Why isn't greenland a continent?

Question

Greenland is a lot bigger than australia. then why is it not considered a continent?

Answer 1

The primary reason for granting Australia continental status seems to be geological.

Australia, which is often called the "island continent," sits on its own tectonic plate, while Greenland is geologically part of North America. Australia also has completely unique flora and fauna, while Greenland's wildlife is shared with North America.

That being said, there's no final answer on this one. Geologically, Madagascar could be defined as a continent. And when you think about it, Europe might seem like just a group of peninsulas extending westward from Asia. The dictionary simply defines Australia as a continent and an "island" as anything surrounded by water that's smaller than a continent.

Answer 2

Greenland is part of North America. Also, Australia is sometimes considered part of Oceania. Continent does not always depends on the land size. It depends on the geographic location.

Answer 3

It is not connected to Canada by land but it is part of the North American tectonic plate. The water way that separates it from the North American mainland was carved out by giant glaciers in the last few ice ages. Otherwise, it would probably be attached by a land bridge.

The term "continent" is sort of like the term "planet". As we discovered the world we used the term continent to describe general areas. The recent revision of Pluto to a minor planet or planetoid illustrates that these terms are plastic and can be revised in their use.

Along the same lines typically Europe and Asia are today often referred to as the Euro-Asian continent.

But it could be more appropriate to refer to the tectonic plates as the ways the land masses should be divided. Ironically this means that a large chunk of eastern Siberia is part of North America plate, and that alone shows that the term continent can mean anything you want it to mean.

Greenland is could be called a subcontinent or mini-continent., or, choke, "continoid", if you like. But currency of use would make your use of that term to appear to be silly. Not that that stopped anyone.

Finally, tectonic plates do not always provide the best reference. For example Australia and India are part of the same tectonic plate yet they are so far from each other that it almost appears to be silly to treat them, for geographical purposes, as though they were one thing.

Answer 4

On a globe or Google Earth, you can see that Greenland is practically attached to Canada. My alma mater McGill University willl be performing feasability studies to build a toll bridge from Greenland to Ellsemere Island to facilitate tourist traffic in the high seson.

Answer 5

Greenland is not bigger than Australia. Look at a globe instead of the Mercator projection map.

Answer 6

Actually if you take an orange and cut it (in one peice) and lay flat u should notice that there are some dents and there shaped like triangles and so the map makers have to add some land to make a map..... so Greenland isn't that big

Answer 7

If you're so concerned about it, why don't you make the maps and write the textbooks?

Answer 8

Dr. Dave is right. If I was a woman I would have his babies.