6 or 7 continents?

[DAF86]

The other day chatting with an American I learned that in the U.S is taught that North-America and South-America are diferent continents while down here is taught that they both are part of one: America. I found it strange that there isn't an unified form of separating the continents. I would like to know how is it taught in other parts of the world.

[Bukefal]

7 continents. Here in europe its taught as south america and north america, divided.

[sonic21]

In France, it's taught that there are 6 continents

[tlongII]

7 continents. That's why we dug the Panama Canal!

[tp2021]

If North and South America are 1 continent, Asia and Europe should be one continent.

[ashbeeigh]

If North and South America are 1 continent, Asia and Europe should be one continent.

Some do call it Eurasia.

The division between Asia and Europe are the Caucus mountains.

North America = Canada, US, Mexico.

South America = Everything else

Central America=Non existent (or so it seems...)

[DAF86]

Some do call it Eurasia.

The division between Asia and Europe are the Caucus mountains.

North America = Canada, US, Mexico.

South America = Everything else

Central America=Non existent (or so it seems...)

That's what I was going to say.

[leemajors]

Some do call it Eurasia.

The division between Asia and Europe are the Caucus mountains.

North America = Canada, US, Mexico.

South America = Everything else

Central America=Non existent (or so it seems...)

i guess it's 8, with the discovery of the new continent of Central America.

[DAF86]

7 continents. Here in europe its taught as south america and north america, divided.


In France, it's taught that there are 6 continents

So I guess that in different parts of Europe is taught differently.

[tp2021]

Some do call it Eurasia.


I know. I'm saying that if one is arguing against the existence of 7 continents, their alternative should be 5, not 6. No way can North and South America be considered 1 continent and not Eurasia.

[DAF86]

i guess it's 8, with the discovery of the new continent of Central America.

If you're going to separate North and South America then it'd make sense to separate Central America too.

[DAF86]

I know. I'm saying that if one is arguing against the existence of 7 continents, their alternative should be 5, not 6. No way can North and South America be considered 1 continent and not Eurasia.

I'm not arguing anything I'm just saying how my teachers taught me when I was child.

[tp2021]

I'm not arguing anything I'm just saying how my teachers taught me when I was child.

Maybe claim was the better word to use.

[jman3000]

Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Antartica.

6.

[tp2021]

Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Antartica.

6.

:tu

[DAF86]

Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Antartica.

6.

Where are you from?

[Dr. Gonzo]

There is only 1. The United States of America. Everything else is shit.

[angel_luv]

Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Antartica.

7.

[ploto]

I was taught 2 different ways but both meant 7 continents.

Mostly I was taught:
North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica

I had one Hispanic teacher who taught us:
North America, Central America, South America, Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica

Encyclopedia Brittanica states:

Continent: one of the larger continuous masses of land, namely, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia, listed in order of size. (Europe and Asia are sometimes considered a single continent, Eurasia).

World Book Encyclopedia:

Continent is a part of Earth's surface that forms one of the great dry-land masses of the world. It usually has extensive plains or plateaus and one or more mountain ranges, and is surrounded or nearly surrounded by water. The continents of the world are Asia (17,036,000 square miles, or 44,123,000 square kilometers); Africa (11,684,000 square miles, or 30,262,000 square kilometers); North America (9,525,000 square miles, or 24,669,000 square kilometers); South America (6,887,000 square miles, or 17,836,000 square kilometers); Antarctica 4,700,000 square miles, or 12,100,000 square kilometers); Europe (4,033,000 square miles, or 10,445,000 square kilometers); and Australia (2,970,000 square miles, or 7,692,000 square kilometers). Technically, Europe is not a continent, but a peninsula of Asia. It is part of what may be called the Eurasian continent, which has a total area of 21,069,000 square miles (54,568,000 square kilometers). The islands that make up the Pacific Islands, or Oceania, are not part of any continent. They have an area of about 492,000 square miles (1,274,000 square kilometers).

[DAF86]

Eurasia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Antartica.

6.


:tu


I know. I'm saying that if one is arguing against the existence of 7 continents, their alternative should be 5, not 6. No way can North and South America be considered 1 continent and not Eurasia.

So you disagree with you? ;)

[tp2021]

So you disagree with you? ;)

Geez. If somebody thinks that the Americas are 1, then Eurasia should be 1. As it is, Eurasia should be 1, regardless of the Americas. But if the Americas are considered 1, then Eurasia should be considered 1. If A, then B (but not the other way around).

[DAF86]

Geez. If somebody thinks that the Americas are 1, then Eurasia should be 1. As it is, Eurasia should be 1, regardless of the Americas. But if the Americas are considered 1, then Eurasia should be considered 1. If A, then B (but not the other way around).

In the U.S is it taught that Europe and Asia are one?

