The Odd Seven Continents Theory
Viewed from space, the Earth appears to have four or five major landmass areas depending on your viewpoint. Despite this, we hold on to the illusion there are more continents.
As we all learned in grade school, there are seven continents. A quick look at a globe, however, reveals this basic assumption is just flat wrong. In particular, how can Europe be considered a continent when there is no clear division with Russia?
To the surprise of many, the Arctic is not classified as a continent. Instead, it is divided up between North America and Asia. Yes, Asia because Russia is considered to be part of it in the seven continents model. Following are the accepted seven continents in alphabetical order.
Africa is undeniably a continent by any definition. It is also the second largest one as a measure of landmass, covering over 11,700,000 square miles and making up 5.9 percent of the total surface of the Earth. As a measure of population, Africa is second most populous continent with over 840 million people.
Antarctica is also considered a continent, if a particularly barren one. 98 percent of Antarctica is covered in ice and it is the only continent neither considered a country nor claimed by any other country.
Based on sheer size, Asia is the dominant continent in the world. It has the largest landmass area and is home to over 60 percent of all humans. Talk about traffic jams! In truth, the measurements on Asia can be a bit misleading. Under the seven continents methodology, Asia extends over much of Russia, the Mideast and even parts of Egypt.
Often referred to as the forgotten continent, Australia is the fourth continent. Incorrectly referred to as an island for significant periods of history, Australia is undoubtedly a continent. That being said, it is the smallest in landmass with just more than 4,000,000 square miles, but has a healthy population of over 20 million people.
Europe is also considered a continent, but there is little geographic evidence supporting this claim. The continental designation is primarily a political and historical development. Regardless, Europe covers an area of 4 million square miles, but is heavily populated with over eleven percent of the world population at 705 million people.
North America is our next continent. Once again, we run into the practical issue of boundaries. Using the seven continent methodology, North America extends into the arctic as expected, but is also considered to include much of Central America. The total landmass is 9.45 million square miles. 514 million people are estimated to live in North America.
Our final continent is South America. Covering 6.9 million square miles, South America covers 3.5 percent of the total surface of the Earth. With a population of 371 million people, it ranks as the fifth most populous nation.
The misleading nature of the seven continent theory has to do with Europe. If the countries of Europe weren't such powerful entities through history, would we really consider it a continent? Not likely!
Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about everything. Visit us to read more about continents and what are the seven continents.


George Washington - The Best President?
George Washington was the first president of the United States and considered one of the best.
George Washington is a much-admired person in many respects. As the first president of the United States, he set the course upon which the current three-branch system of federal government is based. George Washington is perhaps the one person who can most claim the title of Founding Father.
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in Virginia. He was the son of well off plantation owner and spent his you in relative comfort. During his youth, the British Empire ruled the 13 colonies. Despite what you might assume, he was hardly a revolutionary and his stated goal was to become an officer in the British Army! Obviously, that goal never came to fruition.
As George Washington grew into adulthood, he became an expert surveyor of land. He worked in what was then called the American West and purchased vast tracts of land with other family members. He eventually owned over 56 thousand acres.
In 1752, George Washington joined the Virginia militia. He quickly became an officer and played a pivotal part in the French and Indian War. The French had moved into the Ohio Valley, which aggravated the British to no end. Washington was given the task of telling the French to leave the territory. When they refused, Washington suggested a fort be built and his superiors agreed.
As the fort was being built, Washington was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and given the task of defending it. Leading 159 men, he was victorious in minor skirmishes. Instead of being promoted to an officer position in the British Army, he was told no colonial could attain the position. Bitter, Washington resigned and the French turned the tide.
Desperate to turn the tide, the British Governor of Virginia reinstated George Washington by appointing him Commander of all the Colonial forces. Within three years, the French were defeated and Washington was famous. He married Martha Curtis in 1959, but they never had any children.
By the 1760s, George Washington had retired from the military and entered politics. He was a member of the Virginia legislature and a major critic of the British. In 1770, Washington began advocating forceful resistance to British rule.
In 1775, the colonies formed a Continental Congress to address the conflict with the British. George Washington was elected Commander of all colonial forces. War had already broken out in Massachusetts. Washington and his troops soon joined and the British were defeated in Boston in 1776. By summer, however, the British has sent more troops and defeated the colonial forces on numerous occasions.
Facing total defeat and a lack of money, George Washington did an amazing thing. He rallied his rag tag colonial forces and paid their wages out of his own finances. By late December of 1776, the colonial forces were starting to turn the tide against the British. After more victories in 1777, the French offered their support. It took a few years to arrive, but Washington was eventually able to completely defeat the British. In 1781, the British surrendered much of the east coast. In 1783, a treaty was signed granting the colonies their independence.
On February 4, 1789, George Washington was elected the first President of the United States of America with John Adams as vice president. As the first president, he put in place many precedents and traditions including:
1. Being referred to as Mr. President.
2. Refused to be declared King.
3. The creation of an inaugural event and ball.
4. Swearing on a bible when taking the oath of president.
5. Moving the capital to Washington, D.C.
6. Agreeing to the passage of the Bill of Rights.
7. Proclaimed the neutrality of the United States in all international conflicts.
In 1792, President Washington ran for re-election and was unopposed. He left office in March 1797. On December 14, 1799, he died of pneumonia on his Virginia plantation.
Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about everything. Visit us to read more about facts about George Washington.


Medical Transcription School - How long will it take?
Facing the unknown can often be disconcerting, especially when you want very much to find a great home-based career, like medical transcription. "How long will it take to get through the school?" And, "How long until I get my first paycheck?" are common concerns asked by people considering a career in medical transcription. Here we'll address both these issues.
First things first - How long will it take? On average you can expect to get through a good medical transcription school in about nine to twelve months. This assumes that you work on it consistently and part-time. All together, it will take about 600-700 hours. Say you work at it three hours a day, five days a week - that's 15 hours a week. Divide that into 600, and you get 40 weeks -- which is about nine and a half months. If you consistently work at it just a half hour longer each day, it'll shave more than a month off that.
Obviously, that's a great deal of time away from home -- usually the very thing people searching for a new career often don't want to leave behind. Fortunately, the best medical transcription schools allow you to work at home at your own pace.
So, when can I get my first check? The thing to remember is that the more time you are willing to dedicate to your studies, the sooner you will be able to start working from home and get that first check! After all, that is really what it is all about, isn't it?
Regardless of your current situation, you should be able to get through a quality medical transcription school working a few hours a day, and as many days per week that you are able dedicate to the program. A good medical transcription school will guide you through the process systematically - step by step. With a moderate amount of effort and dedication you will quickly gain the confidence you need to complete the program. So, find the best medical transcription school you can, and launch your future career today!
About the Author
Jesse Fisher is a work-at-home Dad who recommends visiting Medical Transcription School .com for more information.