What?! What Is Australia?

For all of my life, until 5 minutes ago when I saw a clip of "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?", I have been sure that there are seven continents:

• Asia
• N America
• S America
• Africa
• Europe
• Antartica
• Oceana or Australasia

But now I'm totally confused. Apparently, Australia is a continent in itself. I'd be happy to accept that but it leaves me wondering what continent New Zealand and the smaller islands are in. Wikipedia isn't helping me at all. Can somebody settle this for me? I'm stereotypically a smart guy among my friends and family but this has stopped me in my tracks...

edit: AUSTRALIA IS A COUNTRY, I KNOW THAT. MY QUESTION IS WHETHER IT IS A CONTINENT OR NOT.

Oceana is what we'll call current day Australia, after they have a civil war.

Oceania is actually a region that includes austrailia but is not exclusive to austrailia.

For example. Oceania is compromised of Austrailia,New Zealand and the ecnompassing islands(mostly in the south pacific) such as New caledonia and Fiji.

I'm confused. What's the question? Australia is a continent AND a country, no?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kichu

I'm confused. What's the question? Australia is a continent AND a country, no?

---

Yes Austarilia is a country and a continent.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dragonoverlord

Yes Austarilia is a country and a continent.

---

Sorry, so what was the original question? Did he/she not know it was a country? Huh??

Edit - oh, read the question again. That might be a good place to start.

Oceania?! Where the hell youl get that from, Waterworld? :imslow:

I've always thought (heard) that Australia was unique in that is was both a continent AND a country. But, it makes more sense that it is the name of the continent in that region - and that the country itself is named after the continent.

Sort of like some people refer to the US as "America", when in fact, America is the entire region.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kichu

Sorry, so what was the original question? Did he/she not know it was a country? Huh??

Edit - oh, read the question again. That might be a good place to start.

---

You lost me....

but oceania is a name used to refer to Austrailia,New Zealand,Fiji, New Caledonia and those many many small islands collectively...

and yes i did read the question....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dragonoverlord

You lost me....

but oceania is a name used to refer to Austrailia,New Zealand,Fiji, New Caledonia and those many many small islands collectively...

and yes i did read the question....

---

No, I was saying I read the question again. Which I should have done in the first place rather than being all "What? I don't get it? What's the question?"

So every book I've ever read is wrong...
Hahaha. Oh dear. Thanks everyone.

A continent is a large landmass. So islands don't really count. People just some times stick them on with other landmasses because its convenient.

So to answer your question, Australia is a country and a continent. You can add the little islands to it if you want, or you can say they are not apart of it. Most people dont care either way, since they are islands anyway.

Or to make it simple. Australia is a large landmass, so by definition its a continent.

Hmmm...In school I learned the continent as Australasia, and the country as Australia.
Uhoh.

You can also say eurasia as being europe and asia then suddenly there is only 6 continents.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alric

You can also say eurasia as being europe and asia then suddenly there is only 6 continents.

---

Yeah, ture.

Australia is a continent. Australia is also the nation that governs the entirety of that continent.

Oceania is a region including Australia, New Zealand, and the pacific islands, etc.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Super Duck

I'd be happy to accept that but it leaves me wondering what continent New Zealand and the smaller islands are in.

---

They aren't "in" any continent. A continent is a land mass. They're islands, so aren't part of a continent.

Same way Britain isn't part of the European/Eurasian continent.

In the same vein of questioning, I've always wondered - what's the "size limit" of a landmass before it is considered an island? All land masses are surrounded by water on all sides, but we never refer to North and South America collectively as an island. Theoretically, shouldn't the entire planet be considered an island as long as there is even a tiny piece of ocean somewhere?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thegnome54

In the same vein of questioning, I've always wondered - what's the "size limit" of a landmass before it is considered an island? All land masses are surrounded by water on all sides, but we never refer to North and South America collectively as an island. Theoretically, shouldn't the entire planet be considered an island as long as there is even a tiny piece of ocean somewhere?

---

North America, South America, and Central America used to all be together on one big land mass, but then the Panama Canal was bulilt. Now it is possible to pass right between North and South America in a boat from the Atlantic by moving all the way through Central America to the Pacific without ever touching land.

According to wikipedia, New Guinea, Tasmania and some other islands are on the same continental shelf as Australia. So the country of Australia and the continent of Australia are different things.

Well it depends if you're talking about continental shelves/plates or just continents. Every part of the earths crust, including the ocean floor, is part of a continental plate but only large land masses are considered continents.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 27

Well it depends if you're talking about continental shelves/plates or just continents. Every part of the earths crust, including the ocean floor, is part of a continental plate but only large land masses are considered continents.

---

If you're saying the entire earth's crust rests on the same plate that is wrong, there are oceanic plates and continental plates as plate tectonics will tell you.

The criteria for continent designation aren't strict. Being close to each other and on the same continental shelf, it makes sense for Australia and New Guinea to be considered as part of the same continent, they where even connected when the sea levels where lower.

Austrailia is a country and a continent. If I'm not mistaken, Oceania is another name for Austrailia, and it includes the surrounding islands as well.