First and foremost, I honestly do not believe that Europe should be considered a “continent” geographically speaking. However, because of Europe’s politic and economic power…lets skip the monologue, that speaks for itself. So is Europe a continent? I believe Europe is apart of Asia, if you look at a map, without bias or bull, you’ll come up with the same conclusion!
Joker? um why couldnt asia be part of europe? its the same argument after all, geographicly you would have to check and see if they are on the same plate (for instance india is not geographically part of Asia, its on a seprate plate). Politically they are DEFINITLY separate
The “Tectonic Plate” argument is irrelevant! Europe is small, very small, smaller than the U.S, so if we are talking landmass China alone can rival the whole of Europe. The point is, Europe is not a continent! Why is it considered a continent? Is it politic influence? Furthermore, many scientist have acknowledge that Europe, geographically, does not have the requirements to be considered a “continent”. Therefore, why does the larger community refuse to admit the legitimacy of this argument?
Size is irrelevant. 'Continent' has a specified meaning in geology. India, and Australia, both smaller than Europe, meet that definition, and are therefore continents.
First and foremost, I do not believe Australia should be considered a continent either. India does not meet the requirements, it is bordered on more than three sides, however is besides the point. What I’m trying to say is because of Europe’s politic influence they believe they, those in question, can call themselves a “continent” creating an autonomous identity that separates them from Asia. That is bullshit. Europe is not a continent, get over this power hype.
StrangerInAStrangeLa no india isnt, wether eroupe and asia are or arnt 1 continent india ISNT. Its not the same plate which means its not the same continent
Where the heck are you getting this retoric from. The phrase 'Continetal Europe'? Have a read of this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borders_of_the_continents#Europe_and_Asia
South Asia is a subcontinent, including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan. However, it would be more beneficial to view it as a continent in the political sense, as it has more than a hundred languages, cultures, ethnicities. For all intensive purposes it should be viewed as a continent, it is as diverse as Europe and contains a larger population. The Europeans have made the distinction themselves that they are different from the rest of Asia, even the rest of the world. Asia itself is a collection of subcontinents, including Middle East, Northwestern Asia (Russia, Armenia, Azeribaijan, Chechnya), Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, etc.
Europe is diverse? What universe do you live in? Mars is diverse. Venus has a myriad ethnicities. Jupiter is getting there! But Europe? Europe diverse? What a paradox! I’m simply perplexed…I can’t comprehend this…Brain overload!
Hi Joker, I think the problem may lie with another definition. You have stated you do no think Europe is a continent geographically speaking. You seem to be using geography to mean the study of 'where places are'. A good friend, who is a geographer, was fond of saying to me that geography was not about where places were, but about why they were there. If you think about that it means that geography is very much about politics and economic power. On that basis it is clear why Europe was considered as a continent and why that should continue.
Arguably Asgard is right--Siberia being conquered by the Russians from the 16th to the 19th Century changed the balance of power between Asia and Europe, I believe. If any Asian power had control of Siberia just as Russia has--ie as part of their state--things would totally different in Europe. The conquest of Siberia put that vast stretch of Eurasia into European hands, and opened it to a new and different set of cultural and historical influences than the region would have been exposed to if Siberia had remained under any form of Asia suzerenity.
