Lesson 2/34 min
Continents and independent states
Largest and smallest country in each continent
| Continent | Largest by area | Smallest by area | Largest by population | Smallest by population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | China | Maldives | India | Maldives |
| Africa | Algeria | Seychelles | Nigeria | Seychelles |
| North America | Canada | St Kitts and Nevis | United States | St Kitts and Nevis |
| South America | Brazil | Suriname | Brazil | Suriname |
| Europe | Russia | Vatican City | Russia | Vatican City |
| Oceania | Australia | Nauru | Australia | Tuvalu |
Did you know?: Khandokar's table counts Russia as a European country, so China is Asia's largest.
Independent states by continent (Zubair's table)
| Continent | Independent | UN members | Latest to become independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | 44 | 44 | East Timor |
| Europe | 48 | 46 | Kosovo |
| Africa | 54 | 54 | South Sudan |
| North America | 23 | 23 | St Kitts and Nevis |
| South America | 12 | 12 | Suriname |
| Oceania | 14 | 14 | Tuvalu |
| Antarctica | — | — | — |
| Total | 195 | 193 |
- The world has 195 independent states; the newest is South Sudan
- The books say Russia and Turkey lie across two continents
- Australia is both a country and a continent
Watch out: Zubair's counts by continent (such as 44 for Asia) are the book's own grouping. 195 = 193 UN members plus 2 observer states.
Check yourself
Which is the largest continent and which the second largest?
At a glance
- 1
Largest by area: Russia in Europe, Canada in North America, Brazil in South America, Algeria in Africa, Australia in Oceania.
- 2
Smallest: Maldives in Asia, Vatican City in Europe, Nauru in Oceania (Tuvalu by population), Suriname in South America.
- 3
Largest by population: India in Asia, Nigeria in Africa, the United States in North America.
- 4
There are 195 independent states; the newest in Asia is East Timor, in Europe Kosovo, in Africa South Sudan.
- 5
Australia is both a country and a continent.