Why there are only seven continents?

Answer 1

Cause there are only 7 continents.

Answer 2

"Continent" is a rather arbitrary distinction. Why are Europe and Asia two separate continents? What is the difference between and island and a continent? Greenland is pretty darn big, but it's not counted as a continent. But Australia is.

ADDITIONAL NOTE:

In my opinion, the best way to determine this sort of thing is to define continents by tectonic plates. If you don't know, the earth's crust is made up of separate plates. Look at this map:

http://geology.er.usgs.gov/eastern/plates.html

So looking at that, I would define the continents as such:
1. North America
2. South America
3. Africa
4. Eurasia
5. Australia
6. Antarctica
7. ......

You could define Arabia and India as separate continents. But they are kinda small. And both are pretty well connected to Eurasia.

Answer 3

Because that's how many there are. If there were 8, then there would be 8. If there were 5, then there would be 5. There's no reason to explain for there being 7 continents.

Answer 4

Greenland is part of the continent of North America. It's on the same continental plate as the rest of North America, and if the sea level dropped slightly, it woudl be connected by dry land.

But Madagascar and New Zealand are effectively separate continents. They're just not given continental status because they are too small. It's purely a matter of convention.

Answer 5

There are seven continents because billions of years ago, the land was a big blob. Over millions of years, the land masses began to evolve and separate. Today, there are 7 clear divisions of large land masses, so that's why we have 7 continents. (I'm not sure about Europe and Asia, though. It used to be called Eurasia. I think.)

Answer 6

do u want more? start a committee, a committee of absolut authority on everything, then wait till California becomes an island and proclaim it a seperate continent...

Answer 7

I agree we should give Greenland New Guinea Borneo and Madagascar Continental Rights ! Its just not fair !

Answer 8

In a word,water

Answer 9

Are you serious? Why do you have only 10 fingers? Because that's all there is.

Answer 10

god got tired