Destinations
Encompassing the Caribbean, Northern and Central America, this is the 3rd largest continent by size and 4th largest in population. Endemic species include the bison, black bear, pronghorn, turkey, raccoon, coyote, and Gila monster. Corn, tomatoes, cotton, chilis, vanilla, strawberries, and tobacco were first cultivated here.
Here is where the Golden Age of piracy, the Wild West, and Hollywood arose to capture the world's imagination.
Home to the world’s largest river, rainforest, and longest mountain range, this is the 4th largest continent in area and 5th in population. The spectacled bear, maned wolf, capybara, llama, rhea, and guinea pig are endemic. Cacao, peanuts, quinoa, potatoes, pineapple, and passion fruit all originated here.
By 1533 the native Incas had created the world's largest empire without the use of the wheel, iron, writing, or draft animals.
With the highest ratio of coast to landmass, Europe is the 3rd most populous, and 2nd smallest, continent. The wisent, Alpine ibex, chamois, roe deer, edible dormouse, European jackal, and hedgehog are all endemic. No longer recognized as a center of origin for agricultural development, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, and horseradish are some of the known varieties first cultivated here.
Europe has the largest economy on Earth, where roughly one-third of the world's wealth is concentrated.
Containing 60% of the world’s population, Asia is by far the largest and most populous continent. It lays claim to both the world’s highest and lowest points. Endemic wildlife includes the orangutan, tiger, gaur, Asian black bear, Komodo dragon, Asian elephant, and three species of rhinoceros. It was here that wheat, barley, rice, olives, figs, apricots, beets, peaches, spinach, kiwis, mango, oranges, and pomegranates were first cultivated.
Asia gave rise to the world's earliest civilizations as well as being the birthplace of every major world religion.
Ranking 2nd in both population and landmass, Africa is also home to the Nile, world’s longest river. Species found here and nowhere else include the African elephant, lion, and cheetah, gorillas, chimpanzee, and two species of rhinoceros. It was here that dates, watermelon, artichoke, okra, sorghum, pearl millet, and yams were first cultivated.
The origin of humanity, Africa remains the least wealthy of all continents despite being rich in natural resources.
Among all inhabited continents, Australia is the smallest, least populous, oldest, flattest, and driest. A great majority of the species here can be found nowhere else, including the kangaroo, koala, wombat, emu, Tasmanian devil, echidna, and duck-billed platypus. Macadamia nuts, Tasmanian pepperberries, bush tomatoes and quandongs come from Australia.
30% of Australians are immigrants, with an Aboriginal culture that is among the oldest in the world.
Divided into the three distinct ethnogeographic groups of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, 90% of the Pacific Islands’ combined land area of 300,000 square miles belongs to the islands of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The total population is around 16 million. Species endemic to this region include the kiwi, kakapo, kea, takahe, and tuatara. Sugarcane, banana, sago, breadfruit, and yaro are all purported to have originally been cultivated in Papua New Guinea, and later spread throughout the region.
It is estimated that there are still roughly 40 uncontacted tribes living in the remote rainforests of West Papua.
With a maximum seasonal population 4,000 during the summer, Antarctica is larger than Europe, and nearly twice the size of Australia. It is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent. At 1/4 in. long, the Antarctic midge is the largest purely terrestrial native animal, while coastal waters support several species of seal, penguin, the snow petrel, colossal squid, and sea leopards. Native vegetation is limited to Antarctic pearlwort and hairgrass, mosses, and lichens. Extraction of all mineral resources is banned until 2048.
