Trivial things you don't understand/mildly annoy you

[Sir Pissalot]

 From nationsonline.org:   
    
How many Continents are there in the world?

  5 continents
We have been taught in school (way back in the 60's in Europe) that there are five continents, Africa, America, Asia, Australia and Europe, for instance symbolised in the five rings of the Olympic Games.

  6 continents
However, there is no standard definition for the number of continents. In Europe, many students are taught about six continents, where North and South America is combined to form a single America.
These six continents are Africa, America, Antarctica, Asia, Australia/Oceania, and Europe.

  7 continents
By most standards, there are a maximum of seven continents - Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia/Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America. Many geographers and scientists now refer to six continents, where Europe and Asia are combined (because they're one solid landmass).
These six continents are then Africa, Antarctica, Australia/Oceania, Eurasia, North America, and South America.

Oceania a continent?
Actually, by the definition of a continent as a large continuous area of land, the Pacific Islands of Oceania aren't a continent, but one could say they belong to a continent, e.g. Oceania is sometimes associated with the continent of Australia.
 

[sonicyouth]

Is Greenland part of Europe or North America ?

presumably Europe as it's part of Denmark.

[Flashheart]

Is Greenland part of Europe or North America ?

Neither?

Would it not be part of the Arctic?

[Sir Pissalot]

Is Greenland part of Europe or North America ?

I'd say North America

[Talk Talk]

I always thought the continent was Australasia as well, but there you go.

So did I and was also taught that at school.

According to the (not very reliable) Wikipedia article:

"Australia is a continent comprising mainland Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, Seram, possibly Timor, and neighbouring islands. The continent is sometimes known in technical contexts by the names Sahul, Australinea or Meganesia, to distinguish it from the Australian mainland. It is the smallest of the seven traditional continents in the English conception. New Zealand is not part of the continent of Australia, but of the separate, submerged continent of Zealandia. New Zealand and Australia are both part of the wider regions known as Australasia and Oceania."

Which if correct, puts us back to square one and Reg is correct in that mainland Australia should be considered an island. Or shall I just give up and go down the pub?

[pauld]

presumably Europe as it's part of Denmark.

That's a political relationship, not a geographical one. i.e. just because the territory is owned/governed by a nation, doesn't make it geographically part of that nation. I think.

[Talk Talk]

That's a political relationship, not a geographical one. i.e. just because the territory is owned/governed by a nation, doesn't make it geographically part of that nation. I think.

Indeed. The Falkland Islands are definitely not part of Europe.

[sonicyouth]

Very good point.

What about Iceland?

[Flashheart]

Indeed. The Falkland Islands are definitely not part of Europe.

Although they are politically 

[Talk Talk]

I'd say North America

Geographically it is part of North America (or is that just America?   )

[pauld]

So did I and was also taught that at school.

According to the (not very reliable) Wikipedia article:

"Australia is a continent comprising mainland Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, Seram, possibly Timor, and neighbouring islands. The continent is sometimes known in technical contexts by the names Sahul, Australinea or Meganesia, to distinguish it from the Australian mainland. It is the smallest of the seven traditional continents in the English conception. New Zealand is not part of the continent of Australia, but of the separate, submerged continent of Zealandia. New Zealand and Australia are both part of the wider regions known as Australasia and Oceania."

Which if correct, puts us back to square one and Reg is correct in that mainland Australia should be considered an island. Or shall I just give up and go down the pub?

Sahul and Zealandia? Fuck off. (Not you, the article). When they start coming up with Narnia stuff like that, I think we're on safe grounds insisting that what we were taught at school is correct and this is just a load of fanciful bollocks.

And yes, let's go to the pub anyway. To toast our correctness

[Talk Talk]

What about Iceland?

It is a Nordic country so is geographically in Europe.

[jayohaitchenn]

There's also a distinction between a political continent and and a geological/tectonic one. I assume that's where Zealandia is coming from.

[pauld]

There's also a distinction between a political continent and and a geological/tectonic one. I assume that's where Zealandia is coming from.

Zealandia's just come out of someone's arse. It sounds like a low-end Vauxhall family estate

[Reg Smeeton]

I'd say North America

It certainly sits on the American tectonic plate....but then again Scotland used to...

Another little beauty....what planets can you see from Earth, with the naked eye?  I put down Earth as 1....wrong.