Continental Shields Around the World
Continental shields are like windows into Earth's distant past. These exposed ancient rocks appear on every continent and represent the oldest, most stable parts of Earth's crust.
The largest shield regions include the Canadian shield in North America, the Brazilian shield in South America, the African shield, the Baltic shield in Europe, and the Australian shield. These regions have remained relatively unchanged for billions of years.
Around these stable shield areas, you'll find folded mountain belts like the Appalachians, Andes, Alps, Urals, and Himalayas. These younger formations tell the story of Earth's more recent geological activity.
Visual tip: Think of continental shields as the "cores" of continents, with younger mountain ranges forming around their edges.