BLOG.GEOGRAPHYWORLDONLINE.COM: Recent Comments

Comment on Continents

2011-04-11T19:50:41Z

Thank you! I was not particularly fond of watching golf on television until I was fortunate enough to be watching the final round of the Master's when I also noted that the announcers had determined that the Arctic was a “new continent”. As with you, this revelation was certainly news to me. It is unfortunate that such factual tidbits are commonly overlooked while the announcers struggle to fill air time with their blather. I'm sure the number of viewers who take away this type of information as factual is terribly underestimated.

Comment on How Many Continents Are There?

2011-02-19T15:18:56Z

Since the number of continents has been defined by convention, it would be helpful to find out when and where this convention was agreed upon and who were the people participating in it. As far as I know it was in the 50s (at the end of WWII), in the USA and there were mainly "american" geographers.
Clearly a biased convention made with the intention of establishing yet one more evidence of the "superiority and uniqueness" of the USA. An attempt based on prejudice and intended to differentiate the USA from the poorer countries in the continent.

Comment on How Many Continents Are There?

2010-12-29T20:22:29Z

Although this was posted quite awhile ago, I simply had to respond as I am somewhat of a "geography nut". I am able to sit for hours and look at maps, even of states in which I've lived and traveled extensively. I really enjoyed your "overview" as to the many different "concepts" as to how the number of continents could be determined. I especially liked the telling of your disagreement with the European who could easily envision that Europe and Asia were two separate continents but could not envision that North America and South America are two separate continents. At least "we" dug a big ditch between North America and South America as a line of "demarcation"!

Seriously, I like this post as such posts makes one actually have to “think”. Hopefully, this will provide the "younger generation" and others with the concept that sometimes the issues are not "black and white" and "we" must chose the best shade of gray! Thanks!

Comment on How Many Continents Are There?

2010-11-30T11:45:54Z

Yes, there is no standard definition for the number of continents. You perhaps can't count them. I see this more like a cultural confusion than a geographical one the US always wants to be unique and different from the rest, but either they like it or not we all are Americans from Canada to Argentina. Thanks for all your help.

Comment on How Many Continents Are There?

2010-08-09T04:54:42Z

I am agree on this point Since North and South America are naturally connected (prior to the Panama Canal), it could be considered as one continent (the double continent)

Comment on How Many Continents Are There?

2009-02-12T03:27:39Z

Just,here in the USA "Not America" use this.while the other countries are well taught about geography.It's a way we are trying to impose what we think it is right but it's not.We only consider ourselves "AMERICANS" that's the worst of the worst of all lies. AMERICAN is who is born from CANADA to the tip of the PATAGONIA. Just 6 continents and that's it!!

Comment on How Many Continents Are There?

2009-02-06T09:24:00Z

It is pure co-incidence that the names have both have the word "America" South America could have been called anything. If it was called New Europe when first discovered by Europeans, with Monicas logic, it would then be obvious that it is a second continent. You need to look at the geographical aspect, not what people call it.

Comment on How Many Continents Are There?

2009-01-21T03:54:59Z

If a continent is a large mass of land, then America is one continent. On the other hand this mass of land was named after Americus Vespuci for his many trips to this continent. I see this more like a cultural confusion than a geographical one the US always wants to be unique and different from the rest, but either they like it or not we all are americans. from Canada to Argentina.

Comment on How Many Continents Are There?

2008-12-05T02:04:19Z

If the "continents" have the same name, "America", shouldn't they really be considered the same continent? BTW, how about Central America? Don't you consider the existence of Central America? So, there are actually 3 Americas, and not 2! It's obvious that this division was created out of prejudice. I'm Brazilian, and in Brazil we consider America as only one continent.