 8,867Total population: 279,457Capital city: BelmopanCurrency: Belizean dollar (BZD)

Languages: English, Spanish, MayanFarming (top 5 products): Bananas, coca, citrus fruits, sugar cane, fishNatural resources: Timber, fish, hydroelectric power

BERMUDATotal area (sq. miles) : 20.5Total population: 63,365Capital city: HamiltonCurrency: Bermudian dollar (BCD)Languages: English, PortugueseFarming (top 5 products): Bananas, vegetables, citrus fruits,cut flowers, dairy productsNatural resources: Limestone, climate good for tourismStatus: United Kingdom overseas territory

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDSTotal area (sq. miles) : 59Total population: 22,643Capital city: Road TownCurrency: US dollar (USD)Languages: EnglishFarming: Fruit, vegetables, livestock, poultryNatural resources: Fish, islands good for tourismStatus: United Kingdom overseas territory

CAYMAN ISLANDSTotal area (sq. miles) : 101Total population: 44,270Capital city: George TownCurrency: Caymanian dollar (KYD)Languages: EnglishFarming: Vegetables, fruit, livestock, turtle farmingNatural resources: Fish, climate and beaches good for tourismStatus: United Kingdom overseas territory

COSTA RICATotal area (sq. miles) : 19,730Total population: 4,016,173Capital city: San JoseCurrency: Costa Rican colon (CRC)Languages: Spanish, EnglishFarming (top 5 products): Coffee, pineapples, bananas,sugar cane, cornNatural resources: Hydroelectric power

CUBATotal area (sq. miles) : 42,803Total population: 11,346,670Capital city: HavanaCurrency: Cuban peso (CUP)

Languages: SpanishFarming (top 5 products): Sugar cane, tobacco, citrus fruits, coffee, riceNatural resources (top 5) : Cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper

DOMINICATotal area (sq. miles) : 291Total population: 69,029Capital city: RoseauCurrency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)Languages: English, French patoisFarming (top 5 products): Bananas, citrus fruits, mangos,root vegetables, coconutsNatural resources: Timber, hydroelectric power

DOMINICAN REPUBLICTotal area (sq. miles) : 18,815Total population: 8,950,034Capital city: Santo DomingoCurrency: Dominican peso (DOP)Languages: SpanishFarming (top 5 products): Sugar cane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobaccoNatural resources: Nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

EL SALVADORTotal area (sq. miles) : 8,124Total population: 6,704,932Capital city: San SalvadorCurrency: US dollar (USD)Languages: Spanish, NahuaFarming (top 5 products): Coffee, sugar cane, corn, rice, oilseedNatural resources: Hydroelectric power, geothermal power, oil

GRENADATotal area (sq. miles) : 133Total population: 89,502Capital city: Saint GeorgesCurrency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)Languages: English, French patoisFarming (top 5 products): Bananas, cocoa, nutmeg,mace, citrus fruitsNatural resources: Timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors good forshipping

Opened in 1914, the 50-mile-lonPanama Canal allows ships to s

Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Oceacanal was built, ships had to sai

around South America by Ca

See the GLOSSARY for words and terms used in these FACTFILES.



14/35

ARGENTINA

URUGUAY

B R A Z I L

PARAGUAY

B O L I V I A

P E R U

ECUADOR

COLOMBIA

VENEZUELAGUYANA FRENCH

GUIANA

P A N A M A

TRINIDAD& TOBAGO

C

H

I

L

E

Ilhade

Maraj

SouthGeorgia

NetherlandsAntilles

WestFalkland

EastFalkland

L ES S E R A N T I LL E S

FALKLAND/MALVINASISLANDS

SURINAME

Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego

Maraj Bay

So MarcosBay

A T L A N T I C

O C E A N

C A R I B B E A N S E AGulf of

Venezuela

Gulf ofPanama

BlancaBay

Gulf ofSan Jorge

Strait of Magellan

S C O T I A

S E A

P A C I F I C

O C E A N

Valds Peninsula

Fernando deNoronha Island

A T L A N T I C O C E A N

GrandeBay

POLITICAL MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA

The continent of South America

stretches from the warm waters of the

Caribbean Sea in the north to the

stormy, cold waters of Cape Horn in the

south. The worlds longest mountain chain,

the Andes, runs down the western coast, while

the dense, dark Amazon forest, the worlds

largest rainforest, spreads across the north of

the continent.

SOUTH AMERICA


Aconcagua Argentina 22,834*Ojos del Salado Argentina/Chile 22,664Huascaran Peru 22,205

Sajama Bolivia 21,463Chimborazo Ecuador 20,702

* Aconcagua is the highest mountain in South America.

