Continent Area Comparison Explained

The question asks us to identify a continent based on its geographical area. Specifically, we need to find the continent that is larger than Australia but smaller than Antarctica in terms of land area.

Understanding Continent Sizes

To answer this, let's look at the approximate land areas of the continents mentioned and the continents listed in the options. Area is measured in square kilometers (km²).

Continent Area Data

Here's a comparison of the areas:

Area Analysis for Continents

We are looking for a continent 'X' such that its area satisfies the condition:

$$ Area_{Australia} < Area_{X} < Area_{Antarctica} $$

Let's check the options against this condition using the data:

• South America: Area is approximately $ 17.8 \times 10^6 $ km². This is larger than Antarctica ($ 14.2 \times 10^6 $ km²), so it doesn't fit the criteria.
• Europe: Area is approximately $ 10.2 \times 10^6 $ km². This is larger than Australia ($ 7.6 \times 10^6 $ km²) and smaller than Antarctica ($ 14.2 \times 10^6 $ km²). So, $ 7.6 < 10.2 < 14.2 $. This fits the criteria.
• North America: Area is approximately $ 24.7 \times 10^6 $ km². This is larger than Antarctica, so it doesn't fit.
• Africa: Area is approximately $ 30.4 \times 10^6 $ km². This is larger than Antarctica, so it doesn't fit.

Conclusion on Continent Size

Based on the area comparison, Europe is the only continent among the options that is larger than Australia and smaller than Antarctica.