Lesson 1/34 min
The Earth at a glance
Planet Earth
- Third planet of the Solar System; its only natural satellite is the Moon
- Age: about 4.6 billion years in the books
- One turn on its own axis takes about 23 hours 56 minutes
- One trip around the Sun: 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes 47 seconds (Khandokar's figure)
- The Equator divides it into north and south
- Land 29.1 percent, water 70.9 percent
- Distance from the Earth to the Sun: about 149.6 million km
- Deepest place: the Mariana Trench (in the Pacific)
Watch out: The books give the Earth's age as about 4.6 billion years. Modern estimates are nearer 4.54 billion. Exams use the book figure.
The 5 oceans
| Ocean | Key fact |
|---|---|
| Pacific | Largest and deepest; about 165.2 million sq km; average depth 4,280 m |
| Atlantic | One of the five |
| Indian | One of the five |
| Southern (Antarctic) | One of the five |
| Arctic (Northern) | Smallest; about 14 million sq km |
Did you know?: The Mariana Trench's greatest depth is 10,911 m in the book, or 11,033 m by another count: roughly 11 km.
The 7 continents
- Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Oceania, Antarctica
- Largest continent: Asia (about 44.58 million sq km)
- Smallest continent: Oceania (about 8.5 million sq km)
- Antarctica has no country; research stations hold 1,000 to 5,000 people
- Asia is about four and a half times the size of Europe
- Northernmost point of Asia: the tip of Cape Chelyuskin
Check yourself
What is the main material the Earth is made of? (BEZA, 2024)
At a glance
- 1
Earth is the third planet of the Solar System with one satellite, the Moon. Land is 29.1 percent and water 70.9 percent.
- 2
The largest and deepest ocean is the Pacific; the smallest is the Arctic (Northern). The deepest place is the Mariana Trench.
- 3
There are 5 oceans and 7 continents. The largest continent is Asia and the smallest is Oceania.
- 4
The northernmost point of Asia is the tip of Cape Chelyuskin; Asia is about four and a half times Europe.
- 5
Antarctica has no independent country.