NAME RIVER MOUTH LENGTH (miles)

Amazon Atlantic Ocean 4,007

Parana Atlantic Ocean 2,796

Purus Amazon 2,082

Madeira Amazon 1,988

NAME LOCATION AREA (sq miles)

Lake Titicaca Bolivia/Peru 3,205

Lake Poopo Bolivia 1,081

Rainforests around the world areshrinking. They are cut down bythe timber industry or clearedfor mineral mining and farming.

Just 2.5 acres of Amazon

rainforest can contain up to1500 different plant species.

Each species of tree may

support more than 400 different

insect species.

20% of the worlds birds live in

the Amazon rainforest.

500 years ago, 6 million nativepeople lived in the Amazon

rainforest. In 2000, the number

was less than 250,000.

HIGHEST MOUNTAINS (BY COUNTRY) AMAZON RAINFORESTFACTS

LONGEST RIVERS

LARGEST LAKES

E O P L EACTFILE

tal population:,400,000

ghest population:zil 186,112,794

west population:aguay 6,347,884

st populous city:Paulo, Brazil

333,000 residents

e expectancy:e: 70 yearsale: 76 years

ghest infant mortality rate:via: 53 deaths per 1,000 births

erage annual incomer person (in USD):hest: Uruguay $14,500es t: Bol iv ia $2,600

E O G R A P H YACTFILE

tal land area:68,000 square miles

gest country:zil: 3,286,488 square milesh largest country in the world

allest country:herlands Antilles: square miles

gest island:Grande de Tierra del Fuego147 square miles

gest desert:cama Desert, Chile000 square milesre has never been any rainfallorded in parts of this desert.

ghest waterfall:gel Falls, Venezuelaal drop: 3,212 feet

See page 27SOUTH AMERICA FACTFILES

See the GLOSSARY for

efinitions of LIFE EXPECTANCYand INFANT MORTALITY RATE.

See page 10 THE ANDES

Venezuela is South Americasmain producer of oil. Brazil usesthe most oil in South America,2,199,000 barrels each day.

The Amazons source is aremote slope of the NevadoMismi peak (17,440 feethigh), in Peru.

La Paz in Bolivia is the worldshighest capital city, about12,000 feet above sea level.

The worlds southernmis Ushuaia, a fishing ponaval base, on the islanTierra del Feugo, Argen

FAST FACTS

SOUTH AMERICA

NORTH AMERICA

ANTARCTICA

TEMPERATURES

IN JANUARY

TEMPE

IN

THE EQUATOR THE EQUATO

LAND USEFAST FACT

The Amazon River accounts fortwenty percent of all freshwater

that drains into the worldsoceans each year.

CLIMATE: SOUTH AMERICA

over 90 F

75 to 90 F

60 to 75 F

45 to 60 F

30 to 45 F

15 to 30 F

0 to 15 F

-10 to 0 F

below -10 F

KEY

14.2%

5.5%

50.5%

28.7%

1.1%

Ice and snow

Tundra

Mountains/barren land

KEY

Forest

Grassland

Semidesert

Desert

HABITATS

This map shows the different typesof habitats across the continent.

Forest, including treesgrown for timber

Permanent pasture

Permanent crops,such as fruit trees orgrapevines

Arable crops, such aswheat and rice, that arereplanted each year

Other roads, towns,

and barren land

SOUTH A

The Equator


15/35

Each country-by-country factfile contains: total area of the country in square miles; total population; name of the capital city; the maiused in the country; main languages spoken (listed in order of number of speakers); top five farming products produced (listed in importance to the countrys economy); natural resources (of commercial importance); and a countrys status if it is not independent.

ARGENTINATotal area (sq. miles) : 1,068,302Total population: 39,537,943Capital city: Buenos AiresCurrency: Argentine peso (ARS)Languages: Spanish, English, Italian,German, FrenchFarming (top 5 products): Sunflower seeds, lemons,soybeans; grapes, cornNatural resources (top 5) : Fertile pampas plains, lead, zinc, tin, copper

BOLIVIATotal area (sq. miles) : 424,164Total population: 8,857,870Capital city: La Paz/Sucre

Currency: Boliviano (BOB)Languages: Spanish, Quechua, AymaraFarming (top 5 products): Soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, cornNatural resources (top 5) : Tin, natural gas, oil, zinc, tungsten

BRAZILTotal area (sq. miles) : 3,286,488Total population: 186,112,794Capital city: BrasiliaCurrency: Real (BRL)Languages: Portuguese, Spanish, English, FrenchFarming (top 5 products): Coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, cornNatural resources (top 5) : Bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel

