Continent definition. How many continents are there on Earth and what are they called? What oceans are washed by the continents on Earth

The mainland is a huge piece of land, surrounded on all sides by water. The continents consist of the continental crust, in everyday language called the earth. It did not immediately become known how many continents there are on Earth. We have now settled on the number six. These are Africa, Eurasia, South America, North America, Antarctica, Australia. The continents occupy the Earth evenly, there are no pronounced voids. The total area of ​​the continents is slightly less than a third of the entire surface of the Earth. The islands that are adjacent to one or another mainland are also attributed to the continents.

Eurasia, South and North America

The largest and heaviest terrestrial continent is Eurasia. Eurasia is located on three hemispheres at once - Southern, Western and Eastern. Europe enters the Western Hemisphere only at its extremities from the east and west, and the most significant territory belongs to the Eastern Hemisphere.

From north to south, Eurasia stretches for eight thousand kilometers, from west to east the distance becomes twice as large and amounts to sixteen thousand kilometers. The area of ​​Eurasia is more than 50,000,000 square kilometers. This means that the mainland occupies a third of the non-aquatic territory of the Earth. A map of planet Earth shows that there are as many as four oceans off the coast of Eurasia:

• the Arctic from the north;
• Indian from the south;
• Quiet from the east;
• Atlantic from the west.

The islands belonging to Eurasia are represented by a fairly large number and occupy an area of ​​​​about 2.75 million square kilometers. Therefore, Eurasia is called that because it will unite two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. The Ural Mountains are considered the border between them (very conditionally). In the north, Eurasia becomes part of the Arctic. The extreme western point of the mainland is Cape Roca, the eastern one is Cape Dezhnev.

South America also occupies more than one hemisphere, but is mainly located in the South and West, while only a small piece of the mainland enters the North. It borders on two oceans - the Pacific in the south and the Atlantic in the east. On the north side, the Caribbean Sea and the Isthmus of Panama separate South America from North America. Several islands adjoin South America. As the notes of the traveler http://notetravel.ru assure, the named mainland is the most "watery".

River arrays of the Amazon, Parana, Orinoco, the huge lake Tititaca, available for navigation, and countless other lakes - all this forms the richest water resources. South America boasts the most powerful waterfalls in the world - the famous Angel and Iguazu.

North America belongs to only one hemisphere - the Western. As already mentioned, the border with South America is the Isthmus of Panama. The Bering Strait lies between Eurasia and North America. Oceans and seas wash the shores of North America. Approximately one fifth of the area of ​​​​the mainland is the territory of the islands adjacent to it. Among them:

• Aleutian;
• Vancouver;
• Greenland, etc.

Africa, Australia and Antarctica

Africa is the second largest world continent after Eurasia, which can be seen on the map of planet Earth. In the north, Africa meets the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast - the Red Sea. The east and south are bordered by the Indian Ocean, and the west by the Atlantic. This is a unique land stretching from the northern subtropics to the south. Africa is crossed by the equator and several climatic zones.

Africa is the driest continent on Earth. There is little rainfall, no reserves of glacial water. Therefore, the mainland needs artificial irrigation. The most favorable for life is the coastal part of Africa with natural access to water. If you want to settle in Africa, then choose for yourself its shores.

Australia is also a very arid continent with deserts in the central part. It is the smallest continent of the Earth in the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres of the Earth. It is located next to the Indian and Pacific oceans. It occupies only 7.6 million sq. km. The islands of Tasmania and New Guinea are considered to belong to this mainland.

The mainland Antarctica was discovered later than all other continents, it happened around the first half of the nineteenth century.

“So how many continents are there on Earth? Before the discovery of Antarctica, that answer was "five."

This is the coldest place on the planet, so there are almost no people here, except for research expeditions. The mainland is located on the very edge of the South Pole and is surrounded on all sides by the Southern Ocean. Antarctica is twice the size of Australia. The entire surface of the mainland is covered with ice and snow, so Antarctica is the custodian and supplier of fresh water.

How many continents are on Earth? This is a matter of the curriculum. Can you give a number and name each continent? Let's repeat how many continents there are in the world and how each of them is different.

