Eurasia

Eurasia . Supercontinent formed by the regions or continents Europe and Asia . It covers approximately 10.6% of the earth ‘s surface (52,990,000 km ² ), or 36.2% of the solid surface.

Summary

[ disguise ]

• 1 Anthropology
• 2 History
• 3 Extensions
• 4 Extremes
• 5 Natural diversity
• 6 Sources

Anthropology

In modern terms, Eurasia is used only to refer to the natives or inhabitants of Europe and Asia. The supercontinent can be roughly divided into Western Eurasia (often including North Africa ) and Eastern Eurasia , and these in turn subdivided into regions.

Some experts believe that Europe should not be separated from Asia, because the continents are separated by seas, but then it would be more correct to speak of Eurafrasia, which would also contain Africa , which would form the largest continent in the world.

History

Eurasia is the largest of the continents and occupies 37% of the planet’s landmass, in turn it is made up of two subcontinents: Europe and Asia, as mentioned before. This division is not physical geographical, but historical, and to a considerable extent it is due to the fact that the notion of the parts was formed in humanity long before that of the whole. This explains why the name of the largest continent on Earth, Eurasia, is made up of the two parts of the world included within its limits. It is known that Eurasia formed between 325 to 375 million years ago. Siberia formed separately and later joined the rest of the continental mass.

Eurasia has been the birthplace of many modern civilizations, most of which settled in Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley . The Silk Road was one of the most important trade routes of ancient times.

The cultural wealth of the supercontinent was transmitted among the numerous countries that make it up, sharing customs and knowledge.

The events of the two World Wars mostly took place in that region.

Almost all of the countries that made up the socialist camp were located in Eurasia. At the time of the Soviet Union , the region was made up of fewer countries than today, but due to its disappearance, many of the regions that made it up were divided into independent countries.

Extensions

The Eurasian continent located in the northern hemisphere extends from east to west, from the Iberian Peninsula to the Bering Strait , and from north to south, from the Arctic Ocean to Malaysia . It is limited to the north by the Arctic Ocean, and the Barents Seas. Kara, Laptev, Eastern Siberia and the Bering Strait;

• West by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea;
• To the east by the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea;
• To the south it is bordered by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.

Extremes

The ends of the continent are: Cape Cheliuskin in Siberia at 77° 43′ north latitude; Cape Buru, on the Malay Peninsula at 1°16′ north latitude; Cape Roca, in Portugal at 9° 34′ west longitude, Cape Dezníev, Siberia at 169° 40′ east longitude. The longest extension from north to south is 8000 km and from west to east 16 km. Some islands belonging to Eurasia are distant from the continent. Svalbard, Franz Joseph Land and Northern Land are located near 80° north latitude, and the Malay Archipelago extends in the southern hemisphere up to 1° south latitude. The Azores islands are located at 28° west longitude. The surface of the islands is 2,750,000 km² and that of Eurasia including the islands, 53,440,000 km². The large dimensions of the continent determine the complexity and diversity of its natural conditions.

Natural diversity

The large extensions of the continent, the complexity of its structure and relief, its location between the polar and equatorial latitudes, as well as the unequal degree of influence of the oceans, have given rise to great natural diversity. For these reasons we can find arid deserts and humid tropical forests; Large areas are occupied by territories without drainage where almost no rainfall falls, and in others the population suffers from excess rainfall. Within its limits are located the highest peak and the deepest depression on the planet.