▲ 288 ▼ TIL there is no agreement on how many continents there are. (en.wikipedia.org) submitted 4 months ago by Quilotoa@lemmy.ca to c/til@lemmy.world 131 comments fedilink hide all child comments
[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 7 points 4 months ago* (1 child) Europe isn't a continent, it's a political entity. A continent is geographic. EurAsia is a continent. permalink fedilink source hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 4 months ago (2 children) Lol no. The european union is the political entity. Europe is a continent. Asia is a continent. If you want to talk about both of them together you can say eurasia but they are not one continent. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] invertedspear@lemmy.zip 9 points 4 months ago (1 child) What delineates Europe from Asia that shouldn’t also delineate India from Asia? Not trying to be argumentative, curious. I’ve always heard of India as a subcontinent, and when explained why it seems like Europe fits the same description. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] ChairmanMeow@programming.dev 2 points 4 months ago Large mountain ranges (the Urals for Europe-Asia and the Himalayas for India-rest-of-Asia). permalink fedilink source parent [–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 5 points 4 months ago (1 child) They are one continuous landmass. A continent is one continuous landmass. You can't split a single landmass and call it two separate continents. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org 1 point 4 months ago (2 children) So is North and South America. Is that also one continent? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 5 points 4 months ago (1 child) There are going to be little isthmuses connecting landmasses, but that doesn't make them combined. Africa is technically connected to both Europe and Asia, but nobody is suggesting that they be combined with Europe and Asia. Europe and Asia are literally the same landmass, with just a border between them. Even the Middle East probably has a better claim on being a Continent than Europe. Besides, the Panama Canal essentially makes North And South America separated by water. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] fenrasulfr@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago* (1 child) Aren't Europe and Asia on the same techtonic plate? Isn't that also the reason India is considered a subcontinent because it is on a different techtonic plate? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] mrlemmyhimself@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago (1 child) Iceland is between two tectonic plates, and that rule would separate the Somali plate from the rest of Africa, make the Caribbean its own continent, etc permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago Don’t forget zealandia being its own continent permalink fedilink source parent [–] homura1650@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago North and South America are joined by a thin strip of land that serves as the continent border. Africa and Eurasia are joined by a thin strip that serves as a continent barrier. Europe and Asia have no natural border between them. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 4 months ago (2 children) Lol no. The european union is the political entity. Europe is a continent. Asia is a continent. If you want to talk about both of them together you can say eurasia but they are not one continent. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] invertedspear@lemmy.zip 9 points 4 months ago (1 child) What delineates Europe from Asia that shouldn’t also delineate India from Asia? Not trying to be argumentative, curious. I’ve always heard of India as a subcontinent, and when explained why it seems like Europe fits the same description. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] ChairmanMeow@programming.dev 2 points 4 months ago Large mountain ranges (the Urals for Europe-Asia and the Himalayas for India-rest-of-Asia). permalink fedilink source parent [–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 5 points 4 months ago (1 child) They are one continuous landmass. A continent is one continuous landmass. You can't split a single landmass and call it two separate continents. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org 1 point 4 months ago (2 children) So is North and South America. Is that also one continent? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 5 points 4 months ago (1 child) There are going to be little isthmuses connecting landmasses, but that doesn't make them combined. Africa is technically connected to both Europe and Asia, but nobody is suggesting that they be combined with Europe and Asia. Europe and Asia are literally the same landmass, with just a border between them. Even the Middle East probably has a better claim on being a Continent than Europe. Besides, the Panama Canal essentially makes North And South America separated by water. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] fenrasulfr@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago* (1 child) Aren't Europe and Asia on the same techtonic plate? Isn't that also the reason India is considered a subcontinent because it is on a different techtonic plate? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] mrlemmyhimself@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago (1 child) Iceland is between two tectonic plates, and that rule would separate the Somali plate from the rest of Africa, make the Caribbean its own continent, etc permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago Don’t forget zealandia being its own continent permalink fedilink source parent [–] homura1650@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago North and South America are joined by a thin strip of land that serves as the continent border. Africa and Eurasia are joined by a thin strip that serves as a continent barrier. Europe and Asia have no natural border between them. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] invertedspear@lemmy.zip 9 points 4 months ago (1 child) What delineates Europe from Asia that shouldn’t also delineate India from Asia? Not trying to be argumentative, curious. I’ve always heard of India as a subcontinent, and when explained why it seems like Europe fits the same description. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] ChairmanMeow@programming.dev 2 points 4 months ago Large mountain ranges (the Urals for Europe-Asia and the Himalayas for India-rest-of-Asia). permalink fedilink source parent
