Does anyone remember there only being five continents? Or are you abroad and there are still only 6?

[littleducks]

Domestic argument here atm.

According to dh he was taught there are 5 continents, he combines the Americas and ignores Antartica.

I was taught 7 (Asia, Antartica, Africa, Australasia, Europe, South america and North America).

Seven appears to be the textbook answer now, but apparently in some parts of the world 'America' is one continent.

[LaVolcan]

Should be South America rather than Latin America, because Mexico is in North America.

[watfordmummy]

Yip I learnt 5, again old!!

[steppemum]

5 oceans
7 continents

Africa, Asia, Europe, Australasia, North America, South America (or should it be Latin America?), and Antarctica

[edam]

Given the CIA's propensity to do all sorts of appalling things, I'm quite glad they are too thick to notice how few Cornish speakers there are in the UK, or to spot that Europe is a continent... Hopefully reduces the chances of them deciding to overthrow Europe or bomb Kernow, or install dictatorships.

[LittlePushka]

I certainly have discovered another in that time,...stress incontinent...

[LegoAcupuncture]

littleducks

[LittlePushka]

Think that even more continents have been found since littleducks first posted. Possibly nine now

[LaVolcan]

The CIA World Database refers to Europe as a sub-continent. India a sub-continent - yes, Europe - no, most people would agree.

(But then it also says that there are a couple of thousand Cornish speakers in the UK, so it's not 100% reliable.)

[Patchouli]

haha you be pedantic Autumn
It obviously means a lot to you (this thread is almost 3 years old)

[AutumnMadness]

Sorry, I am going to get pedantic. I have a problem with "America" being one continent considering that North and South Americas sit on completely different tectonic plates. There are actually six continental tectonic plates (there is some overlap, however, like a chunk of Eastern Siberia being on the North American plate).

But then, my definition is purely geological. There are lots of weird cultural ones out there.

[BackforGood]

Defintely 5 when I was at school.
I too, am very old....

[Timetoask]

America is one continent.

[littleducks]

This just came up in active convos, I came on to post about my dh (still adamant 5) only to realise its actually my OP!

[AutumnMadness]

In my memory, a "continent" is defined as a very large land mass (as opposed to an island). Considering that the Americas are joined by a rather thin strip of land that is now cut through by the Panama canal, we can count 6 continents:

1. North America
   
2. South America
   
3. Eurasia
   
4. Africa
   
5. Australia
   
6. Antarctica
   

Islands could be incorporated into continents, esp. if they are close by and are part of the tectonic plate that the continent is sitting on.

[2rebecca]

I was taught 5 in the 1970s. Europe, America, Africa, Asia and Australia (can't remeber calling it Australasia at school although NZ was incorporated into the Australia continent.
I remember my son having this as a homework question 10 years ago and arguing with him about it and being amazed they had invented a few extra ones, it's not like the land mass has changed since the 1970s..

[LittlePushka]

Bruffin, bumped by accident looking for someone!

[PoppyAmex]

I was taught 7 in the early 80's abroad.

We were told Oceania, not Australasia.

[BeckAndCall]

Well now that we've sorted continents and oceans, what about 'KiNGDOMS'??

When I was at school there was the ANIMAL kingdom and the PLANT kingdom. Sorted.

Now I find there are 5 or it might even be 7!!

Plants, animals, fungi, squirmy little things you see under a microscope and more squirmy things you see under a microscope! Where were they when I was little!

[bruffin]

Zombie thread
Strange one to bump

[Vietnammark]

In Vietnamese the word for continent is "luc dia" which literally translates as "six lands"

[bulletpoint]

Five! same as what bucharest listed.

[mymeatballishorse]

5

[LittlePushka]

Five, taught in mid seventies...so plenty time for platectonics to slip in another couple since then

[strandedatsea]

Thanks, I have often pondered this....

[mathanxiety]

Map of various plates in the Caribbean area. There's a Caribbean plate, which is moving eastwards into the N. American plate (Haiti is on a plate boundary). I think the Caribbean islands are lumped in with N. America, but they may be divided between N & S America.