Europeans had explored much of North America by the late 1700s, including the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland to Georgia, the Mississippi River valley, and the Great Lakes region. Spanish explorers had also reached the Pacific coast of North America.
- South America:
Spanish and Portuguese explorers had explored much of South America by the late 1700s, including the Amazon River basin, the Andes Mountains, and the pampas of Argentina.
- Africa:
Europeans had explored much of the coast of Africa by the late 1700s, including the west coast from Morocco to South Africa, the east coast from Egypt to Mozambique, and the interior of West Africa.
- Asia:
Europeans had explored much of the coast of Asia by the late 1700s, including the Indian Ocean coast of India, the Southeast Asian coast from Burma to Vietnam, the Chinese coast, and the Japanese coast. Russian explorers had also reached the Pacific coast of Siberia.
- Australia:
Europeans had explored much of the coast of Australia by the late 1700s, including the east coast from Cape York Peninsula to Tasmania, the south coast, and the west coast from Shark Bay to King George Sound.