[–] ChairmanMeow@programming.dev 2 points 4 months ago Large mountain ranges (the Urals for Europe-Asia and the Himalayas for India-rest-of-Asia). permalink fedilink source parent
[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 5 points 4 months ago (1 child) They are one continuous landmass. A continent is one continuous landmass. You can't split a single landmass and call it two separate continents. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org 1 point 4 months ago (2 children) So is North and South America. Is that also one continent? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 5 points 4 months ago (1 child) There are going to be little isthmuses connecting landmasses, but that doesn't make them combined. Africa is technically connected to both Europe and Asia, but nobody is suggesting that they be combined with Europe and Asia. Europe and Asia are literally the same landmass, with just a border between them. Even the Middle East probably has a better claim on being a Continent than Europe. Besides, the Panama Canal essentially makes North And South America separated by water. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] fenrasulfr@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago* (1 child) Aren't Europe and Asia on the same techtonic plate? Isn't that also the reason India is considered a subcontinent because it is on a different techtonic plate? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] mrlemmyhimself@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago (1 child) Iceland is between two tectonic plates, and that rule would separate the Somali plate from the rest of Africa, make the Caribbean its own continent, etc permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago Don’t forget zealandia being its own continent permalink fedilink source parent [–] homura1650@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago North and South America are joined by a thin strip of land that serves as the continent border. Africa and Eurasia are joined by a thin strip that serves as a continent barrier. Europe and Asia have no natural border between them. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org 1 point 4 months ago (2 children) So is North and South America. Is that also one continent? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 5 points 4 months ago (1 child) There are going to be little isthmuses connecting landmasses, but that doesn't make them combined. Africa is technically connected to both Europe and Asia, but nobody is suggesting that they be combined with Europe and Asia. Europe and Asia are literally the same landmass, with just a border between them. Even the Middle East probably has a better claim on being a Continent than Europe. Besides, the Panama Canal essentially makes North And South America separated by water. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] fenrasulfr@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago* (1 child) Aren't Europe and Asia on the same techtonic plate? Isn't that also the reason India is considered a subcontinent because it is on a different techtonic plate? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] mrlemmyhimself@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago (1 child) Iceland is between two tectonic plates, and that rule would separate the Somali plate from the rest of Africa, make the Caribbean its own continent, etc permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago Don’t forget zealandia being its own continent permalink fedilink source parent [–] homura1650@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago North and South America are joined by a thin strip of land that serves as the continent border. Africa and Eurasia are joined by a thin strip that serves as a continent barrier. Europe and Asia have no natural border between them. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 5 points 4 months ago (1 child) There are going to be little isthmuses connecting landmasses, but that doesn't make them combined. Africa is technically connected to both Europe and Asia, but nobody is suggesting that they be combined with Europe and Asia. Europe and Asia are literally the same landmass, with just a border between them. Even the Middle East probably has a better claim on being a Continent than Europe. Besides, the Panama Canal essentially makes North And South America separated by water. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] fenrasulfr@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago* (1 child) Aren't Europe and Asia on the same techtonic plate? Isn't that also the reason India is considered a subcontinent because it is on a different techtonic plate? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] mrlemmyhimself@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago (1 child) Iceland is between two tectonic plates, and that rule would separate the Somali plate from the rest of Africa, make the Caribbean its own continent, etc permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago Don’t forget zealandia being its own continent permalink fedilink source parent
[–] fenrasulfr@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago* (1 child) Aren't Europe and Asia on the same techtonic plate? Isn't that also the reason India is considered a subcontinent because it is on a different techtonic plate? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] mrlemmyhimself@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago (1 child) Iceland is between two tectonic plates, and that rule would separate the Somali plate from the rest of Africa, make the Caribbean its own continent, etc permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago Don’t forget zealandia being its own continent permalink fedilink source parent
[–] mrlemmyhimself@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago (1 child) Iceland is between two tectonic plates, and that rule would separate the Somali plate from the rest of Africa, make the Caribbean its own continent, etc permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago Don’t forget zealandia being its own continent permalink fedilink source parent
[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago Don’t forget zealandia being its own continent permalink fedilink source parent
[–] homura1650@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago North and South America are joined by a thin strip of land that serves as the continent border. Africa and Eurasia are joined by a thin strip that serves as a continent barrier. Europe and Asia have no natural border between them. permalink fedilink source parent