A book by Sydney Hansen

A guide to the world

Africa The continent of Africa borders the southern half of the Mediterranean Sea. The Atlantic Ocean is to the west and the Indian Ocean is to the Southeast. Africa stretches well south of the equator to cover more than 12 million square miles making Africa the world's second largest continent. Africa is also the world's second most populous continent. Africa is one of the most diverse places on the planet with a wide variety of terrain, wildlife, and climates. 

Population: 1,022,234,000 (Source: 2010 United Nations) 

Area: 11,668,599 square miles Ranking: It is the second largest and second most populous continent. Major Biomes: desert, savanna, rain forest Major cities:

Cairo, Egypt Lagos, Nigeria Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Johannesburg-Ekurhuleni, South Africa Khartoum-Umm Durman, Sudan Alexandria, Egypt Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

Casablanca, MoroccoCape Town,

South Africa Durban, South Africa

AsiaThe continent of Asia is the world's largest and most populous

continent with over 4 billion people calling Asia home. Asia also contains the world's most populous country, China, and the world's largest country, Russia. Asia borders Africa and Europe to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east.

Asia is rich in diverse races, cultures, and languages. Many of the world's major religions came out of Asia including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. 

Asia has a major influence on world culture and the world's economy. Countries such as Russia, China, Japan and India produce products and services that are used by every nation in the world. Asia is also abundant in natural resources. Oil in the Middle East is a major supplier of much of the world's energy. 

AsiaPopulation: 4,164,252,000 (Source: 2010 United Nations) Area: 17,212,000 square miles Ranking: It is the largest and most populous continent Major Biomes: desert, grasslands, temperate forest, taiga Major cities:

Tokyo, Japan Jakarta, Indonesia Seoul, South Korea Delhi, India Mumbai, India Manila, Philippines Shanghai, China Osaka, Japan

Kolkata, India Karachi, Pakistan

The continent of Asia is so large and diverse that it often is divided into sub-regions (see map below). 

AntarcticaAntarctica is located at the South Pole and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. Over 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice. It is the driest and coldest continent on earth. Antarctica is the fifth largest continent based on size, but it is the smallest in population with an official population of 0 (although some people do visit for scientific research). 

Some animals do manage to survive in the cold and dry climate of Antarctica. These animals include penguins, seals, and the snow petrel (a bird). 

Northern AsiaMiddle East

Southern AsiaEastern Asia

Southeastern Asia

Antarctica has no countries and no portions of the continent are owned by any country. 

Population: Visiters vary between 1000 and 4000 researchers Area: 5,400,000 square miles Ranking: It is the fifth largest and the least populous of the continents Major Biomes: icy desert Major cities: No major cities, just a few scientific outposts.

Oceania/AustraliaThe continent of Oceania is often call Australia as well, but includes more countries than just Australia. Oceania is the smallest continent by size and the second smallest in terms of population. Oceania is located to the southeast of Asia. It is made up of Australia and a number of island countries. Oceania and its islands are surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. 

Much of Oceania's land mass is desert, but there are also very lush areas. Oceania has some very unique animal life for such a small continent. Some examples are the Koala Bear (which is not really a bear, but a marsupial), the platypus, and the Kangaroo. Population: 36,593,000 (Source: 2010 United Nations) Area: 3,296,044 square miles Ranking: It is the seventh largest (smallest) and sixth most populous

continent Major Biomes: rain forest, desert, savanna, temperate forests Major cities:

Sydney, Australia Melbourne, Australia Brisbane, Australia Perth, Australia Adelaide, Australia Gold Coast, Australia Auckland, New Zealand Manukau, New Zealand Christchurch, New Zealand Canberra, Australia

EuropeEurope is the sixth largest continent in size and the third largest in population. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, Asia to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. Europe is a wealthy continent and is the center of the West and Western Democracy. 

Europe has been the home to some of the

Earth's greatest civilizations from Ancient Greece to the Roman Empire. It is also the home to the birth of democracy. Europe has been the central point of two of the biggest wars in modern history: World War I and World War II. Recently Europe has united under the common union called the European Union. This union allows independent European countries to have a single currency and to combine their economic and military power. 

Population: 738,199,000 (Source: 2010 United Nations) Area: 3,930,000 square miles Ranking: It is the sixth largest and third most populous continent Major Biomes: temperate forest, grasslands Major cities:

Moscow, Russia London, United Kingdome St Petersburg, Russia Berlin, Germany Madrid, Spain Rome, Italy Kiev, Ukraine Paris, France Bucharest, Romania Budapest, Hungary

North AmericaNorth America is the third largest of the seven continents. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. North America is dominated by its three largest countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Central America and the Caribbean are usually considered part of North America, but they have their own section here. 

Although Columbus is given much credit as having discovered America, there were plenty of people already living in North America prior to the Europeans having arrived. This included many Native American tribes and the Aztec civilization in what is now Mexico. In the 1600's the Europeans quickly colonized and took over much of North America. The largest country in North America, the United States, was formed in the late 1700's and became a "melting pot" of people and cultures from around the world. Population: 528,720,588

Area: 9,540,198 square miles 

Ranking: It is the third largest and the fourth most populous continent 

Major Biomes: desert, temperate forest, taiga, grasslands 

Major cities:

Mexico City, Mexico New York City, USA Los Angeles, USA Chicago, USA Toronto, Canada Houston, USA Ecatepec de Morelos, Mexico Montréal, Canada Philadelphia, USA Guadalajara, Mexico

South AmericaSouth America is the fourth largest continent in size and the fifth largest in population. It is located primarily in the southern hemisphere. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the West. The geography of South America is dominated by the Andes Mountain Range and the Amazon River (second longest river in the world). 

