Vocabulary · Culture
World geography in English
A2
World geography in English: continents, oceans and seas, English-speaking countries and other countries, famous capitals, and the words for directions, mountains and rivers. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
Continents
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Africa(n.)“Africa is a vast continent.” | the continent south of Europe | /ˈæfrɪkə/ |
| Asia(n.) | the biggest continent, with China and India | /ˈeɪʃə/ |
| Europe(n.) | the continent with Belgium, Italy and Spain | /ˈjʊərəp/ |
| North America(n.) | the continent with Canada and the USA | /ˌnɔːθ əˈmerɪkə/ |
| South America(n.) | the continent with Brazil and Argentina | /ˌsaʊθ əˈmerɪkə/ |
| Antarctica(n.) | the frozen continent at the South Pole | /æntˈɑːktɪkə/ |
| Oceania(n.) | the region of Australia and the Pacific islands | /ˌəʊsiˈɑːniə/ |
| Australia(n.) | a country that is also a continent | /ɒˈstreɪliə/ |
Oceans and seas
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Ocean(n.) | the ocean between Europe and America | /ətˌlæntɪk ˈəʊʃn/ |
| Pacific Ocean(n.) | the biggest ocean on Earth | /pəˌsɪfɪk ˈəʊʃn/ |
| Indian Ocean(n.) | the ocean south of India | /ˌɪndiən ˈəʊʃn/ |
| Arctic Ocean(n.) | the cold ocean around the North Pole | /ˌɑːktɪk ˈəʊʃn/ |
| Mediterranean Sea(n.) | the sea between Europe and Africa | /ˌmedɪtəˈreɪniən siː/ |
| sea(n.) | a large area of salt water | /siː/ |
| ocean(n.) | a very large sea | /ˈəʊʃn/ |
English-speaking countries
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (UK)(n.) | England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland | /juːˌnaɪtɪd ˈkɪŋdəm/ |
| United States (USA)(n.) | a big country of 50 states | /juːˌnaɪtɪd ˈsteɪts/ |
| Canada(n.) | the big country north of the USA | /ˈkænədə/ |
| Australia(n.) | an English-speaking country in the southern hemisphere | /ɒˈstreɪliə/ |
| New Zealand(n.) | an island country near Australia | /ˌnjuː ˈziːlənd/ |
| Ireland(n.) | an island country west of Great Britain | /ˈaɪələnd/ |
| India(n.) | a big country in South Asia | /ˈɪndiə/ |
| South Africa(n.) | the country at the southern tip of Africa | /ˌsaʊθ ˈæfrɪkə/ |
Other common countries
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| France(n.) | the country just south of Belgium | /frɑːns/ |
| Germany(n.) | the country east of the Netherlands | /ˈdʒɜːməni/ |
| Italy(n.) | the country shaped like a boot | /ˈɪtəli/ |
| Spain(n.) | the country between France and Portugal | /speɪn/ |
| China(n.) | a huge country in East Asia | /ˈtʃaɪnə/ |
| Japan(n.) | an island country in East Asia | /dʒəˈpæn/ |
| Brazil(n.) | the biggest country in South America | /brəˈzɪl/ |
| Russia(n.) | the biggest country in the world | /ˈrʌʃə/ |
| Mexico(n.) | the country south of the USA | /ˈmeksɪkəʊ/ |
Famous capitals
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| London(n.)“London is the capital of the UK.” | the capital of the UK | /ˈlʌndən/ |
| Washington D.C.(n.) | the capital of the USA | /ˈwɒʃɪŋtən diː siː/ |
| Paris(n.) | the capital of France | /ˈpærɪs/ |
| Tokyo(n.) | the capital of Japan | /ˈtəʊkjəʊ/ |
| Beijing(n.) | the capital of China | /ˌbeɪˈdʒɪŋ/ |
| Moscow(n.) | the capital of Russia | /ˈmɒskəʊ/ |
| Sydney(n.)“Sydney is famous but not the capital of Australia.” | the biggest city in Australia | /ˈsɪdni/ |
Directions and landscapes
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| north(n.) | the direction of the North Pole | /nɔːθ/ |
| south(n.) | the opposite direction to north | /saʊθ/ |
| east(n.) | the direction where the sun rises | /iːst/ |
| west(n.) | the direction where the sun sets | /west/ |
| mountain(n.) | a very high hill | /ˈmaʊntən/ |
| river(n.) | water that flows to the sea | /ˈrɪvə/ |
| lake(n.) | a large area of water inside land | /leɪk/ |
| desert(n.) | a dry place with very little rain | /ˈdezət/ |
| island(n.) | land with water all around it | /ˈaɪlənd/ |
| forest(n.) | a large area with many trees | /ˈfɒrɪst/ |
Common mistakes to avoid
I live in spain ❌: countries need a capital letter
In English, all geographical names (countries, continents, cities, oceans) start with a capital letter: I live in Spain (not spain), the Atlantic Ocean. Languages and nationalities too: English, Spanish, Japanese.
I live in Netherlands ❌: say the Netherlands
Countries with a plural name or a short form in letters take the: the UK, the USA, the UAE, the Netherlands. Most countries have no the: Spain, Germany, Belgium. These exceptions must be learnt by heart.
Sydney is the capital of Australia ❌
Sydney is not the capital of Australia: the capital is Canberra. Many famous cities are not capitals. Also, Washington, D.C. (the capital of the USA) is not the same place as Washington State, on the west coast.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
Which countries are in the United Kingdom?+
The United Kingdom (the UK) is England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is England, Scotland and Wales, without Northern Ireland. The British Isles are the islands of the UK and the Republic of Ireland together.
What is the difference between England, Britain and the UK?+
England is only one country, with London as its capital. Britain or Great Britain is England, Scotland and Wales. The UK is Great Britain plus Northern Ireland. Be careful: people from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not like it when you call the whole UK England.
Is Sydney the capital of Australia?+
No, the capital is Canberra. It was built as a new city, so the country did not have to choose between Sydney and Melbourne. Sydney is the biggest and most famous city, but it is not the capital. It is the same in other countries: Washington, D.C. is the capital of the USA (not New York), and Brasília is the capital of Brazil (not Rio).
Why do we say “the” before some countries?+
Country names that are plural, or that contain a word like Kingdom or States, take the: the UK, the USA, the UAE, the Netherlands, the Philippines. Most other countries have no the: Belgium, Germany, Japan, China. Learn the countries with the one by one.
Is it Germany or German?+
Germany /ˈdʒɜːməni/ is the country. German /ˈdʒɜːmən/ is the language, the nationality and the adjective: She is German. I speak German. A common mistake is to mix them up: say I live in Germany, not I live in German.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/world-geography
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.