SeroTenal Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 It's my understanding that Australia it's the main landmass on a tectonic plate, same as the other continents, which is why they are continents and not islands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foil Posted September 9, 2005 Author Share Posted September 9, 2005 I vote continent. Ask yourself if you have ever heard anyone call Australia "Australia Island" or "Australian Isle". (Actually' date=' I think even the British Isles are stretching it a bit). All in all it probably comes down to symantics but I was always tought it was a continent. BTW, what is bigger, Antartica or Australia?[/quote'] often what is used in common language doesnt reflect the fact of a situation, for example, we often say "my weight is 80kg" however 80kg is our mass, our weight is infact about 785N (in this case). As for the size of antarctica, would you count the ice as well? I think we need a poll ;) I agree, but there is little doubt in the mass case what the facts are and you will occasionally hear people say the mass of the earth or the mass of a person (whereas I've yet to hear Island used as an adjective for Australia in technical references or otherwise). By the way, did you know that your weight in the south pole of Antartica is different than your weight on the Australian continent) :rolleyes: ;) . As for Antartica, well I'm not sure but think the ice counts since it has been defined as a continent: "Status Antarctica, almost 98% solid ice, was finally considered a continent in 1840, and not just a group of isolated islands. " CONTINENTS (by size) #1 Asia - (44,579,000 sq km) #2 Africa - (30,065,000 sq km) #3 North America - (24,256,000 sq km) #4 South America - (17,819,000 sq km) #5 Antarctica - (13,209,000 sq km) #6 Europe - (9,938,000 sq km) #7 Australia/Oceania - (7,687,000 sq km) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest c4evap Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 We all live on an island. Any land surrounded by water is an island. Earth is an island on the ocean of space. Nice answer! They say "No man is an island"...but...if I am surrounded by other humans doesn't that make me an island??? c4 ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grillguy85 Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Is this seriously in question? An island is a land mass surrounded on all sides by water. Well, Australia is surrounded by water, so it must be an island. A continent is a principle land mass on Earth. Australia apparently satisfies the size requirments of being a continent, since, ya know, it's not just a settlement of people, it's a whole nation of them. So, Australia is both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subspatial Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 as an ozzy myself, i say.... ...Both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subspatial Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 BTW: The current national Anthem of Australia says: "lalala ........ and wealth for toil, Our Land is girt by sea. ...........lalalala" :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foil Posted September 10, 2005 Author Share Posted September 10, 2005 BTW: and wealth for toil, Our Land is girt by sea. ...........lalalala" Its a land girt by sea....laa la lala That I can live with....la la la laaa :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacca Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Technically, all the continents are islands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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