Maps and Globes

What Is a Globe?#

Have you ever seen a round ball on a stand, with colorful areas painted on it? That is a globe! A globe is a model of the Earth — a small round object that shows what the whole Earth looks like from space.

The Earth Is Round!#

The Earth is shaped like a giant sphere (a round ball). It is not flat, even though it looks flat when we look at the ground. Long ago, some people thought the Earth was flat, but today we know for certain it is round. We can see this from photos taken from space!

What Do You See on a Globe?#

If you look at a globe, you will notice two main things:

• Blue areas — these are the oceans and seas. They are filled with water. More than two thirds of the Earth's surface is water!
• Coloured areas (green, brown, yellow) — these are the continents — the large areas of land where people, animals, and plants live.

The Seven Continents#

The land on Earth is divided into seven big sections called continents:

1. Africa — very large, hot climates, many wild animals
2. Antarctica — at the South Pole, covered in ice
3. Asia — the largest continent, home to billions of people
4. Australia / Oceania — includes Australia and many islands
5. Europe — home of many old countries and cultures
6. North America — includes the USA, Canada, and Mexico
7. South America — home of the Amazon rainforest

The Four Oceans#

The main bodies of water are called oceans. The four main oceans are:

• Pacific Ocean — the biggest ocean
• Atlantic Ocean — between the Americas and Europe/Africa
• Indian Ocean — between Africa and Australia
• Arctic Ocean — the smallest, near the North Pole

A globe helps us understand the whole world at a glance!