LAND RESOURCES OF EARTH (LITHOSPHERE)

 Litho sphere .....

The solid portion of the earth is called the Lithosphere.

It comprises the rocks of the earth’s crust and the thin

layers of soil that contain nutrient elements which

sustain organisms.

There are two main divisions of the earth’s surface.

The large landmasses are known as the continents

and the huge water bodies are called the ocean basins.

All the oceans of the world are connected with one

another. 

The level of seawater remains the same everywhere.

Elevation of land is measured from the level of the sea,

which is taken as zero.

The highest mountain peak Mt. Everest is 8,848

metres above the sea level. The greatest depth of 11,022

metres is recorded at Mariana Trench in the Pacific

Ocean. Could you imagine that depth of sea is much

more than the highest point?

                                                      

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE                                                                                

Edmund Hillary

(New Zealand)

and Tenzing Norgay

Sherpa (India) were the

first men to climb the

highest mountain peak Mt.

Everest on the planet

earth on 29th May, 1953.

Junko Tabei (Japan)

was the first woman to

reach the summit on 16th

May, 1975. The first

Indian woman to climb the

highest peak on 23rd May,

1984 was Bachendri Pal.

CONTINENTS ....

There are seven major continents. These are separated

by large water bodies. These continents are – Asia,

Europe, Africa, North America, South America,

Australia and Antarctica. Look at the map of the world

(Figure 5.1) and notice that the greater part of the land

mass lies in the Northern Hemisphere.

Asia is the largest continent. It covers about onethird

of the total land area of the earth. The continent

lies in the Eastern Hemisphere. The Tropic of Cancer

passes through this continent. Asia is separated from

Europe by the Ural mountains on the west (Figure

5.1). The combined landmass of Europe and Asia is

called the Eurasia (Europe + Asia).

Europe is much smaller than Asia. The continent

lies to the west of Asia. The Arctic Circle passes through

it. It is bound by water bodies on three sides. Look at

the map of the world and locate it.

Africa is the second largest continent after Asia.

The Equator or 00 latitude runs almost through the

middle of the continent. A large part of Africa lies in

the Northern Hemisphere. Look at the Figure 5.1; you

will find that it is the only continent through which

the Tropic of Cancer, the Equator and the Tropic of

Capricorn pass.

The Sahara Desert, the world’s largest hot desert,

is located in Africa. The continent is bound on all sides

by oceans and seas. Look at the world map (Figure 5.1).

You will notice that the world’s longest river the Nile,

flows through Africa. Notice where the Equator, the

Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn pass in

the map of Africa.

North America is the third largest continent of the

world. It is linked to South America by a very narrow

strip of land called the Isthmus of Panama. The

continent lies completely in the Northern and Western

Hemisphere. Three oceans surround this continent.

Can you name these oceans?

South America lies

mostly in the Southern

Hemisphere. Which two

oceans surround it on

the east and the west?

The Andes, world’s

longest mountain

range, runs through it

length from north to

south .

South America has the

world’s largest river, the

Amazon.   

Australia is the

smallest continent that

lies entirely in the

Southern Hemisphere.

It is surrounded on all

sides by the oceans and

seas. It is called an

island continent..

 

Antarctica, completely in the Southern Hemisphere,

is a huge continent. The South Pole lies almost at the

centre of this continent. As it is located in the South

Polar Region, it is permanently covered with thick ice

sheets. There are no permanent human settlements.

Many countries have research stations in Antarctica.

India also has research stations there. These are named

as Maitri and Dakshin Gangotri.