---
title: "Countries of Europe and the Americas"
description: "Locate the world's countries and major cities using maps and atlases, with a focus on Europe (including Russia) and North and South America; know key physical and human features of the countries studi"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/geography/countries-of-europe-and-the-americas-mt_xLEoqfmGFo
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/geography/countries-of-europe-and-the-americas-mt_xLEoqfmGFo.md
retrieved: 2026-09-12
---

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# Countries of Europe and the Americas

Locate the world's countries and major cities using maps and atlases, with a focus on Europe (including Russia) and North and South America; know key physical and human features of the countries studied

Subject: Geography · Area: Places & Regions · Ages 8 to 11
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/geography/countries-of-europe-and-the-americas-mt_xLEoqfmGFo

## Ready when they can

- Locate major countries of Europe and the Americas on a map (e.g., finding France, Russia, Brazil, the USA)
- Name capital or major cities of countries studied (e.g., Paris, Moscow, Buenos Aires)
- Describe a key feature of a country studied (e.g., 'the Andes run down the west side of South America')

## Lesson: Countries of Europe and the Americas

An atlas is a book of maps that can take you anywhere in the world without leaving your seat. Each map shows countries side by side, like puzzle pieces fitting together. Every country has a capital city, the city where its government works. France is in Europe. In this topic, you will find countries in Europe, including Russia, and countries in North and South America.

*(drawing: Follow these steps to find any country in an atlas.)*

**Example.** Leo wants to find France. He checks the atlas index and reads 'France... page 12, C4.' He turns to page 12, finds column C and row 4, and spots France on the map, between Spain and Germany. Its capital city is Paris.

Russia's capital is Moscow. Brazil's capital is Brasilia. Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina, and Madrid is the capital of Spain. The capital of the USA is Washington, D.C. New York City is big and famous, but it is not the capital. Russia stretches across Europe and Asia. The Andes run down the west side of South America. The Amazon covers much of the north of Brazil.

**Tip.** Maps often mark capital cities with a star, not a plain dot. When you learn a country, learn three things: where it sits, its capital, and one fact about it, like 'the Andes run down the west side of South America.'

**Recap.** Countries sit next to each other on the map, and each one has a capital city and its own special feature to remember.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Reading Maps: Symbols and Grids](https://lightmysky.com/learn/geography/reading-maps-symbols-and-grids-mt__Xl9qT-B20)
- [Continents and Oceans](https://lightmysky.com/learn/geography/continents-and-oceans-mt_aNGHn8yqR8)

## Opens up

- [Comparing World Regions](https://lightmysky.com/learn/geography/comparing-world-regions-mt_cY5D2gWt0Y)
- [Geography of World Trade](https://lightmysky.com/learn/geography/geography-of-world-trade-mt_Vpbi5Z4ypw)