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Question on the Continents

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  • #1

    Question on the Continents

    I don't really understand why there are 7 continents and not more, or even less.

    Australia and Antartica I understand, but why all the other divisions?

    North and South America are divided by an isthmus, as well as Africa and Asia... so, I guess that makes sense. Yet why Europe and Asia? The Urals? Constituting a division in continental plates? If that were the case we should have many continents and not just 7. Also, if Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden on the same "continental plate" as the rest of Europe?

    Basically, why determines these continents? Was it based on someones interpretation of the world, plate tectonics, or political agendas?
    Monkey!!!
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  • #2
    Mostly on cultural differences and politics rather than actual geophysics.

    Most of them got named before plate tectonics theory evolved...

    If you use the latter, don't you need 2 continents in the Caribbean for the local plate differences? Could well be wrong here - long time since I studied geology.
    Some cry `Allah O Akbar` in the street. And some carry Allah in their heart.
    "The CIA does nothing, says nothing, allows nothing, unless its own interests are served. They are the biggest assembly of liars and theives this country ever put under one roof and they are an abomination" Deputy COS (Intel) US Army 1981-84

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    • #3
      the division between europe and asia was most likely a political and interpretated division.
      B♭3

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      • #4
        I would expect Oerdin to know...

        Anyway, I assume it is all based on politics. I have seen the Russian being in Asia/Europe discussion a lot, and from the looks it is about half and half, which kind of throws the politics thing out the window unless the labeling was accomplished prior to Russia or by some non-Russian...

        Plates: the Eurasian plate, Australian-Indian plate, Philippine plate, Pacific plate, Juan de Fuca plate, Nazca plate, Cocos plate, North American plate, Caribbean plate, South American plate, African plate, Arabian plate, the Antarctic plate, and the Scotia plate. These plates consist of smaller sub-plates.

        14 major plates. The Eurasian plate is not even responsible for the Urals.
        Monkey!!!

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        • #5
          Many now refer to "Eurasia" as a single geographic entity, while "Europe" and "Asia" are made distinct for political/historical purposes.
          Tutto nel mondo è burla

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          • #6
            How about because Eurasia is a hell of a bigass chunk of land, and it's much easier to think about two smaller ones?
            darkgrendel: DM, writer, and all-around raving lunatic.
            Proud member and administrator of the Wavy Club

            And no, I'm not dead.

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            • #7
              though the odd thing about the Europe/Asia and the Asia/Africa division is when it comes to the middle east... one side of the Dardenelles is european and the other is asian... or one side of the Sinai is african and the other asian... even though there is not a single bit of difference between the people on either side
              "Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
              "I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi

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              • #8
                when it was all decided europe = christendom, asia = filthy heathens. easy.
                "The Christian way has not been tried and found wanting, it has been found to be hard and left untried" - GK Chesterton.

                "The most obvious predicition about the future is that it will be mostly like the past" - Alain de Botton

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                • #9
                  there were filthy heathens living this side of the Urals and still are

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                  • #10
                    Europe snobbery over thinking Asians were below us. Eurasia is the continent.
                    www.my-piano.blogspot

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                    • #11
                      yeah, but Russians and Poles are Europeans / filthy heathens that are below us, too.

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                      • #12
                        yeah but they were under the 'protection' of good christians
                        "The Christian way has not been tried and found wanting, it has been found to be hard and left untried" - GK Chesterton.

                        "The most obvious predicition about the future is that it will be mostly like the past" - Alain de Botton

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                        • #13
                          grr, damn cross posts
                          "The Christian way has not been tried and found wanting, it has been found to be hard and left untried" - GK Chesterton.

                          "The most obvious predicition about the future is that it will be mostly like the past" - Alain de Botton

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                          • #14
                            So North America is all the land that the whiteman successfully stole, and South America is all the land that the heathens still control...I get it

                            And Poland and Russia are actually parts of Asia, and if I so desired I could put France there now too...
                            Monkey!!!

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                            • #15
                              nah, coz then Germany would be an island.

                              of rock. fear us.

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