This is a geography question. I would like to know when the British Isles separated from mainland Europe, approximately.
2007-02-20 17:57:03 · 8 answers · asked by MyOrchid 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
When the sea level rose at the end of the last ice age.
If the sea level ever falls sufficiently again so that the English Channel dries up, we'll suddenly find we're no longer an island, but part of the mainland again. The British Isles is still physically connected to the rest of the continent, it's just that the connection is below the level of the sea, i.e. it's the sea floor that connects us.
2007-02-21 00:02:24 · answer #1 · answered by Timbo 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
According to Wikipedia's British Isles Geology section, I decipered that the sea level rose 4,000 - 5,000 years ago, separating the British Isles from the rest of Europe with what is now known as the English Channel. It was interesting to note that long before that, that land mass "floated" up from the equator. (Found that in "Pangaea", I think.) Mistral was funny, though.
2007-02-21 03:01:06 · answer #2 · answered by Casperia 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The british isles didn't disconnect from mainland europe but broke of from north america when north american moved away from europe The first supercontinent, Pangaea broke up into two, Gondwanaland and Laurasia. This then split up into the continents which we now know. However the british isles and USA started to move away from europe in the cretaceous period (arounf 65million years ago.) This was the last major move to form the world as which we know it today.
2007-02-21 12:32:46 · answer #3 · answered by chunky1990 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It was before the ice age:
Until late in the Mesolithic period, Britain formed part of the continental landmass and was easily accessible to migrating hunters. The cutting of the land bridge, c. 6000–5000 BC, had important effects: migration became more difficult and remained for long impossible to large numbers.
When the ice age occured (c. 11,000 BC), It moved the UK nearer to where it is today. Although the UK is still moving slowly, probably due to rising sea levels.
Hope that helps
2007-02-21 13:10:05 · answer #4 · answered by elephantemg83 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the british isles are a series of islands so have never been one island, but to answer the flooding of the channel, that was at the end of the last glacial around 100000 years ago
2007-02-22 16:36:29 · answer #5 · answered by Kev P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Pleistocene in the Quaternary Period, during the last Ice Age
2007-02-22 03:56:33 · answer #6 · answered by specialagenttodd 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the last ice age.
You know... an iceage could rapidly come upon us again at any time.
2007-02-21 02:07:21 · answer #7 · answered by Narky 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
30,482 years BC at 3.18 am. Sadly no pictures could be taken as it was dark
2007-02-21 02:16:01 · answer #8 · answered by mistral23 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