Most of the planet is under water - only 29% is land. The land is divided into continents - vast expanses washed by the seas and oceans. There are six continents in total:

Australia. The smallest continent on the planet. The territory of Australia occupies 7.7 million km². The mainland includes one state - the Commonwealth of Australia. Over 23 million people live in Australia. Despite the arid climate, the mainland is rich in flora and fauna. It is washed by the Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as four seas. Australia boasts the longest coral reef: the Great Barrier Reef stretches for 2,000 km. An interesting fact: the symbol of Australia, the kangaroo, got its name due to a curiosity. So, an English explorer asked the local natives what this beast was called; in response, he heard the phrase "kangaroo", which in their language meant "I do not understand."

Antarctica. The southernmost and highest continent of the planet. The territory of permafrost occupies 14.1 million km². The lion's share of the land is covered with ice all year round. There is no permanent population in Antarctica - five thousand scientists temporarily live on its territory. They work at 50 scientific stations scattered across the mainland. Antarctica can boast of several records: on its territory there is a point with the lowest air humidity and a point with the strongest and longest wind.

South America. The territory of the mainland occupies 17.8 million km². South America includes 12 states, the total population is over 387 million people. South America is the mainland of the New World discovered by Columbus. South America has a humid and warm climate. On the territory of the mainland there are several large rivers and reservoirs, including the highest waterfall in the world - Angel, as well as the largest, along with the Nile, the Amazon River. South America is rich in flora and fauna. Despite globalism, the mainland has largely retained its identity. So, in the overgrown jungles of Brazil, numerous tribes of aborigines still live, continuing to lead a primitive way of life.

North America. The territory of the western mainland with islands occupies 24.25 million km² (without islands - 20.36 million km²). There are 23 states on the territory of the mainland, the total population is over 565 million people. Politicians often divide the mainland into two parts, separating the United States, Canada and Greenland into the North American region. The shores of North America are washed by the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans, five seas and six bays. The mainland is distinguished by a diverse landscape and has a rich flora and fauna. Interesting fact: North America is one of two continents, including Australia, where each state has access to the sea.

Africa. The second largest continent on the planet - the territory of Africa occupies 30.2 million km². The mainland includes 55 states, the total population is over 1.1 billion people. Africa is considered the ancestral home of mankind, because the most ancient human remains were found on its territory. Africa is washed by the waters of the Atlantic and Indian oceans. The mainland is located in several climatic zones and crosses the equator. Due to the lack of rainfall, most of the territory is unsuitable for agriculture, which is why the population of the continent suffers more from hunger than others. The mainland is distinguished by the most interesting flora and fauna on the planet.

Eurasia. Many mistakenly divide the mainland into Europe and Asia - the Ural Mountains are formally considered the border. The largest continent on the planet covers 54 million km². There are 94 states and 8 unrecognized territories on the territory. Eurasia is considered the cradle of modern civilization: all the main achievements and discoveries for mankind, political intrigues and wars, works of art were created and took place on the territory of the Old World. The current population of Eurasia exceeds 5.1 billion people. The largest cities of the planet are located on the territory of the mainland - London, Shanghai, Tokyo, etc. Eurasia includes countless peoples, languages ​​and cultures. The mainland is distinguished by the most diverse and rich flora and fauna: at the same time, camels, elephants, polar bears and snow leopards live in different parts of the continent.

In addition to the generally accepted scheme of six continents, there are several more models for dividing the world. So, in the model of seven continents, Asia and Europe are considered separately, and in the model of four continents, Africa and Eurasia are combined into a huge continent - Afro-Eurasia.

Although it is customary to count six continents, debate continues between scientists. Recently, researchers from Australia discovered a new continent, almost completely submerged - Zealand. Perhaps soon we will hear about new discoveries and theories of scientists, because, despite progress, there are many unexplored places on Earth.

The mainland is a large land area, which is washed on all sides by oceans or seas.

How many continents are on Earth and their names

The Earth is a very large planet, but despite this, its significant area is water - more than 70%. And only about 30% is occupied by continents and islands of various sizes.

