Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well...actually, Australia isn't a continent, the continent is called Oceania...and New Zealand is part of it.
OMG - I thought, for a moment, that I was wrong, then I realized I was only mistaken - no, wait, I wasn't even mistaken!!! (Jeez, I'm just teasing)
You did have me worried for a second, as I thought I somehow missed something big in my education - Australia isn't a continent but instead it's called Oceania????? I almost fell off the sofa...
Instead, I googled it:
(also called Australia-New Guinea, Sahul, Meganesia, Greater Australia, Australasia, or Australinea) is a continent comprising (in order of size) the Australianmainland, New Guinea, Tasmania, and intervening islands, all of which sit on the same continental shelf. These landmasses are separated by seas overlying the continental shelf — the Arafura Sea and Torres Strait between Australia and New Guinea, and Bass Strait between mainland Australia and Tasmania. When sea levels were lower during the Pleistoceneice age, including the last glacial maximum about 18,000 years ago, the lands formed a single, continuous landmass. During the past ten thousand years, rising sea levels overflowed the lowlands and separated the continent into today's low-lying semi-arid mainland and the two mountainous islands of New Guinea and Tasmania. Geologically, the continent extends to the edge of the continental shelf, so the now-separate lands can still be considered a continent.[1] Due to the spread of flora and fauna across the single Pleistocene landmass, the separate lands have a related biota. New Zealand is not on the same continental shelf and so is not part of the continent of Australia but is part of the submerged continent Zealandia and the wider region known as Oceania.
Australia is classified by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as the world's largest island and the world's smallest continent.
I will confess that I didn't remember learning anything about this sub-merged continent, although the notion seems vaguely familiar. Australia is a continent but is also a separate country (see above) - so, there you have it, Australians are arrogant too... lol!
BTW, New Zealand, is not a part of the continent of Australia but instead the continent of Zealandia & the wider region of Oceania.
I bet we ALL learned a little something on this one, eh?
I guess in a way you both are right though technically Australia wins it (if Wiki is accurate info). According to Wikipedia,
"Oceania is a geopolitical region, rather than a continent, consisting of many countries in the Pacific Ocean, including those in the continent of Australia and the Pacific Islands."
I learned that Australia was one of the seven continents. Maybe people who were educated in other parts of the world see it differently.
Here's what I dug up (below), so Australia is a continent consisting of more than one country. Oceania is a region not a continent. New Zealand is a country which is part of the submerged continent of Zealandia (not Australia). Whew, new knowledge - LOVE IT!!!
(also called Australia-New Guinea, Sahul, Meganesia, Greater Australia, Australasia, or Australinea) is a continent comprising (in order of size) the Australianmainland, New Guinea, Tasmania, and intervening islands, all of which sit on the same continental shelf. These landmasses are separated by seas overlying the continental shelf — the Arafura Sea and Torres Strait between Australia and New Guinea, and Bass Strait between mainland Australia and Tasmania. When sea levels were lower during the Pleistoceneice age, including the last glacial maximum about 18,000 years ago, the lands formed a single, continuous landmass. During the past ten thousand years, rising sea levels overflowed the lowlands and separated the continent into today's low-lying semi-arid mainland and the two mountainous islands of New Guinea and Tasmania. Geologically, the continent extends to the edge of the continental shelf, so the now-separate lands can still be considered a continent.[1] Due to the spread of flora and fauna across the single Pleistocene landmass, the separate lands have a related biota. New Zealand is not on the same continental shelf and so is not part of the continent of Australia but is part of the submerged continent Zealandia and the wider region known as Oceania.
Australia is classified by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as the world's largest island and the world's smallest continent.
I don't always trust information on Wikipedia, but according most of the sources, Oceania is a continent and Australia is a country only.
Okay, wait - I looked at WIKI too & didn't find what you are stating above. Instead:
In geology, Australia (also called Australia-New Guinea, Sahul, Meganesia, Greater Australia, Australasia, or Australinea) is a continent comprising (in order of size) the Australianmainland, New Guinea, Tasmania, and intervening islands, all of which sit on the same continental shelf. These landmasses are separated by seas overlying the continental shelf — the Arafura Sea and Torres Strait between Australia and New Guinea, and Bass Strait between mainland Australia and Tasmania.
When sea levels were lower during the Pleistoceneice age, including the last glacial maximum about 18,000 years ago, the lands formed a single, continuous landmass. During the past ten thousand years, rising sea levels overflowed the lowlands and separated the continent into today's low-lying semi-arid mainland and the two mountainous islands of New Guinea and Tasmania. Geologically, the continent extends to the edge of the continental shelf, so the now-separate lands can still be considered a continent.[1] Due to the spread of flora and fauna across the single Pleistocene landmass, the separate lands have a related biota. New Zealand is not on the same continental shelf and so is not part of the continent of Australia but is part of the submerged continent Zealandia and the wider region known as Oceania.
Now I'll have to do more research on the matter, because I just won't be able to leave it alone...
Hmmm, I suppose everyone can call themselves what they choose - but, seems to me it would be particularly odd for the entire population of the Western Hemisphere to refer to themselves as "americans", wouldn't it? Unless I missed something, everyone in the Western Hemisphere does not reside in some form of the "americas"???
Some Mexican immigrants would take an opportunity to call themselves 'Americans', as in a US citizen. But then, being from Mexico, they would need to call themselves Mexican, unless of course they became naturalized 'US Citizens'.
Would they still be Mexicans? Or Mexican-Americans? Or just Americans?
What comes to my concern is that the word "Americans", refers to much more than just the country "United States of America". There is Canada, the whole central and south America. The global adapted tag "he is American" is just mean towards the rest of the continent. Although it is the most powerful country in the American continent, I believe that this tag is wrong and discriminative and economical power should not be a distinction between countries. Ever since I was little, I always questioned my father, mother and friends in, why do the people living in the U.S.A. get to be called Americans and all the others are central or south Americans? From my point of view the tag is insolent and ignorant. What do you think? Please state your opinions and let this be a friendly and peaceful discussion.
The tone of your question answers itself: why do Americans "get to be called"--as though there is a distinction of privilege in being called "American." That's what we're called by most of the world, and it's what we call ourselves--for centuries now. In fact, there is some indication that the word "American" was first used to designate U.S. citizens by someone who was NOT American. The fact that this is only recently becoming an issue for people who are not Americans just tells me that it's yet another--among seemingly endless--excuses to rag on Americans. Seriously, people, get a life.
We took the name before anyone else and in fact, the English were calling those from the 13 colonies Americans before we ever became independent.
Only in recent years have we heard this bizarre question come up (from Canadians and Europeans) and it is nothing short of ridiculous. Those who foment such questions are bigots with an agenda.
As a matter of courtesy and respect, you should all refer to a people by the name they have chosen for themselves.
BTW... I'll stick with what's working for me... But, I wouldn't be opposed to that!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