[tp2021]

In the U.S is it taught that Europe and Asia are one?

Not that I know of.

[whottt]

Depends on how you define continent, the word has different meanings.

[leo_d]

So USA should be renamed as USNA

[Tracy McGrady]

5 if you mix up Europe and Asia and N.America and South America.

[whottt]

I was taught 2 different ways but both meant 7 continents.

Mostly I was taught:
North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica

I had one Hispanic teacher who taught us:
North America, Central America, South America, Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica

Encyclopedia Brittanica states:


World Book Encyclopedia:



Depends on what you are looking at. Depending how technical you want to be you could say there are anywhere from 3-14 continents and be accurate. Possibly even more than 14 if you really wanted to get nitpicky.

The confusion is created because there isn't a totally clear boundary between the geological, cultural and geographical definitons of the word and what consitututes a continental boundary. It's just sort of a mishmash of meanings pulled from geography, geology and cultural perspective that usually produces a number between 5 and 7.

You cannot produce a totally consistent definition of the word that applies across the board(culturally, geologically etc.) and come up with 6 or 7 continents. So any time you hear that number know you are hearing a hybrid definition of the word in which what consitutes a continent changes depending on the continent(s)....what makes Europe and Asia continents is not what makes Australia and North and South America continents.

[JoeChalupa]

I say 7.

[jman3000]

Dividing Europe and Asia was done more for cultural reasons than geographic.

[whottt]

Dividing Europe and Asia was done more for cultural reasons than geographic.

The Europeans and Asians could end a lot of this confustion by getting their act together and digging a canal to separate their continents like we over here in the Americas had the good sense to do :tu

I think they refuse to do it because they are all lazy...

[jman3000]

Some do call it Eurasia.

The division between Asia and Europe are the Caucus mountains.

North America = Canada, US, Mexico.

South America = Everything else

Central America=Non existent (or so it seems...)

The Caucus's divide Eastern Europe from the Middle East.

Usually the Ural mountains are considered the natural boundary between Europe and Asia... but they are more like large hills.

[leo_d]

I learned that Australia + New Zealand + another islands= Oceanía.

How aussies call their continent?

[DAF86]

The Europeans and Asians could end a lot of this confustion by getting their act together and digging a canal to separate their continents like we over here in the Americas had the good sense to do :tu

I think they refuse to do it because they are all lazy...

Or they could just leave it like mother nature made it and don't give a fuck about stupid name tags that don't help one bit.

[tp2021]

Or they could just leave it like mother nature made it and don't give a fuck about stupid name tags that don't help one bit.

Didn't you ask? :lol

[DAF86]

Didn't you ask? :lol

Yes, 'cause I wanted to know how it was taught in other places, but I still think is a stupid division to make. It doesn't serve any helpful purpose.

[tp2021]

Agree

[timvp]

Depends on how you define continent, the word has different meanings.

:rollin

[MannyIsGod]

7 1/2 - India might as well be its own.

[Solid D]

Depends on how you define continent, the word has different meanings.


:rollin

Q: What's the difference between continent and in-continent?
A: 'Depends.


http://www.themedsupplyguide.com/adult-diapers/Images/depend_diaper.gif

[Dex]

6 continents and 8 planets?

This is what the American public school system does for you.

[Opinionater]

IMHO, there are six.

[TDMVPDPOY]

australia aint a continent...we are grouped with asia, but never get involved with their affairs....

[sonic21]

australia isn't a continent, it's oceania

[Drachen]

So USA should be renamed as USNA

Why?? Is there another United States in the western hemisphere?? If not, then it would in fact be the United States of America. Now if you saying we should be called something differently (Americans vs. something else) I would say that you are picking nits, but technically would be right.


As far as the subject is concerned, WOW, I had no idea that it was taught like this. I do have to say that I know, unequivocally, the reason why Europe and Asia are separated though. It is so that suckers will keep trying to take Asia in Risk. 7 Extra men, but you can never hold it. Once you have figured out which player is trying to take asia, you know who the first guy out will be.

[E20]

4, the tip of Alaska touches Russia so:

Eurasia/North America/South America all as one, Africa, Antartica, and Austraila. That is 4.

Eventually there will only be 1 again so fuck it.

[Rogue]

theoretically there was only one america until the panama canal appeared and separated this continent into two individuals, North America and South America.

[pkbpkb81]

so dose this mean Hawaii is a continent lol

[Jacob1983]

What about New Zealand?

[bdictjames]

South and North divided, seven.

[Extra Stout]

Africa is attached to Asia at Suez, and Alaska and Russia are only separated by a shallow strait, so really the continents are:

1) Afreurasiamerica (or Extrastoutgaea, as I call it)
2) Australia
3) Antarctica

[Obstructed_View]

North America and South America are the same continent. Just look at the names! Sheesh. :lol

[The Reckoning]

south america just wants to get in on nafta

[MrChug]

Don't forget about the continent of Texas...

