World Physical Map - Summary
A world physical map is an essential tool that visually represents the Earth’s physical features, such as mountains, rivers, oceans, and deserts. This type of map highlights important geographical characteristics, including continents, oceans, large islands, deserts, mountains, countries, and capital cities. It effectively showcases the surface of the Western Hemisphere, featuring South America at the center and Antarctica at the bottom.
Physical maps play a crucial role in understanding the natural attributes of different geographical areas. They depict the location and physical features of various landscapes like mountains, rivers, valleys, deserts, lakes, streams, seas, and oceans. Typically, blue is used to represent bodies of water, while different colors and shades are utilized to illustrate changes in elevation.
Exploring the World Physical Map
Key Features of the World Physical Map
- The total area of the Earth’s surface (both land and water) is slightly over 510 million km² at sea level (100%). Out of this, approximately 360 million km² is water, making up almost 71% of the planet.
- The highest navigable lake is Lake Titicaca, which is the largest lake in South America, situated in the Andes at an elevation of 3,812 m. It is fed by 27 rivers, and the border between Bolivia and Peru runs through the lake.
- The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water, covering approximately 165 million km². It is located between the Americas (North and South America) on the east and Asia and Australasia on the west.
- The Atlantic Ocean, which is the world’s second-largest ocean with an area of nearly 80 million km², lies between the Americas to the west and Europe and Africa to the east.
- The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the five oceans, covering about 70.5 million km².
<li The remaining surface, about 29%, consists of dry land, which includes rock, stones, sand, mountains, deserts, rivers, lakes, and arable land. The total land area, including Antarctica, is roughly 150 million km².
<li The highest point on Earth, measured from sea level, is the summit of Mount Everest. Also known as Chomolungma, it peaks at 8,848 m (29,029 ft), including its snow-ice cover. This majestic mountain is located in the Himalayan Range on the border between Nepal and China.
With this information, you can easily understand and explore the wonders of our planet through a world physical map. For more detailed insights, you can also download the PDF version available on our website!