List of countries by continent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of the countries of the world by continent, displayed with their respective national flags and capitals. This list contains:
- Sovereign states with general international recognition (country names listed in bold), consisting of:
- The 192 member states of the United Nations (UN).
- One UN-recognized non-member state: Vatican City.
- Two territories not fully sovereign, but not recognized by the UN as part of some UN member state (country names listed in bold italics): the Palestinian territories and Western Sahara.
- Dependent territories, including the overseas departments of France and the special administrative regions of China (country names listed in italics).
- De facto sovereign states lacking general international recognition, whose territories are recognized by the UN as de jure part of some UN member state.
There are countries that can be considered to belong to more than one continent, according to geographical, political, or historical criteria.
For a detailed description of how the world is divided into continents, see here.
Contents
|
[edit] Partition of countries according to political criteria
In this list, countries are classified according to political criteria, using the geoscheme created by the United Nations Statistics Division.[1]
[edit] Africa
[edit] Asia
- ^ The British Indian Ocean Territory is sometimes considered as an African territory, since it was historically part of Mauritius.
- ^ a b Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands are sometimes considered as Oceanian territories, since they are dependent territories of Australia.
[edit] Europe
- ^ a b c d e
Armenia, 
Azerbaijan, 
Cyprus, 
Georgia, and 
Turkey, classified as Asian countries by the United Nations Statistics Division, are often considered also as European countries, since their territories are either partly in Europe or in the vicinity of Europe (for the geographical boundaries between Asia and Europe, see here), and they have close political and historical ties with Europe (e.g., they are members of the Council of Europe). - ^ a b c d
Abkhazia, 
Nagorno-Karabakh, 
Northern Cyprus, and 
South Ossetia, all sovereign states lacking general international recognition, can also be considered as European countries. - ^ Russia is generally considered as a European country more than an Asian country, even though most of its territory is in Asia, since most of its population and also its capital are in Europe, and it has close political and historical ties with Europe. Among the federal districts of Russia, four are in Europe (Central, Southern, Northwestern and Volga) and three are in Asia (Far Eastern, Siberian and Urals).
[edit] North America
[edit] South America
[edit] Oceania
[edit] Antarctica
Antarctica is regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System, which defines it as all land and ice shelves south of 60°S. It has no government and belongs to no country; however, eight Antarctic territorial claims are maintained by seven different countries. Moreover, the following dependent territories which include sub-Antarctic islands north of 60°S can be associated with the continent of Antarctica.
- ^ South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is sometimes considered as a South American territory, since it is administered from the Falkland Islands.
[edit] Partition of countries according to geographical criteria
For a detailed description of the geographical boundaries of the continents, see here.
In this list, countries are classified according to geographical criteria, where differences from the previous list are noted.
[edit] Boundaries of Africa
For a detailed description of the geographical boundaries of Africa, see here.
[edit] Suez Canal
Considering the Suez Canal as a boundary between Africa and Asia, the following change from the UN definition occurs:
- Egypt: Africa, west of the Suez Canal; to the east, Asia.
[edit] Continental shelf of Africa
Considering the continental shelf of Africa, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- French Southern Territories: sub-Antarctic territory; the Îles Éparses (Bassas da India, Europa Island, the Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island) in Africa.
- Italy: Europe; Pantelleria and the Pelagie Islands in Africa.
- Malta: Africa.
- Portugal: Europe; Madeira (including the Desertas Islands and the Savage Islands) in Africa.
- Spain: Europe; the Canary Islands and the plazas de soberanía in Africa (most of the plazas de soberanía, including Ceuta and Melilla, are in mainland Africa).
- Yemen: Asia; Socotra in Africa.
[edit] Boundaries between Asia and Europe
For a detailed description of the geographical boundaries between Asia and Europe, see here.
[edit] Sea of Marmara and Turkish Straits
Considering the Sea of Marmara and the Turkish Straits (the Bosporus and the Dardanelles) as a boundary between Asia and Europe, the following change from the UN definition occurs:
- Turkey: Asia, east and south of the Sea of Marmara and the Turkish Straits; to the west and north, Europe.
[edit] Ural definitions
Considering the Ural definition that follows the watershed of the Ural Mountains, and then the Ural River until the Caspian Sea, as a boundary between Asia and Europe, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Kazakhstan: Asia, east of the Ural River; to the west, Europe.
- Russia: Europe, west and north of the Ural Mountains watershed and the Ural River; to the east and south, Asia.
Considering the Ural definition that follows the watershed of the Ural Mountains, and then the Ural River until it reaches Kazakhstan's border for the first time, and then the Or River and the Emba River, as a boundary between Asia and Europe, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Kazakhstan: Asia, east of the Or River and the Emba River; to the west, Europe.
- Russia: Europe, west of the Ural Mountains watershed and the Ural River (until it reaches Kazakhstan's border for the first time); to the east, Asia.
[edit] Caucasus definitions
Considering the Caucasus definition that follows the watershed of the Greater Caucasus of the Caucasus Mountains as a boundary between Asia and Europe, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Azerbaijan: Asia, south of the Greater Caucasus watershed; to the north, Europe (very small area).
- Georgia: Asia, south of the Greater Caucasus watershed; to the north, Europe (very small area).
- Russia: Europe, north of the Greater Caucasus watershed; to the south, Asia (very small area).