[MB20]

The seven-continent model is usually taught in Western Europe, Northern Europe, Central Europe, Southeastern Europe, China and most English-speaking countries.
The six-continent combined-Eurasia model is preferred by the geographic community, Russia, Eastern Europe, and Japan.
The six-continent combined-America model is taught in Latin America, and some parts of Europe including Greece, Portugal and Spain. This model may be taught to include only the five inhabited continents (excluding Antarctica)[20][21] — as depicted in the Olympic logo.[22]

The names Oceania or Australasia are sometimes used in place of Australia. For example, the Atlas of Canada names Oceania,[13] as does the model taught in Latin America and Iberia.[23][24]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continents#Number_of_continents

[DAF86]

The names Oceania or Australasia are sometimes used in place of Australia. For example, the Atlas of Canada names Oceania,[13] as does the model taught in Latin America and Iberia.[23][24]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continents#Number_of_continents

Does this mean that are some places where instead of Oceania the continent is called Australia?

[Extra Stout]

The six-continent combined-America model[/B] is taught in Latin America, and some parts of Europe including Greece, Portugal and Spain.
I'm going to hazard a guess...

For Portugal and Spain, the Americas are combined because they constitute the 'New World;' the treatment of 'continents' is anthropological, which is why Anatarctica is excluded.

In Latin America, they are combined for cultural and political reasons, to dissuade from the conflation of the United States with all of the Americas (which is why a Latin American would call a U.S. citizen estadounidense, "Unitedstate-ese," rather than americano, since he views himself as much an americano as the U.S. citizen is).

[Extra Stout]

Does this mean that are some places where instead of Oceania the continent is called Australia?
I never knew other people called it Oceania until I read this thread.

The name of the airline on Lost makes more sense now.

[DAF86]

I never knew other people called it Oceania until I read this thread.

The name of the airline on Lost makes more sense now.

Lol the people of the other countries of that continent must feel really bad when they found out about this.

[Extra Stout]

Lol the people of the other countries of that continent must feel really bad when they found out about this.
This remark made me chuckle, since Americans are taught that Australia is the only country that takes up its entire continent.

In the U.S. context, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, etc. are considered "Oceania," but they are not considered part of the Australian continent because they do not make up a contiguous landmass.

Geologically, I know that is incorrect. Politically, for the British, it was probably advantageous to differentiate Australia from a nearby landmass that wasn't filled with white colonists, and the U.S. likely adopted the convention since in the mid-19th century the U.S. still tended to see Great Britain as the authority on such things.

[smeagol]

Five:

- America

- Asia

- Africa

- Europe

- Oceania

It could be six if you consider Antartica, but who cares about that cold miserable place.

[Spurminator]

1. Texas
2. U.S.A.
3. Savagelands

[ploto]

My son who is a huge geography buff has always called it Australasia.

[velik_m]

The Europeans and Asians could end a lot of this confustion by getting their act together and digging a canal to separate their continents like we over here in the Americas had the good sense to do :tu

I think they refuse to do it because they are all lazy...

You can get from though Europe mainland with ship on several places

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_canal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhine-Main-Danube_Canal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Canal

Anyway separating Europe and Asia wouldn't last as Europe is shoving itself into Asia.

[velik_m]

It could be six if you consider Antartica, but who cares about that cold miserable place.

http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/8165_Linux-penguin.jpg

You've made penguins everywhere sad. :depressed

[Sec24Row7]

LOL for South Americans who think they get to be lumped in with First world countries.

[smeagol]

LOL for South Americans who think they get to be lumped in with First world countries.

Actually, it was Obama who sucked on Chavez' cock in that meeting of American (North and South) presidents last week. Looks like North Americans want to be associated with South Americans . . .

[CuckingFunt]

Actually, it was Obama who sucked on Chavez' cock in that meeting of American (North and South) presidents last week. Looks like North Americans want to be associated with South Americans . . .

Oh, let's be realistic.




We all want to be Canada.

[DAF86]

LOL for South Americans who think they get to be lumped in with First world countries.

Lol for the xenophobia

[Wild Cobra]

I guess it depends on if you are religious (7 = the number of God) or an atheist (6 = the number of man).

[Johnny RIngo]

The other day chatting with an American I learned that in the U.S is taught that North-America and South-America are diferent continents while down here is taught that they both are part of one: America. I found it strange that there isn't an unified form of separating the continents. I would like to know how is it taught in other parts of the world.

I actually had an argument with my uncle about this the other day. He was born and schooled in Europe and insists that there are six continents(he includes North and South America as one continent).