Regions of the World

Africa is the world’s second-largest and second-most-populous continent, a vast landmass of 54 sovereign countries stretching from the Mediterranean coast and the Sahara Desert in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. It is the birthplace of humanity and home to extraordinary cultural, linguistic and ecological diversity, from the Nile and the Serengeti to the Congo rainforest.

The Americas span the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic reaches of North America to the southern tip of Patagonia. The region groups the countries and territories of North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America, encompassing immense diversity of landscapes, languages and cultures, from the Rocky Mountains and the Amazon rainforest to the Andes.

Asia is the largest and most populous continent on Earth, home to more than half of humanity. It stretches from the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent to East and Southeast Asia, taking in the Himalayas, vast deserts, great river civilisations and some of the world’s oldest cultures and fastest-growing economies.

Europe is a densely populated continent of around fifty countries, celebrated for its rich history, art and influence on the modern world. From the fjords of Scandinavia to the Mediterranean coast, it blends ancient heritage with the integrated economies of the European Union, and a remarkable density of distinct languages and cultures.

Oceania is the smallest region by land area, centred on Australia and New Zealand and encompassing the thousands of islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia scattered across the Pacific Ocean. It is a region of extraordinary natural beauty, deep Indigenous heritage and unique wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.

The Polar region covers the Earth’s southernmost reaches, centred on Antarctica — a vast, ice-covered continent governed by international treaty and devoted to peace and science. It is the coldest, driest and windiest place on the planet, with no permanent population and a landscape of immense ice sheets and unparalleled scientific importance.