Why is North America and South America two separate continents when they are connected?

Question

They are connected at the Panama Ithsmus, but are considered two seperate continents. Why? Europe and Asia are the same also, but people often refer to them as Eurasia. Why don't we just have 4 continents-America, Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. I wouldn't mind combining Europe, Africa, and Asia into Afro-Eurasia, as they are connected (kinda) also. Can you answer this for me?

Answer 1

Eurasia is typically the nebulus area in between the two continents, not both continents as a whole.

As for why... you'll have to ask the map-makers who decided to do that.

Answer 2

The very definition of continent is a human invention- We divide the land up as is suits our definition, no longer because it extremely exists-thus, it rely on who you ask, and anybody is reliable, because of fact that is arbitrary. as quickly as I lived in Panama, they have been taught, at school, that conventional united statesa. is a seperate continent, thus 3. interior the U. S., we are taught 2, and in South united statesa., in some places, they are taught one. each is right, because of fact it completely rely on your point of view. there is definitely no geographical reason to considere Europe a seperate continent than Asia, on condition that they seem to be a single land mass, without even a narrowing as is seen between North and South united statesa.. The definitions are human, thus arbitrary.

Answer 3

They are two different masses. You wouldn't say that the living room and the kitchen are the same room just because they are connected by the hallway would you?

Answer 4

If you get right down to it they are all connected, water does not seperate them, there is earth surface under water from one to the next!

Answer 5

You forgot poor Anartica