SO - How many continents are there

[Kaytie]

Yes they reckon they've just discovered it. I was taught NZ was part of the Australian continent. But now they are saying it's different (about 95% submerged but includes New Caledonia as well).

I live in NZ so this is all over the news at the moment. Kiwis love to claim a point of difference from Australians/the rest of the world.

Greenland is larger than New Zealand. It should be its own continent as well, no?

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

7 is what I have always heard. That's what I learned in school, but I know stuff can change.

 

[Gary M]

Way back when I was taught there are 7. I was also taught there were 9 planets and now they say there are 8 so who knows.

 

[aristocatz]

Wikipedia cites 7

 

[kimmar067]

....I get it - it's a trick question.

 

[ronandannette]

Africa is connected to the Eurasian Continent by only a narrow isthmus and is on a separate plate. Similarly so for North and South America.

Woody and Buzz had an argument once. Buzz said Australia is a continent. Woody said no it's not. It's a big Island with style.

Not in the mood to google geography or earth sciences today. Would somebody be willing to give me the bullet-point version of how these things have been decided, especially how islands get "assigned" to any given continent? TIA

 

[MrsDuck]

Team 7.

 

[North of Mouse]

7

 

[BLAZEY]

Yes they reckon they've just discovered it. I was taught NZ was part of the Australian continent. But now they are saying it's different (about 95% submerged but includes New Caledonia as well).

I live in NZ so this is all over the news at the moment. Kiwis love to claim a point of difference from Australians/the rest of the world.

Just like Canadians to Americans!

 

[Uncranky Donald]

I just found this rock at the edge of my driveway, I can't be sure, but I think its a previously undiscovered continent, can someone with a computer google it for me?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well I was taught 7 but it wouldn't surprise me if they adjusted the definition and then the total number. I mean when I was growing up Pluto was a planet but is now a dwarf planet instead.

 

[clori]

I learned 7. We learned about Eurasia as a term I think because of the USSR having land on both continents but even then we still knew Europe and Asia were two separate continents. I'm sticking with 7 continents which matches up to what my kids are learn at school today.

 

[pryncess527]

Not in the mood to google geography or earth sciences today. Would somebody be willing to give me the bullet-point version of how these things have been decided, especially how islands get "assigned" to any given continent? TIA

Short answer -- Plate Tectonics

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Continents.shtml

 

[ronandannette]

Short answer -- Plate Tectonics

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Continents.shtml

Informative - thank you. It's been a long time since I was in Grade 5.