Continent with the Smallest Land Area

The correct answer is option 'B', which is Australia. Let's discuss why.

Geographical Size of Continents

There are 7 continents in the world, namely Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Europe, and Antarctica. Each continent has a different land area. Here is a list of the continents with their land area:

1. Asia - 44,579,000 square kilometers
2. Africa - 30,065,000 square kilometers
3. North America - 24,256,000 square kilometers
4. South America - 17,819,000 square kilometers
5. Antarctica - 14,000,000 square kilometers
6. Europe - 10,180,000 square kilometers
7. Australia - 8,600,000 square kilometers

As we can see in the list above, Australia has the smallest land area among all the continents. It is even smaller than Antarctica, which is often considered as the smallest continent due to its isolated location and harsh weather conditions.

Factors that Affect Land Area

Land area is determined by several factors, including the following:

1. Bordering oceans and seas - continents that are surrounded by water tend to have larger land areas.
2. Latitude - continents located closer to the equator tend to have larger land areas.
3. Tectonic plate movements - continents that are situated on active tectonic plates tend to have larger land areas.
4. Human activities - urbanization, deforestation, and land reclamation can affect the land area of a continent.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Australia has the smallest land area among all the continents in the world. Its land area is only 8,600,000 square kilometers, which is even smaller than Antarctica. Factors such as bordering oceans and seas, latitude, tectonic plate movements, and human activities can affect the land area of a continent.