Eurasia is one of the largest, it covers more than 54 million square meters. It is located on the 2 largest parts of the world - Europe and Asia. Eurasia is the only continent that is washed on all sides by oceans. On its shores you can see a large number of large and small bays, islands of various sizes. Eurasia is located on 6 tectonic platforms, which is why its relief is so diverse.

The highest mountains are located in Eurasia, as well as Baikal - the deepest lake. The population of this part of the world is almost a third of the entire planet, who live in 108 states.

Africa covers over 30 million square meters. The name of all the continents on the planet is studied in detail in the school curriculum, but some people even in adulthood do not know their number. This may be due to the fact that continents are often called continents in geography lessons. These two names have significant differences. The main difference is that the continent has no land border.

Africa among all others is the hottest. The main part of its surface is made up of plains and mountains. In hot Africa, the longest river on Earth, the Nile, flows, as well as the desert, the Sahara.

Africa is divided into 5 regions: South, North, West, East, and Central. There are 62 countries on this part of the Earth.

All continents include North America. From all sides it is washed by the Pacific, Arctic, and also the Atlantic Ocean. The coast of North America is uneven, a large number of large and small bays, islands of various sizes, straits and bays have formed along it. In the central part there is a huge plain.

North America

The locals of the mainland are Eskimos or Indians. In total, there are 23 states in this part of the Earth, among them: Mexico, the USA and Canada.

South America occupies more than 17 million square meters on the surface of the planet. It is washed by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and is also the longest mountain system. The rest of the surface is mostly plateau or plains. Among all parts, South America is the rainiest. Its indigenous people are Indians living in 12 states.

South America

The number of continents on planet Earth includes Antarctica, its area is more than 14 million square meters. Its entire surface is covered with blocks of ice, the average thickness of this layer is about 1500 meters. Scientists have calculated that if this ice completely melted, the water level on Earth would rise by about 60 meters!

Antarctica

Its main area is a desert of ice, the population lives only on the shores. Antarctica is the lowest temperature surface of the planet, the average air temperature is from -20 to -90 degrees.

Australia- the occupied area is more than 7 million square meters. This is the only continent with only 1 state. Plains and mountains occupy its main area, they are located along the entire coast. It is in Australia that the largest number of large and small wild animals and birds live, here is also the largest variety of vegetation. The indigenous people are Aborigines and Bushmen.

Australia

How many continents on Earth are 6 or 7?

There is an opinion that their number is absolutely not 6, but 7. The territory located around the South Pole is huge blocks of ice. Currently, many scientists call it another continent on planet Earth. But there is no life at this South Pole, only penguins live.

To the question: " How many continents are there on planet Earth?", you can accurately answer - 6.

Continents

There are only 4 continents on Earth:

1. America.
2. Antarctica.
3. Australia.
4. Afro-Eurasia.

But each country has its own opinion about their number. For example, in India, as well as the inhabitants of China, they believe that their total number is 7, the inhabitants of these countries call Asia and Europe separate continents. The Spaniards, when they mention the continents, name all the surfaces of the world connected with America. And the inhabitants of Greece say that there are only 5 continents on the planet, because as soon as people live on them.

What is the difference between the island and the mainland

Both definitions are a large or smaller area of ​​land, washed by water on all sides. At the same time, there are certain significant differences between them.

1. Dimensions. One of the smallest is Australia, it occupies a much larger area than Greenland, one of the largest islands.
2. History of education. Each island is formed in a special way. There are continents that arose as a result of ancient fragments of lithosphere plates. Others - turned out due to volcanic eruptions. There are also those species that emerged from polyps, they are also called "coral islands".
3. Its habitability. Absolutely on all six continents there is life, even on the coldest - Antarctica. But most of the islands are still uninhabited. But on them you can meet animals and birds of a wide variety of breeds, see plants that have not yet been explored by man.

Looking at the map of the world, it may seem that it has always been like this. And it's not about state borders. Let's talk about the continents and remember what we know about them. Continents are large areas of land (the earth's crust), which are above the level of the oceans. There are seven continents: Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, North America, Australia and. Recently, however, geologists have discovered evidence of the existence of a lost continent called Bolshaya Andria. But how did scientists find out, and where do the “lost” continents come from?