Prior to European colonization, the Incan Civilization was a dominant force in South America. In the 1500's, Spain and Portugal colonized much of South America. The colonies gained

independence in the 1800's with the help of leaders such as Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin. As a result, much of South America still speaks Spanish and Portuguese is the primary language of Brazil. 

Population: 387,489,196 (Source: 2010 United Nations) Area: 6,890,000 square miles Ranking: It is the fourth largest and fifth most populous continent 

Major Biomes: rainforest, savanna, grassland Major cities:

São Paulo, Brazil Buenos Aires, Argentina Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Santiago, Chile Brasilia, Brazil Lima, Peru Bogota, Colombia Caracas, Venezuela Belo Horizonte, Brazil Medellín, Colombia

United StatesCapital: Washington, DC (capital) Population: 313,847,465 

The Geography of United States

Total Size: 9,631,420 square km Size Comparison: about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly 

Geographical Coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 W World Region or Continent: North America General Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii Geographical Low Point: Death Valley -86 m Geographical High Point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid

in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains Major cities: New York-Newark 19.3 million; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana 12.675 million; Chicago 9.134 million; Miami 5.699 million; WASHINGTON, D.C. (capital) 

United StatesThe People of United States

Type of Government: Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition Languages Spoken: English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census) Independence: 4 July 1776 (from Great Britain) National Holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776) Nationality: American(s) Religions: Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.) National Symbol: bald eagle National Anthem or Song: The Star-Spangled Banner

IowaCapital: Des Moines Population: 2,944,062 (source: 2003 Census estimate) Largest City: Des Moines

Iowa State Symbols

State Nickname: Hawkeye State 

State Slogan: Life Changing; Fields of Opportunity State Motto: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain State flower: Wild Prairie Rose State bird: Eastern Goldfinch aka American Goldfinch State fish: Channel catfish State tree: Oak State mammal: State foods: Corn 

Becoming a State

Date admitted: Monday, December 28, 1846 Number admitted: 29 Prior Name: Iowa Territory Postal Abbreviation: IA 

The Geography of Iowa

Total Size: 55,869 sq. milesGeographical Low Point: Mississippi River at 480 feet Geographical High Point: Hawkeye Point at 1,670 feetCentral Point: Located in Story County 1/2 miles northeast of Ames Counties: 99

Fun Facts

The Hawkeye State nickname comes from the Iowan Native American, Chief Black Hawk.

Iowa played a key role in the Underground Railroad that rescued slaves from the South.

In 1907 Fred Maytag invented the clothes washing machine in Newton, Iowa.

Iowa produces 10% of the United States food supply. The eastern and western borders of Iowa are entirely made of water.

The Mississippi River forms the border to the east and the Missouri River to the west.

Burlington's Snake Alley has been called the most crooked street in the world.

The largest Danish settlement in the US was in Elk Horn, Iowa. It is home to the Danish Immigrant Museum.

President Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa. He was the first president born west of the Mississippi.

It is the only US state name that begins with two vowels.

Funny Laws in Iowa

All piano players with one arm must perform for free. Men with mustaches must not kiss women in public. It’s against the law for horses to eat fire hydrants in the city of

Marshalltown. Accepting tips is against the law.

OceansAround 71 percent of the Earth is covered in salt water. We call this major body of water the Ocean. The ocean is divided up into 5 major oceans, but they are actually all connected together. They are mostly divided up by the world's seven continents. Go here to learn more about the ocean habitat. 

Here are the 5 Oceans of the World with a description of each: 

Pacific Ocean 

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the oceans covering around one third of the Earth's surface. It separates Asia and Australia from North and South America. The Pacific Ocean got its name from the explorer Ferdinand Magellan. He called it the Mar Pacifico, meaning the "peaceful sea" in Portuguese. 

The Mariana Trench lies within the Pacific Ocean. It's the deepest place in the world at 35,797 feet under the ocean. The largest island in the Pacific Ocean is the island of New Guinea in the South Pacific. Other notable features include the Hawaiian Islands and the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. 

Atlantic Ocean 

The Atlantic Ocean is the world's second largest ocean. It separates Europe and Africa from North and South America. 

The Gulf Stream is a powerful warm current that flows in the Atlantic from the tip of Florida, up the coast of the United States, and then over to Europe. The Gulf Stream has a large impact on the climate of the eastern US and Western Europe. 

Many years ago some people thought the Earth was flat and that ships would just fall off the Earth somewhere out in the Atlantic Ocean. Columbus proved them wrong by sailing across the Atlantic and discovering the Americas. The Atlantic Ocean gets its name from the Greeks who called it the Sea of Atlas. 

Indian Ocean 

The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean in the world. It lies south of Asia, and India, and separates East Africa from Australia. It is the warmest ocean in the world. 

The Indian Ocean includes the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Significant islands include Madagascar, the Seychelles, and Sri Lanka. 

Arctic Ocean 

The Arctic Ocean is in the northern part of the Earth, primarily around the North Pole. It is the smallest and shallowest of the world's oceans. A lot of fresh water enters the Arctic from melting ice. For a good part of the year much of the Arctic is covered in ice. 

Southern Ocean 

The Southern Ocean is the fourth largest, or second smallest of the oceans. It sits at the South Pole and the southern part of the Earth. 

Fun Facts about the Ocean

The average depth of the world's oceans is 12,200 feet. The mountain Mauna Kea in Hawaii rises 33,474 feet from its base.

This would make it the tallest mountain in the world if its base wasn't below sea level.

Around 97 percent of the planets water is in the oceans. Around 80 percent of the world's population lives within 60 miles of

the ocean coast. The world's longest mountain range is actually under the ocean and

is called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It is over 35,000 miles long.