CHILETotal area (sq. miles) : 292,260Total population: 15,980,912Capital city: SantiagoCurrency: Chilean peso (CLP)Languages: SpanishFarming (top 5 products): Fruit, onions, wheat, corn, oatsNatural resources (top 5) : Copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates,precious metals

COLOMBIATotal area (sq. miles) : 439,736Total population: 42,954,279Capital city: BogotaCurrency: Colombian peso (COP)

Languages: SpanishFarming (top 5 products): Coffee, cut flowers, bananas, r ice, tobaccoNatural resources (top 5) : Oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel

ECUADORTotal area (sq. miles) : 109,483Total population: 13,363,593Capital city: QuitoCurrency: US dollar (USD)Languages: Spanish, QuechuaFarming (top 5 products): Bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoesNatural resources: Oil, fish, timber, hydroelectric power

FRENCH GUIANATotal area (sq. miles) : 35,135

Total population: 195,506

Capital city: Cayenne

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Languages: French

Farming (top 5 products): Corn, rice, manioc (tapioca),

sugar cane, cocoa

Natural resources (top 5) : Bauxite, timber, gold, oil,kaolin

Status: French overseas territory

GUYANATotal area (sq. miles) : 83,000

Total population: 765,283Capital city: Georgetown

Currency: Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Languages: English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi

Farming (top 5 products): Sugar cane, rice, wheat,

vegetable oils, livestock

Natural resources (top 5) : Bauxite, gold, diamonds,

timber, shrimp

NETHERLANDS ANTILLESTotal area (sq. miles) : 371

Total population: 219,958

Capital city: Willestad

Currency: Netherlands Antillean

guilder (ANG)

Languages: Papiamento, English, Dutch

Farming (top 5 products): Aloe plants, sorghum, peanuts,

vegetables, tropical fruit

Natural resources: Phosphates (on Curacao island),

salt (on Bonaire island)

Status: Self-governing Netherlands territory

PARAGUAYTotal area (sq. miles) : 157,047

Total population: 6,347,884

Capital city: Asuncion

Currency: Guarani (PYG)Languages: Spanish, Guarani

Farming (top 5 products): Cotton, sugar cane, soybeans, corn, wheatNatural resources (top 5) : Hydroelectric power, timber, iron ore,

manganese, limestone

PERUTotal area (sq. miles) : 496,226

Total population: 27,925,628

Capital city: Lima

Currency: Nuevo sol (PEN)

Languages: Spanish; Quechua; Aymara

Farming (top 5 products): Coffee, cotton, sugar cane, rice, potatoes

Natural resources (top 5) : Copper, silver, gold, oil, timber

SURINAMETotal area (sq. miles) : 63,039Total population: 438,144Capital city: ParamariboCurrency: Suriname guilder (SRG)Languages: Dutch, English, Sranang Tongo (Creole

called Taki-Taki)Farming (top 5 products): Rice, bananas, palm ker

plantainsNatural resources (top 5) : Timber, hydroelectric poshrimp

URUGUAYTotal area (sq. miles) : 68,038Total population: 3,415,920Capital city: MontevideoCurrency: Uruguayan peso (UYU)Languages: Spanish

Farming (top 5 products): Rice, wheat, corn, barleyNatural resources: Hydroelectric power, minerals, fi

VENEZUELATotal area (sq. miles) : 352,144Total population: 25,375,281Capital city: CaracasCurrency: Bolivar (VEB)

Languages: Spanish, numerous indigenous dialectsFarming (top 5 products): Corn, sorghum, sugar caNatural resources (top 5) : Oil, natural gas, iron ore

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PHYSICAL MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA

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Llamas are members of the camare native to South America. Th

in the Andes for centuries, boanimals and in domesticated hthey still work as pack anima

goods through inaccessible mou

See the GLOSSARYfor words and terms used in these

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SOUTH AMERICA FACTFILE


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The amount of oil produced,bought and sold, and used in the

world is measured in barrels.A barrel is equivalent to42 gallons.

Nigeria is Africas largest producer ofoil2,356,000 barrels per day

TOP 5 CONSUMERS OF OIL(USAGE PER DAY)

Egypt 562,000 barrelsSouth Africa 460,000 barrelsN ig er ia 2 75 ,0 00 b ar re lsLibya 216,000 barrelsA lg er ia 2 09 ,0 00 b ar re ls

Africa is the second largest continent in

the world. The worlds biggest desert,

the Sahara, dominates the landscape of

the north, while in the south forests and vast

grasslands are home to wild animals, such as

leopards, lions, and elephants. The Great Rift

Valley, one of the Earths major geological

features, runs from the Red Sea down to

Mozambique. This huge crack in the Earths

surface, caused by a series of faults, is made up of

mountains, volcanoes, deep valleys

just the facts world atlas_0769642608

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