Planet Earth

How many continents are there on Earth?

A huge number of processes take place on our planet, which are not so easy to understand, especially when it comes to huge scales. To make things a little easier in my head, let's not forget that the surface of our planet is an alternation of land areas with oceans. occupy most of the Earth's surface, but the land and islands account for about 149 square kilometers, which is about 29% of the entire surface of the planet. Not so much, right?

This is what a complete physical map of the world looks like

As strange as it may seem, geologists do not always agree with each other about the number of continents on Earth. You can often find statements that there are six of them. The fact is that some experts do not divide North and South America into two different continents. In fact, from a geological point of view, this is really one mainland. However, experts explain the origin of the continents in different ways.

How did the continents appear?

So, according to the theory put forward at the beginning of the twentieth century by the German scientist Alfred Wegener, called mobilism, the earth's crust is divided into several separate lithospheric blocks - plates, also called tectonic. The mantle, which is under the earth's crust, is in motion. Because of this, tectonic plates move and collide with each other, thereby forming the face of the planet Earth.

Tectonic plates are separated from each other by fault lines. Today, experts have about 15 tectonic plates. Seven of them are the largest, and their diameter is about 16 million km. And most importantly - their shape corresponds to the shape of the continents that lie above their surface.

The supercontinent Pangea looked like this

Thus, there are a number of assumptions that earlier on our planet there was one huge super-ocean and super-continent called Pangea, which subsequently split into two large continents, Laurasia (northern) and Gandwana (southern). Laurasia broke up after 250 million years, and its parts later acquired the outlines of the continents we know today: Africa, Antarctica, South America and Australia. Gandwana, respectively, formed North America, Europe and Asia. Along with the formation of continents, the formation of ocean beds also occurs. These processes do not stop today. You can discuss these and other amazing discoveries in our Telegram chat.

What are lost continents?

Most likely you have heard stories about the lost continents more than once. What is worth alone - the lost continent, which was swallowed up by the sea along with all the inhabitants. However, there is no convincing evidence that this story, which the ancient thinker Plato described in his dialogues, is true.

This is what Big Andria looked like 140 million years ago

And yet, lost lands do exist. From time to time, experts extract from the bottom of the seas and oceans the remains of the continents that once existed. So, geologists have long suspected the existence of a continent called Big Andria. Not so long ago, in the mountain ranges of Southern Europe, experts discovered limestones and other rocks that testify in favor of this hypothesis. However, it was only recently that they were able to prove the existence of Greater Andria recently.

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The fact is that the remains of Greater Andria are found to this day in different countries of Europe. The study is published in the journal Science. During the study, scientists created a model with which they managed to recreate the history of a huge landmass - the same Gandwana. Experts have established that Greater Adria separated from the Gondwana supercontinent about 240 million years ago.

After this happened, Big Andria headed north. Approximately 140 million years ago, this continent was. Later, from 120 to 100 million years ago, Greater Andria collided with what scientists today call Europe. As a result of the collision, Bolshaya Andria sank and was buried under the continent of Europe.

What is left of Big Andria?

Note that the study took more than 10 years. The reason lies in the fact that there are not many traces of Big Andria left on the surface - mostly small rocks scattered over more than thirty countries. No wonder the study took so long - just imagine how much data had to be analyzed and collected.

How many more missing continents do you think scientists will discover?

The mainland is a vast expanse of land, washed by the seas and oceans. Continent is a geological concept. The border between the continents on land runs along the isthmuses: Panama - between North and South America, and Suez - between Africa and Asia.

How many continents on Earth are 6 or 7?

There is an opinion that there are not 6 continents on Earth, but 7. The territory located around the South Pole is huge blocks of ice. Currently, many scientists call it another continent on planet Earth.

However, answering the question: “How many continents are there on planet Earth?”, You can accurately answer - 6.

How many continents are on Earth and their names

• Eurasia,
• Africa,
• North America,
• South America,
• Australia,
• Antarctica.

