Geography for Kids
Geography is the study of our planet: its continents, mountains, rivers, climates and the people who live in them. These lessons explore places near and far, explain how Earth works and show how maps help us find our way.
All 124 Geography topics
Continents
There are seven continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe and Australia/Oceania.
Maps and Compass
Maps show places from above.
Mountains
Mountains are very high landforms.
Rivers
Rivers flow downhill from mountains to the sea.
Deserts
Deserts get very little rain: less than 25 cm a year.
Countries and Capitals
Each country has a capital city where its government sits.
Layers of the Earth
Earth has four layers: crust, mantle, outer core and inner core.
Climate Zones
Earth has tropical, dry, temperate and polar climate zones.
Islands
An island is land completely surrounded by water.
Time Zones
Earth spins once a day, so when it is daytime in one place, it is night in another.
Equator and Hemispheres
The equator is an imaginary line around the middle of Earth, splitting it into the northern and southern hemispheres.
Latitude and Longitude
Latitude lines run east-west and measure distance north or south of the equator.
Tides
Tides are the rise and fall of the sea caused mainly by the Moon's gravity.
Tectonic Plates
Earth's crust is broken into large pieces called tectonic plates that move very slowly.
Glaciers
Glaciers are huge rivers of ice that move slowly downhill.
Lakes
Lakes are large bodies of water surrounded by land.
Waterfalls
Waterfalls form when a river flows over a cliff or hard rock.
Canyons
A canyon is a deep valley with steep sides, usually carved by a river over millions of years.
Plains and Plateaus
A plain is a large flat area of land, and a plateau is a flat area raised above its surroundings.
Coasts and Beaches
A coast is where land meets the sea.
World Population
Over 8 billion people live on Earth.
Cities and Towns
Cities are large places with many people, buildings and jobs.
Farming and Agriculture
Farmers grow crops and raise animals for food.
The Amazon River
The Amazon in South America carries more water than any other river.
The Himalayas
The Himalayas are the highest mountain range in the world, stretching across Nepal, India, Bhutan, Tibet and Pakistan.
The Sahara
The Sahara in Africa is the world's largest hot desert, almost as large as the USA.
The Arctic
The Arctic is the region around the North Pole, mostly frozen ocean.
Antarctica
Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent.
Australia
Australia is both a country and a continent.
India
India is in South Asia and has over 1.4 billion people.
African Wildlife
Africa is home to lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras and gorillas.
Europe
Europe is a continent with about 44 countries, many languages and thousands of years of history.
Natural Resources
Natural resources come from Earth, like water, wood, coal, oil and metals.
Wonders of the World
Famous landmarks include the Great Pyramid, the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower and Machu Picchu.
Natural Disasters
Natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires can cause great damage.
Flags of the World
Every country has a flag with colours and symbols that tell about its history.
Peninsulas
A peninsula is a piece of land almost completely surrounded by water but still connected to a larger landmass.
Deltas
A delta is a triangle-shaped area of land formed where a river meets the sea and drops the sediment it carried.
Estuaries
An estuary is a place where a river meets the sea and fresh water mixes with salt water.
Seas and Gulfs
A sea is a large body of salt water that is partly enclosed by land.
Oases
An oasis is a green spot in a desert where water is available.
Tundra
The tundra is a cold, treeless region with permafrost, which is ground that stays frozen all year.
Sand Dunes
Sand dunes are hills of sand shaped by wind.
Monsoons
Monsoons are seasonal winds that bring heavy rain to some regions, especially in South Asia.
Hurricanes
Hurricanes are huge, spinning storms that form over warm ocean water.
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level, at about 8,849 metres.
The Nile River
The Nile is one of the longest rivers in the world and flows northward through north-east Africa.
The Andes
The Andes are a long mountain range that runs down the west side of South America.
The Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains run through western North America, from Canada down into the United States.
The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world.
The Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean on Earth.
The Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean separates the Americas from Europe and Africa.
The Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean lies between Africa, Asia, Australia and Antarctica.
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia made up of thousands of islands.
Brazil
Brazil is the largest country in South America and is home to much of the Amazon rainforest.
China
China is the most populous country in Asia and has one of the oldest continuous civilisations on Earth.
Canada
Canada is the second largest country in the world by area.
Russia
Russia is the largest country in the world by area and spans both Europe and Asia.
Africa
Africa is the second largest continent and has more than 50 countries.
South America
South America is a continent with the Amazon rainforest and the Andes mountains.
North America
North America includes Canada, the United States, Mexico and Central America.
The Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea lies between Europe, Africa and Asia.
Volcanic Islands
Some islands are formed when undersea volcanoes erupt and build up layers of lava above the sea.
