The world is a huge place, so big that learning about everything that's out there might seem impossible. But actually, it's pretty easy to divide everything up so you can learn about it one bit at a time. Geography is the study of all of the different places in the world, from mountains and oceans to states and countries. Learning about geography can help you learn a lot about the people and places that make Earth so special! And there are lots of ways to learn about the world, from looking at maps to playing computer games. You might even get to travel the world someday and see a lot of the places you've learned about in person.
World Geography
We can start learning about our planet by dividing it into the two things it's made of: land and water. The water on Earth is divided into five oceans, though really, they're all part of one big ocean. The world's oceans are the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern. Oceans make up most of Earth's surface, and underneath that surface are tons of different plants and animals, like fish, whales, plankton, sea turtles, manatees, jellyfish, and kelp. Above the water, birds like seagulls, cormorants, and pelicans make their homes.
The land on Earth is made up of seven big pieces called continents. The continents are North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica. It might look like there are only six continents when you look at a map or a globe, but that's because Europe and Asia are really part of one giant chunk of land. They're divided by a mountain range called the Ural Mountains, and on either side of those mountains, the people and their cultures and languages can be very different. Every continent has different people, plants, animals, and climates. In Africa, there's a big desert called the Sahara Desert, and there are grasslands where elephants, giraffes, and lions live. In Asia, there are huge mountains, tropical islands, and bamboo forests where pandas live. And in Antarctica, it's mostly snow and ice: Almost nothing lives there except for penguins and sea creatures. People don't live there, either, except for scientists who go there for a few months at a time to do research.
People have divided the continents into countries, which are usually home to a group of people who have a similar culture and way of life. For instance, in Japan, people speak Japanese and eat things like ramen and sushi, but in Italy, people speak Italian and eat things like pasta and pizza. Different countries have different flags, and they also might have different types of music, different holidays, or different styles of clothing.
United States
The United States of America is a country in North America, and it's divided up into 50 states and a handful of territories. It sometimes feels like America is a bunch of countries shoved together: It's a really big country, and there are lots of different climates with different plant and animal life. In the Northeast, the leaves turn pretty colors in the fall and lots of snow falls in the winter. But in the Southeast, it very rarely snows, and in places like Florida and California, they just have palm trees and other kinds that don't drop their leaves in the fall. Louisiana has swamps with alligators, but Arizona is in the desert, full of cactus and agave plants. In Alaska, you'll find the tallest mountain in North America, Denali. And Hawaii is a tropical paradise in the Pacific Ocean.
The culture in all of these places can be different, too. Hawaii has its own native culture and language, and in states in the Southwest, the culture is influenced by Mexico right next door, meaning that some people speak Spanish there and there's a lot of really good Mexican food. In Louisiana, which was once owned by France, people eat Cajun and Creole food and celebrate Mardi Gras more than anyone else in America! And lots of German people moved to Pennsylvania hundreds of years ago, causing German food, folk art, and festivals like Oktoberfest to be popular in this state.
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Map Games
If you want to learn about geography, there are plenty of fun ways to do it. You could read about geography in a book, but one of the best ways to learn is by using technology. You can look at maps online and read articles about the people, animals, and plants in different places. You can also use a GPS app to explore new places. And there are tons of games online that you can play to learn about our world. Try them out and you'll get smarter while you're having fun!
- North and Central America Map Quiz
- Countries of Europe
- Africa Countries Quiz
- Countries in Asia
- World Continents and Oceans Game
- Name the Country
- Map of South America Game
- Name That State!
- Can You Name the Countries of the World?
- American Map Mania
- USA Geography Puzzle
- Continents and Oceans Game
- Global Geography Game
- U.S. State Capitals