maanosat

Maanosat is the Finnish term for Earth’s continents, referring to the major landmasses that structure the planet’s geography. In the most common modern convention, the seven continents are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Australia (often grouped together with Oceania).

Definitions of continents vary. Some models merge Europe and Asia into a single Eurasian landmass, while others count different numbers of landmasses depending on cultural or educational conventions. The term Maanosat reflects the widely taught seven-continent framework used in many school curricula, even as alternative models persist in some contexts.

Area and population figures are approximate. Asia covers about 44.6 million square kilometers, Africa about 30.4 million, North America about 24.7 million, South America about 17.8 million, Antarctica about 14.0 million, Europe about 10.2 million, and Australia/Oceania about 8.6 million. Asia is the most populous continent, with population concentrated in several large urban regions; Europe, Africa, and the Americas also host substantial populations, while Antarctica is uninhabited year-round except for research stations.

Geographically, the continents span a wide range of climates and ecosystems, from arid deserts to tropical rainforests and high mountain systems such as the Himalayas and the Andes. They feature extensive coastlines, interior plateaus, and diverse cultural and historical developments that have shaped global trade, politics, science, and culture.