Caves
Caves are natural holes in rock, often formed over thousands of years as water dissolves limestone.
Salt Lakes
A salt lake is a lake with a very high amount of salt in its water.
Iceland
Iceland is an island country in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Egypt
Egypt is in North Africa, and the Nile River flows through it.
Mexico
Mexico is a country in North America, south of the United States.
Kenya
Kenya is an East African country with the famous Great Rift Valley, Mount Kenya and wildlife parks.
The Gobi Desert
The Gobi Desert covers parts of northern China and southern Mongolia.
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world.
Norway
Norway is a country in northern Europe with long coastlines, deep fjords and snowy mountains.
Peru
Peru is a country in South America with the Andes mountains, the Amazon rainforest and the ancient city of Machu Picchu.
Nigeria
Nigeria is a large country in West Africa.
Thailand
Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia with golden temples, busy markets and warm beaches.
Greenland
Greenland is the largest island in the world.
Madagascar
Madagascar is an island off the southeast coast of Africa.
Scotland
Scotland is a country in the north of the United Kingdom, with rugged highlands, islands and lochs.
Morocco
Morocco is a country in North Africa with the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara Desert and busy markets called souks.
Chile
Chile is a long, thin country along the west coast of South America.
Vietnam
Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia with a long coastline, mountains and rice fields.
Argentina
Argentina is the second largest country in South America.
The Mekong River
The Mekong is one of the longest rivers in Asia.
Ireland
Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Iran
Iran is a country in the Middle East with mountains, deserts and a long coastline on the Persian Gulf.
Turkey
Turkey is a country that spans both Europe and Asia.
Philippines
The Philippines is a country made up of more than 7,000 islands in Southeast Asia.
Indonesia
Indonesia is the largest island country in the world, made up of thousands of islands in Southeast Asia.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is a country in East Africa with high mountains, ancient churches and a rich coffee history.
Hawaii
Hawaii is a group of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Greece
Greece is a country in southern Europe with thousands of islands, ancient ruins and warm seas.
Italy
Italy is a country in southern Europe shaped like a boot.
Germany
Germany is a country in central Europe with forests, rivers and historic castles.
Spain
Spain is a country in south-west Europe with beaches, mountains and famous festivals.
Mongolia
Mongolia is a large country in East Asia with vast grasslands, mountains and deserts.
Nepal
Nepal is a country in South Asia, bordered by India and China.
South Korea
South Korea is a country in East Asia with a rich history, busy cities and mountainous landscapes.
Hungary
Hungary is a country in central Europe, crossed by the Danube River.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south Pacific Ocean.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is an island country off the southern tip of India.
Fiji
Fiji is a country made up of more than 300 islands in the South Pacific Ocean.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea.
Cuba
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean.
Ghana
Ghana is a country in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea.
Pakistan
Pakistan is a country in South Asia with mountains, deserts and fertile river valleys.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a country in South Asia with many rivers, delta lands and a long coastline on the Bay of Bengal.
Croatia
Croatia is a country in south-east Europe with a long coastline along the Adriatic Sea.
Portugal
Portugal is a country in south-west Europe on the Atlantic coast.
Austria
Austria is a landlocked country in central Europe with the Alps, palaces and classical music.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a low-lying country in north-west Europe with many canals, windmills and bicycle paths.
Switzerland
Switzerland is a small, mountainous country in central Europe famous for the Alps, chocolate and watches.
Poland
Poland is a country in central Europe with forests, lakes and a long Baltic coast.
Bolivia
Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America with the Andes mountains, the high plains and Lake Titicaca.
Ecuador
Ecuador is a country in north-west South America, named after the equator that runs through it.
Colombia
Colombia is a country in north-west South America with coffee plantations, the Andes and two coastlines.
Tanzania
Tanzania is a country in East Africa that is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.
Uganda
Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa, with lakes, mountains and national parks.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central and South Asia with high mountains, deserts and valleys.
Jordan
Jordan is a country in the Middle East with desert landscapes, the ancient city of Petra and the Dead Sea.
Oman
Oman is a country on the south-east coast of the Arabian Peninsula.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world, found in Central Asia.
Sweden
Sweden is a country in northern Europe with forests, lakes and a long coastline.
Finland
Finland is a country in northern Europe known for its forests, lakes and the Northern Lights.
Frequently asked questions about Geography
What is geography?
Geography is the study of Earth's land, water, climate, people and places, and how they affect one another.
How many continents are there?
Seven: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe and Australia (Oceania).
How can I practise geography at home?
Use an atlas or a globe, look up a country on a map each week, or plan an imaginary trip and find the route together.