Changes

==Etymology==

==Etymology==

in senses 1 & 2, from Latin continent-, continens, present participle of continēre, to hold [[together]], contain; in senses 3 & 4, from [[Latin]] continent-, continens continuous mass of [[land]], mainland, from continent-, continens, present participle

in senses 1 & 2, from Latin continent-, continens, present participle of continēre, to hold [[together]], contain; in senses 3 & 4, from [[Latin]] continent-, continens continuous mass of [[land]], mainland, from continent-, continens, present participle

*Date: [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_Century 1541]

*Date: [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_Century 1541]

==Definitions==

==Definitions==

*1 archaic : container, confines

*1 archaic : container, confines

:b capitalized : the continent of Europe —used with ''the''

:b capitalized : the continent of Europe —used with ''the''

==Description==

==Description==

A '''continent''' is one of several large landmasses on [[Earth]]. They are generally identified by [[convention]]  rather than any strict criteria, with [[seven]] regions commonly regarded as continents – they are (from largest in size to smallest): [http://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/Asia Asia], [http://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/Africa Africa], [http://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/North_America North America], [http://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/South_America South America], [http://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/Antarctica Antarctica], [http://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/Europe Europe], and [http://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/Australia Australia].

A '''continent''' is one of several large landmasses on [[Earth]]. They are generally identified by [[convention]]  rather than any strict criteria, with [[seven]] regions commonly regarded as continents – they are (from largest in size to smallest): [https://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/Asia Asia], [https://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/Africa Africa], [https://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/North_America North America], [https://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/South_America South America], [https://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/Antarctica Antarctica], [https://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/Europe Europe], and [https://www.wikpedia.org/wiki/Australia Australia].

[[Plate tectonics]] is the [[geological]] [[process]] and [[study]] of the movement, collision and division of continents, earlier known as ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_drift continental drift]''.

[[Plate tectonics]] is the [[geological]] [[process]] and [[study]] of the movement, collision and division of continents, earlier known as ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_drift continental drift]''.

The term the ''Continent'' may also refer to mainland [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe Europe], i.e., excluding the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Isles British Isles].

The term the ''Continent'' may also refer to mainland [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe Europe], i.e., excluding the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Isles British Isles].

Conventionally, "Continents are understood to be large, [[continuous]], discrete masses of [[land]], ideally separated by expanses of [[water]]." Many of the [[seven]] most commonly recognized continents identified by convention are not discrete landmasses separated by [[water]]. The criterion 'large' leads to [[arbitrary]] [[classification]]: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland Greenland], with a surface area of 2,166,086 square kilometres (836,330 sq mi) is considered the world's largest island, while [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia Australia], at 7,617,930 square kilometres (2,941,300 sq mi) is deemed to be a continent. Likewise, the [[ideal]] criterion that each be a continuous landmass is often disregarded by the inclusion of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_shelf continental shelf] and oceanic islands, and contradicted by classifying North and South America as one continent; and/or Asia, Europe and Africa as one continent, with no natural separation by water. This [[anomaly]] reaches its extreme if the continuous [[land]] mass of Europe and Asia is considered to [[constitute]] two continents. The [[Earth]]'s major landmasses are washed upon by a single, continuous World [[Ocean]], which is divided into a number of principal oceanic components by the continents and various geographic criteria.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent]

Conventionally, "Continents are understood to be large, [[continuous]], discrete masses of [[land]], ideally separated by expanses of [[water]]." Many of the [[seven]] most commonly recognized continents identified by convention are not discrete landmasses separated by [[water]]. The criterion 'large' leads to [[arbitrary]] [[classification]]: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland Greenland], with a surface area of 2,166,086 square kilometres (836,330 sq mi) is considered the world's largest island, while [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia Australia], at 7,617,930 square kilometres (2,941,300 sq mi) is deemed to be a continent. Likewise, the [[ideal]] criterion that each be a continuous landmass is often disregarded by the inclusion of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_shelf continental shelf] and oceanic islands, and contradicted by classifying North and South America as one continent; and/or Asia, Europe and Africa as one continent, with no natural separation by water. This [[anomaly]] reaches its extreme if the continuous [[land]] mass of Europe and Asia is considered to [[constitute]] two continents. The [[Earth]]'s major landmasses are washed upon by a single, continuous World [[Ocean]], which is divided into a number of principal oceanic components by the continents and various geographic criteria.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent]

[[Category: Geography]]

[[Category: Geography]]

[[Category: Earth Science]]

[[Category: Earth Science]]