In geology, the mainland is also often referred to as the underwater margin of the mainland, including the islands located on it. From a tectonic point of view, continents are sections of the lithosphere that have a continental structure of the earth's crust.

The continent (inseparable, continuous), unlike the mainland, is a continuous land mass, not separated by the sea. The borders of the continent cannot pass by land. Four continents:

• Old World (Eurasia and Africa),
• New World (North America and South America),
• Australia,
• Antarctica.

There is also a similar historical and cultural concept of "part of the world." On the continent of Eurasia there are two parts of the world - Europe and Asia, and part of the world America includes two continents - South and North America. The world is divided into six parts of the world:

• Asia,
• Africa,
• America,
• Europe,
• Australia and Oceania,
• Antarctica (Antarctica with coastal seas and islands).

Sometimes Oceania and the Arctic are separated into separate parts of the world.

The border between Europe and Asia from north to south runs along the Ural Mountains, then along the Emba River to the Caspian Sea, north of the Caucasus - along the Kuma and Manych rivers to the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov, then along the Black, Marmara and Mediterranean Seas. The border described above is not indisputable - it is only one of several options accepted in the world.

Continental models

In the world, there are several traditions of dividing the lands into continents and parts of the world.

Number of continents in different traditions
Colors highlight parts of the land allocated to continents in various cultures
4 continents	Afro-Eurasia			America		Antarctica	Australia
5 continents	Africa	Eurasia		America		Antarctica	Australia
6 continents	Africa	Europe	Asia	America		Antarctica	Australia
6 continents	Africa	Eurasia		North America	South America	Antarctica	Australia
7 continents	Africa	Europe	Asia	North America	South America	Antarctica	Australia

• The seven continents model is popular in China, India, partly in Western Europe and in English-speaking countries.
• The six continent model with America united ("Parts of the World") is popular in Spanish speaking countries [and parts of Eastern Europe, including Greece with its five continent model (five inhabited continents).

Comparison of area and population

Eurasia

Eurasia on the globe

Eurasia- the largest continent on Earth, and the only one washed by four oceans: in the south - the Indian, in the north - the Arctic, in the west - the Atlantic, in the east - the Pacific. The continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere between 9° W. and 169° W. while some of the Eurasian islands are located in the Southern Hemisphere. Most of continental Eurasia lies in the Eastern Hemisphere, although the extreme western and eastern ends of the mainland are in the Western Hemisphere. Eurasia stretches from west to east for 10.5 thousand km, from north to south - for 5.3 thousand km, with an area of ​​53.6 million km². This is more than a third of the total land area of ​​the planet. The area of ​​the Eurasian islands is approaching 2.75 million km².

Contains two parts of the world: Europe and Asia. The border line between Europe and Asia is most often drawn along the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Emba River, the northwestern coast of the Caspian Sea, the Kuma River, the Kuma-Manych Depression, the Manych River, the eastern coast of the Black Sea, the southern coast of the Black Sea, the Strait Bosphorus, the Sea of ​​Marmara, the Dardanelles, the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, the Strait of Gibraltar. This division has developed historically. Naturally, there is no sharp boundary between Europe and Asia. The continent is united by the continuity of land, the current tectonic consolidation and the unity of numerous climatic processes.

North America

North America on the globe

North America(English) North America, fr. Amerique du Nord, Spanish America del Norte, Norteamérica , ast. Ixachitlān Mictlāmpa) is one of the continents of the planet Earth, located in the north of the Western Hemisphere of the Earth. North America is washed from the west by the Pacific Ocean with the Bering Sea, Alaska and California bays, from the east by the Atlantic Ocean with the Labrador, Caribbean, St. Lawrence and Mexican seas, from the north by the Arctic Ocean with the Beaufort, Baffin, Greenland and Hudson Bay seas. From the west, the continent is separated from Eurasia by the Bering Strait. In the south, the border between North and South America runs through the Isthmus of Panama.

North America also includes numerous islands: Greenland, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the Aleutian Islands, Vancouver Island, the Alexander Archipelago and others. The area of ​​North America, together with the islands, is 24.25 million km², without the islands, 20.36 million km².