Considering the Caucasus definition that follows the Meso-Caucaso, marked by the Rioni River and the Kura River (from Tbilisi on), as a boundary between Asia and Europe, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Azerbaijan: Asia, south of the Kura River; to the north, Europe.
- Georgia: Asia, south of the Rioni River and the Kura River (from Tbilisi on); to the north, Europe.
Considering the Caucasus definition that follows the Kuma-Manych Depression, marked by the Kuma River and the Manych River, as a boundary between Asia and Europe, the following change from the UN definition occurs:
- Russia: Europe, north of the Kuma River and the Manych River; to the south, Asia.
Though very rare, considering the Caucasus definition that follows the watershed of the Lesser Caucasus of the Caucasus Mountains as a boundary between Asia and Europe, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Armenia: Europe; isolated spots in the south in Asia.
- Azerbaijan: Europe; isolated spots in the south in Asia.
- Georgia: Europe; isolated spots in the south in Asia.
- Iran: Asia; isolated spots in the northwest in Europe.
- Turkey: Asia; isolated spots in the northeast in Europe.
[edit] Continental shelfs of Asia and Europe
Considering the continental shelfs of Asia and Europe, the following change from the UN definition occurs:
- Greece: Europe (including Crete, the Ionian Islands, the Cyclades, and near mainland Greek islands); the Aegean Islands, the Dodecanese, and nearby islands in Asia.
[edit] Boundaries between Asia and North America
For a detailed description of the geographical boundaries between Asia and North America, see here.
[edit] Continental shelfs of Asia and North America
Considering the continental shelfs of Asia and North America, the following change from the UN definition occurs:
- United States: North America; the Near Islands and St. Lawrence Island in Asia.
[edit] Boundaries between Europe and North America
For a detailed description of the geographical boundaries between Europe and North America, see here.
[edit] Continental shelfs of Europe and North America
Considering the continental shelfs of Europe and North America, the following change from the UN definition occurs:
- Portugal: Europe (including São Miguel, Santa Maria, Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico, and Faial of the Azores); Flores and Corvo of the Azores in North America.
[edit] Boundaries between North and South America
For a detailed description of the geographical boundaries between North and South America, see here.
[edit] Panama Canal
Considering the Panama Canal as a boundary between North and South America, the following change from the UN definition occurs:
- Panama: North America, west of the Panama Canal; to the east, South America.
[edit] Continental shelfs of North and South America
Considering the continental shelfs of North and South America, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Aruba: South America.
- Colombia: South America; the Archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina in North America.
- Netherlands Antilles: North America; Curaçao and Bonaire in South America.
- Trinidad and Tobago: South America.
- Venezuela: South America; Isla Aves in North America.
[edit] Boundaries of Oceania
For a detailed description of the geographical boundaries of Oceania, see here.
[edit] Asia-Australasia divisions
Considering the Asia-Australasia division that follows the anthropologic Melanesian Line as a boundary between Asia and Oceania, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Indonesia: Asia (including Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, Sumba, and Flores); the Maluku Islands, Buru, Seram, Timor, and New Guinea in Oceania.
- Timor-Leste: Oceania.
Considering the Asia-Australasia division that follows the zoologic Wallace Line as a boundary between Asia and Oceania, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Indonesia: Asia (including Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and Bali); Sulawesi, Sumba, Flores, the Maluku Islands, Buru, Seram, Timor, and New Guinea in Oceania.
- Timor-Leste: Oceania.
Though very rare, considering the Malay Archipelago as being part of Oceania, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Brunei: Oceania.
- Indonesia: Oceania.
- Malaysia: Asia; Labuan, Sarawak, and Sabah in Oceania.
- Philippines: Oceania.
- Singapore: Oceania.
- Timor-Leste: Oceania.
[edit] Pacific Islands
Considering all Pacific Islands as being part of Oceania, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Chile: South America; Easter Island and Sala y Gómez in Oceania.
- Japan: Asia; the Bird Islands (Okinotorishima and Minamitorishima) in Oceania.
- United States: North America; Hawaii in Oceania.
[edit] Boundaries of Antarctica
For a detailed description of the geographical boundaries of Antarctica, see here.
[edit] Sub-Antarctic islands
Considering sub-Antarctic islands north of 60°S which are fully integrated with its country, the following changes from the UN definition occur:
- Australia: Oceania; Macquarie Island, sub-Antarctic territory.
- New Zealand: Oceania; the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands (the Antipodes Islands, the Auckland Islands, the Bounty Islands, the Campbell Islands, and the Snares Islands), sub-Antarctic territory.
- South Africa: Africa; the Prince Edward Islands, sub-Antarctic territory.
[edit] See also
[edit] Geography by continent
- Geography of Africa
- Geography of Asia
- Geography of Europe
- Geography of North America
- Geography of South America
- Geography of Oceania
- Geography of Antarctica
[edit] Lists of countries
- List of countries by continent (data file) — this data in a plain text format suitable for automated processing
- List of countries by native names
- List of countries and capitals in native languages
- List of national capitals
- List of capitals by country
- Gallery of sovereign state flags
- Gallery of dependent territory flags
[edit] Tables of countries and territories (with area, population, population density, and capital) in each continent
[edit] Others
[edit] References
- ^ "Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings". United Nations Statistics Division. http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm.
[edit] External links
- UN List of Territories
- CIA – The World Factbook
- U.S. Department of State: Background notes
- European Commission: List of countries, territories and currencies
- Administrative Divisions of Countries ("Statoids")
- World Gazetteer
