partyon

I was raise on the British school system that teaches that there are 5 Continents:- Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Africa. Now I that live in North America I keep hearing that there are 7 Continents. Which is correct? both? 5? 7? Any thoughts?

i_am_kane

I was educated in the U.S. I would add Antartica and Australia to make it 7 continents...I wonder why the difference.

Anonymous

There is no "correct" answer, it's just a matter of definitions or opinions. But if Australia and Antarctica aren't continents, which of your 5 are they part of?

There's also another school that considers Europe and Asia to be one land mass -- Eurasia--which makes sense if you look at a map and try not to think about the political divisions, Europe is just a peninsula off the main Asian continent.

StCirq

And what is Oceania that so many Europeans refer to?

partyon

In the UK school system Asia had several regions, Australasia, the Far East, Asia minor, etc were all part of Asia.

sheila

There were five when I was at school and there are 5 now.

America, Australia, Asia, Africa, and Antartica

JonJon

I think the last post illustrates PERFECTLY why the sun has finally set on the British "empire."

sheila

I WAS joking

Clifton

7, but it's all in the counting.

If you look at some of the progression maps of the breakup of the Pangea landmass, you can see where some of the existing continents came from, regardless how you decide to count them. Me, I'd have a hard time including Australia in as part of Asia, considering that these two parts of the earth have never touched and were different ends of the original landmass. Also, quite a few places, I've heard, do count the Americas as one continent, although they've made contact at Panama only relatively recently. Week ago, Tuesday I believe.

I can tell you that Australians believe they're sitting on their own continent and there's certainly every reason why they should. It was the first piece to break away as it pulled away from was the part that's now Africa, not Asia.

Interesting stuff. They say that some peaks in the Himalayas are still growing at a foot per year as India is slamming into Asia prime. Next big hit comes when Alaska plows into Siberia. That should be fun.

By the way, I am still curious as Anonymous was. Where does the British system place Antartica in all of this?

RufusTFirefly

Most geographers, even in the UK, recognize 7 continents. But depending on how anal they are, some will combine Europe and Asia, others combine N and S America, others don't count Australia at all, some count "Oceania" including most of the Pacific Islands, even though a continent is by definition a large land mass, which "Oceania" certainly is not.

Geographic designations of many types are subject to interpretation.

Gardyloo

Who's got four? I've got four...
1. America - (the Panama Canal is man-made).
2. Africa/Eurasia - ditto the Suez. And the Urals are a mountain range, not even a complete one. What do we call it? Eurafrasia?
3. Australia.
4. Antarctica.

Ragheed

clifton, I realize you post is months old, but I just wanted to say that australia was part of antarctica nd not africa

AuntIda

Such a silly twit, that Rufus fellow: of course "Oceania" is a large land mass so it certainly qualifies as a continent. It is simply nicely divided so people can digest it more slowly.

Clifton

Ragheed, yes you're right of course. I was focusing on the fact that Australia and the far eastern portion of Asia were a long distance from each other originally. Yes, joined to Antarctica (and what's now the Indian subcontinent), which was connected to east Africa. I should learn to get my facts down correctly!