South America

South America on the globe

South America(Spanish) America del Sur, Sudamérica, Suramérica , port. America do Sul, English South America, netherl. Zuid-Amerika, fr. Amerique du Sud, guar. Ñembyamérika, Quechua Urin Awya Yala, Urin Amerika) is the southern continent in America, located mainly in the Western and Southern hemispheres of planet Earth, however, the continent is partially located in the Northern Hemisphere. It is washed in the west by the Pacific Ocean, in the east by the Atlantic, from the north it is limited by North America, the border between the Americas runs along the Isthmus of Panama and the Caribbean Sea.

South America also includes various islands, most of which belong to the countries of the continent. Caribbean territories belong to North America. The South American countries that border the Caribbean - including Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana - are known as Caribbean South America.

The most important river systems in South America are the Amazon, Orinoco and Parana, with a total basin of 7 million km² (the area of ​​South America is 17.8 million km²). Most of the lakes in South America are located in the Andes, the largest of which and the world's highest navigable lake is Titicaca, on the border of Bolivia and Peru. The largest in area is Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, it is also one of the oldest on the planet.

Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world, is located in South America. On the mainland, there is also the most powerful waterfall - Iguazu.

The area of ​​the continent is 17.8 million km²: 4th place among the continents.

Africa

Africa on the globe

Africa- the second largest continent after Eurasia, washed by the Mediterranean Sea from the north, the Red Sea from the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean from the west and the Indian Ocean from the east and south. Africa is also called the part of the world, consisting of the mainland Africa and adjacent islands.

The African continent crosses the equator and several climatic zones; it is the only continent that stretches from the northern subtropical climate zone to the southern subtropical one. Due to the lack of permanent rainfall and irrigation - as well as glaciers or aquifers of mountain systems - there is practically no natural regulation of the climate anywhere except the coasts.

Australia

Australia on the globe

Australia(from lat. australis- "southern") - a continent located in the Eastern and Southern hemispheres of the Earth. The entire territory of the mainland is the main part of the state of the Commonwealth of Australia. The mainland is part of the world Australia and Oceania. The northern and eastern coasts of Australia are washed by the Pacific Ocean: the Arafura, Coral, Tasman, Timor Seas; western and southern - the Indian Ocean. Near Australia are the large islands of New Guinea and Tasmania. Along the northeast coast of Australia, the world's largest coral reef stretches for more than 2000 km - Great Barrier Reef.

Antarctica

Antarctica on a globe

Antarctica(gr. ἀνταρκτικός - the opposite of Arctida) - a continent located in the very south of the Earth, the center of Antarctica approximately coincides with the geographic south pole. Antarctica is washed by the waters of the Southern Ocean. Antarctica is also called the part of the world, consisting of the mainland of Antarctica and adjacent islands.

Antarctica is the highest continent, its average height is 2040 meters. About 85% of the planet's glaciers are also located on the mainland. There is no permanent population in Antarctica, but there are more than 50 scientific stations belonging to different states and intended for research and detailed study of the features of the continent.

Antarctica is almost completely covered by an ice sheet, the average thickness of which exceeds 2500 meters. There is also a large number of subglacial lakes (more than 140), the largest of which is Lake Vostok discovered by Russian scientists in the 1990s.

Hypothetical continents

Kenorland

Kenorland- a hypothetical supercontinent that, according to geophysicists, existed in the Neoarchean (about 2.75 billion years ago). The name comes from the Kenoran phase of folding. Paleomagnetic studies indicate that Kenorland was at low latitudes.

Nuna

Nuna (Colombia, Hudsonland) is a hypothetical supercontinent that existed in the period from 1.8 to 1.5 billion years ago (maximum assembly ~ 1.8 billion years ago). The assumption of its existence was put forward by J. Rogers and M. Santosh in 2002. Nuna is dated to the Paleoproterozoic era, making it the supposedly oldest supercontinent. It consisted of plateau precursors of ancient platforms that were part of the earlier continents of Laurentia, Fennosarmatia, the Ukrainian Shield, Amazonia, Australia, and possibly Siberia, the Sino-Korean platform and the Kalahari platform. The existence of the Columbia continent is based on geological and paleomagnetic evidence.

Rodinia

Rodinia(from "Motherland" or from "give birth") - a hypothetical supercontinent that presumably existed in the Proterozoic - the Precambrian eon. It originated about 1.1 billion years ago and broke up about 750 million years ago. At that time, the Earth consisted of one giant piece of land and one giant ocean, which received the name Mirovia, also taken from the Russian language. Rodinia is often considered the oldest known supercontinent, but its position and shape is still a matter of controversy. After the collapse of Rodinia, the continents managed to once again unite into the supercontinent Pangea and disintegrate again.

Lavrussia

Lavrussia (euramerica) is a Paleozoic supercontinent formed as a result of the collision of the North American (the ancient continent of Laurentia) and the East European (the ancient continent of Baltica) platforms during the Caledonian orogeny. The names are also known Caledonia, « ancient red continent" (eng. Old Red Continent), « mainland ancient red sandstone» ( Old Red Sandstone Continent). In the Permian period, it merged with Pangea and became its integral part. After the collapse of Pangea, it became part of Laurasia. Broken up in the Paleogene.

gondwana

Disappeared continents

Gondwana in paleogeography, an ancient supercontinent that arose about 750-530 million years ago, was localized around the South Pole for a long time, and included almost all the land that is now located in the southern hemisphere (Africa, South America, Antarctica, Australia), as well as tectonic blocks of Hindustan and Arabia, now moved to the northern hemisphere and become part of the Eurasian continent. In the early Paleozoic, Gondwana gradually shifted to the north, and in the Carboniferous period (360 million years ago) it merged with the North American-Scandinavian continent to form the giant protocontinent Pangea. Then, during the Jurassic period (about 180 million years ago), Pangea again split into Gondwana and the northern continent of Laurasia, which were separated by the Tethys Ocean. 30 million years later, in the same Jurassic period, Gondwana gradually began to break up into new (current) continents. Finally, all modern continents - Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica and the Indian subcontinent - stood out from Gondwana only at the end of the Cretaceous period, that is, 70-80 million years ago.

Pangea

Pangea surrounded by Panthalassa

Pangea(other Greek. Πανγαῖα - "all-earth") - the name given by Alfred Wegener to the protocontinent that arose in the Paleozoic era. The giant ocean that washed Pangea from the Silurian period of the Paleozoic to the early Mesozoic, inclusive, was called Panthalassa (from other Greek. παν- "all-" and θάλασσα "sea"). Pangea was formed in the Permian period, and split at the end of the Triassic (about 200-210 million years ago) into two continents: northern - Laurasia and southern - Gondwana. In the process of the formation of Pangea from more ancient continents, mountain systems arose at the places of their collision, some of them (for example, the Urals and the Appalachians) have existed to this day. These early mountains are much older than the younger mountain systems (the Alps in Europe, the Cordillera in North America, the Andes in South America, or the Himalayas in Asia). Due to erosion lasting many millions of years, the Urals and Appalachians are flattened low mountains.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan- the Middle Paleozoic continent, which was located between Laurussia and the Siberian platform. It stretches from the Turgai trough and the Turan lowland to the Gobi and Takla-Makan deserts.

Laurasia

Topographic map of Zealand showing the borders with Australia, Fiji, Vanuatu

Laurasia- a supercontinent that existed as the northern part of the fault of the Pangea protocontinent (southern - Gondwana) in the late Mesozoic era. It united most of those territories that today make up the existing continents of the northern hemisphere - Eurasia and North America, which in turn broke away from each other from 135 to 200 million years ago.

Pangea Ultima

It seems likely that in 100-200 Ma the continents will reassemble into a supercontinent. Various possible scenarios for this unification are proposed, known as Pangea Ultima, Novopangea and Amasia.

Zealand

Hypothetical continent, currently almost completely submerged. Broke off from Australia 60-85 million years ago and from Antarctica between 130 and 85 million years ago. It may have been completely flooded about 23 million years ago.